Lexi Minetree on Taking Over as Elle Woods, One Pink Outfit at a Time

There’s a scene in the new Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle, premiering July 1 on Prime, when a teenage Elle Woods attends her first party in Medina, Washington, shortly after her parents uproot her from Los Angeles. The event’s invite calls it a pool party, but anyone from the greater Seattle area knows that translates to “wear plaid and bring your skateboard to ride in my parents’ drained pool.” Unfortunately, Elle is not well-versed in ’90s Pacific Northwest nomenclature at this point, and she shows up in a hot pink bikini.

Fans of the original 2001 film will immediately see the parallel. In the movie, Reese Witherspoon’s Elle, newly enrolled at Harvard Law School, attends her first on-campus party, which she is told is a costume bash. She arrives as a pastel pink Playboy Bunny, only to find everyone else wardrobed in East Coast prep. But Elle doesn’t run away; she faces the situation head-on. High school Elle is not as willing to stick out.

“I was always curious about how Elle got the confidence to walk into that room wearing the bunny outfit when no one else is dressed up, and own it right away,” says Lexi Minetree, Witherspoon’s successor and the star of Prime’s Elle. Minetree, who is 25 and was born the year Legally Blonde came out, has seen the movie “an ungodly amount of times” by now. “That’s not normal,” she tells W of Elle’s law school aplomb.

The show’s pool party scene is a perfect example of how Elle manages to squeeze itself into the Legally Blonde canon. Elle Woods is a gregarious character—that much is made clear in the film—but those traits didn’t just evolve overnight. They take trials and tribulations, which set the trajectory for Elle.

The series also captures the joy and humor that made everyone fall in love with the original movie. Minetree impressively embodies a teenage Woods, one who is sociable and bright, but at times naive. She matches Reese’s intonation without feeling like a carbon copy, and the result is a fun and engaging teenage comedy starring a version of the character that has captured the world for a quarter century.

It can’t be easy to take on such a beloved property, but Elle Woods feels safe in the hands of Minetree, who speaks of the character’s history with reverence. “I want people to know that I treasure this character so much and I have fallen in love with her just as much as the world has,” she says. “I'm proud of myself because I did the very best I could, and I'm proud of the work I did.”

Below, the actor talks about her own physical resemblance to Witherspoon, working with baby Bruiser, and her pink-fueled press tour.

You’ve said you’ve often been told you look like Reese Witherspoon. Did you see the resemblance?

Oh, I can definitely see it. I used to have brown hair, so sometimes I thought, “That’s a stretch.” But once I went blonde, I was like, “Okay, I actually do see what people are talking about now.” And you know what? There are worse things in life than being compared to one of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses.

Did you go blonde for the Elle audition?

I went blonde before on a whim. During COVID, I was one of the girls who started cutting her own hair, and that ended horribly. I used nail scissors at first, and I don't know why I thought that would be a good idea. So I kind of got used to changing my hair, and when I graduated college, I felt the drive to go blonde because I was like, “It's summer, it'll be fun. It's a new era of my life.” Then, a couple of months later, the open call came out, so I was very glad for that timing.

Do you remember watching Legally Blonde for the first time?

I don't remember the first time I watched it. I wish I did, but it just feels like one of those movies I've always known. I think it's that way for a lot of people. If you go up to any random person on the street, most of them will have seen Legally Blonde or at least know about it, which is really crazy nowadays, especially considering there's so much content out there. To have a singular thing that everyone knows about is really special. The fact that we're still quoting Elle Woods 25 years later is a testament to what Reese was able to create and inspire with women.

Do you have a favorite line from the movie?

Right now, I'm really liking the line when she's at the party with Vivian, and she goes, “Oh, Vivian, I like your outfit too. But normally when I dress up like a frigid bitch, I try not to look so constipated.” That's a good one. It shows she’s got a feisty side.

You mentioned how many times you’ve seen the movie at this point. How did you prepare for the role?

I watched the movie a lot. I took a voiceover class in college, and I used a lot of what I learned because Reese’s cadence is so specific. It's very rhythmic. There's a musicality to it, but she's not a valley girl. I also had to consider what this character would sound like in high school. Would she have a higher-pitched voice, or would she emphasize different things? So I approached it from a dialect perspective. And this is very small, but sometimes when she's talking, she kind of clicks her tongue. So it's little things like that which were really fun to find and practice. Also, her walk is very specific.

There are a few easter eggs for Legally Blonde fans throughout the show. Do you have a favorite?

Little baby Bruiser! He’s such a stinker. He’s a diva on set, but he’s so cute, he gets away with it.

You’ve been really embodying Elle throughout the press tour.

My stylist, Molly [Dickson], has been knocking it out of the park. Elle is a fashion icon, and she has so many great looks in both movies. We wanted to nod to that, but we also wanted to take inspiration from ’90s fashion as well.

Are these looks natural extensions of your style or a continuation of the role?

I would say I have a girly style, but it's more boho-ish. So I wouldn’t normally wear a lot of these outfits in my day-to-day life, but I don’t think many of us wear Prada on a walk around town. When I put these outfits on, it gets me into the character. I remember the first time I really felt “Oh wow, I’m Elle Woods” was during a camera test. I was putting on these incredible outfits and high heels, which literally change your posture and the way that you walk and the way that you act. So the coolest thing for me is getting to use the clothes to take on this character because, honestly, you don't have Elle Woods without the fashion.

Do you have a favorite look from the press tour?

I was so honored to wear the outfit that Reese wore to her Legally Blonde premiere 25 years ago. It's this beautiful Marc Jacobs dress. Funny enough, it does feel a bit like Elle Woods meets Seattle, because it has black mesh on top of it. I remember when Molly pulled it out, and I tried it on, it fit perfectly. No tailor needed. It was kind of spooky, honestly.

You also wear some really fun looks in the show. Do you have a favorite?

How can you make me choose? The Sweet 16 look is iconic, but my favorite outfit and the one I felt most beautiful in was in episode eight. It’s this beautiful pink Vivian Westwood dress. It’s so gorgeous.