Reese Witherspoon’s Involvement In New Legally Blonde Prequel Revealed By Prime Video Star

It's been 25 years since Witherspoon first donned those pink outfits and introduced her dog Bruiser to the world, and now her colorful character, Elle Woods, is back, this time on the small screen in a prequel. Instead of Witherspoon in the lead role, though, Lexi Minetree is taking on the iconic role.

In an interview with ScreenRant's Liam Crowley, Minetree opened up about Witherspoon's involvement with Elle as an executive producer and how the two keep in touch with each other.

The actress explained that she's "so honored" that Witherspoon is a part of the TV show, even though she's not playing Elle. "She really has been so instrumental in helping us create this," Minetree said. "She is Legally Blonde. She's part of the reason why, 25 years later, we're still talking about it."

"First of all, I am so honored about her involvement in all this. She really has been so instrumental in helping us create this. I mean, she is Legally Blonde. She's part of the reason why, 25 years later, we're still talking about it."

Minetree went on to reveal that she and Witherspoon communicate via voice memos, which the former calls "insane." She explained that texting stresses her out and "makes me sweat real bad," but sending voice memos "just feels better" because she doesn't have to "use a million emojis to show that you're not mad."

There have been times when Minetree has checked in with Witherspoon about the character of Elle and "how she approached certain things," but she's also reached out for advice on sustaining her "health and body, mind [and] spirit" amid long hours on a set. After all, this is her very first series regular role in the entertainment industry.

Minetree went on to say that while filming the first season of Elle, she only had two days off during the entire five-month shoot, which is a schedule she's never had before.

"You go film, but then people don't always realize you go ho home, dissociate for 30 minutes and then go prep for the next day," she said, before adding that she had to learn how to maintain her spirit throughout the entire process.

Her fellow cast members on Elle have helped in that regard. "Every day I was just excited to go to work to hang out with them because they're really cool," she said.

"It's been really amazing to have her one voice memo away whenever...yeah, it's actually insane. Texting stresses me out and makes me sweat real bad. And voice memos just feels better. You don't have to use a million emojis to show that you're not mad. Even though I've never been mad in my life. But I'm not mad still. So yes, voice memos with Reese has been amazing. Just to either, one, check her brain about the character and how she approached certain things, but also just about how to sustain your health and body, mind, spirit.

"Because a lot of times I was working 12 to 15 hours a day. Season 1, I had two days off of a five-month shoot. I had never done a task like that before. You go film, but then people don't always realize you go home, dissociate for 30 minutes and then go prep for the next day. You just have to learn how to maintain your spirit as well. And part of it has been my amazing cast members here. Every day I was just excited to go to work to hang out with them because they're really cool."

When Witherspoon first played Elle in 2001's Legally Blonde, her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, and the film itself, which grossed $141.9 million at the box office and received a Certified Fresh score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, was in the running for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy.

In the film, which is based on a novel by Amanda Brown, Elle attends Harvard's law school after her boyfriend breaks up with her as a way to get back together with him.

Two years later, Witherspoon reprised the role for the sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and the franchise eventually expanded with a Broadway musical, the reality show Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods and a Witherspoon-produced spinoff film called Legally Blondes about Elle's cousins.

Now Elle Woods is back in the eight-episode Prime Video series Elle. Minetree's co-stars include Tom Everett Scott, Chandler Kinney, Jacob Moskovitz, Gabrielle Policano, Zac Looker and the late James Van Der Beek.

Elle season 1 is now available to stream on Prime Video.