By Phoebe Pang
Twenty-five years after “Legally Blonde” introduced the world to Elle Woods, the iconic character is returning to screens this week – this time, as a teenager.
“Elle,” a prequel series to the 2001 film, premieres on Wednesday, July 1 on Prime Video, with newcomer Lexi Minetree stepping into a role that Reese Witherspoon made iconic.
Set six years before the events of the original film, the show drops audiences into 1995, following a 16-year-old Elle Woods after her family abruptly moves from Bel-Air to Seattle, trading sunshine and sorority culture for grunge and culture shock.
A new Elle, chosen by the original
Minetree was cast through a nationwide open audition after Witherspoon personally reviewed hundreds of tapes before making the final call.
“Discovering Lexi Minetree and watching her step into Elle’s fabulous shoes has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my career,” Witherspoon said ahead of the premiere.
Where the idea came from
Witherspoon has been candid about what sparked the whole concept.
In a 2025 interview, she said watching Netflix’s “Wednesday” was what gave her the idea.
It was like seeing Jenna Ortega playing a younger version of this well-known character, and that made her think the same kind of format could actually work for Elle Woods.
“I saw that ‘Wednesday’ show and I was like, ‘we should do Elle Woods in high school,’” she said. “I wanted to see who she was before college, before law school.”
It’s an honest admission that the show lands right inside a bigger trend. Streaming platforms have been leaning hard on origin stories and prequels lately. So, “Elle” sits squarely within that kind of pattern, not really hiding it.
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Prime Video is backing it heavily
The level of confidence Prime Video has shown in the series is notable.
The show got renewed for a second season in January 2026, which is impressive because production was already rolling in Vancouver.
“Never Have I Ever” star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is also set to join the Season 2 cast, given that the series gets an early promotional angle before a lot of viewers have really had a chance to watch Season 1.
Can Minetree carry it?
The first season runs for eight episodes, with the opening two directed by Jason Moore, who previously helmed “Pitch Perfect.”
The show arrives with a clear emotional hook for audiences who grew up with the original film, now old enough to bring their own children to it – a dynamic Witherspoon and her team have spoken about openly.
But “Elle” ultimately lives or dies on one question:
Can Minetree make the role genuinely her own rather than the actress spending eight episodes doing an impression of someone else?
With Witherspoon’s name and reputation attached, and a second season already locked in, the pressure to get that answer right is considerable.
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