We are on a nostalgia ride through cult classics. After The Devil Wears Prada, we are back in the world of Legally Blonde with a prequel spin-off, Elle (“What, like it’s hard?”). The mini-series, which follows our beloved Elle Woods through her high school years, is produced by Reese Witherspoon. In this conversation, Witherspoon speaks about bringing the character back, finding a new generation’s Elle, and why the optimistic blonde still connects with audiences nearly 25 years on.
How does it feel to be marking the 25th anniversary of the original Legally Blonde film with Elle?
Oh my gosh, I honestly can’t believe it’s been 25 years. It’s surreal and really nostalgic for me to remember being a 23-year-old girl playing that part. It’s incredible that people still love the film; it still finds a new audience, and we are here today with Elle. I can’t wait for everyone to see the show.
What made you want to bring Elle Woods back?
It really came from loving Wednesday, and what a wonderful job they did bringing that character back. When I saw that, I called Lauren Neustadter. My producing partner said that we should really seize the moment and find out who Elle Woods was in high school and how she became such an ambitious young woman. And with all the Nineties nostalgia going on right now, it seemed like the perfect time to do it.
How does it feel to have played a huge part in creating that character?
It’s just so meaningful. I have little girls come up to me all the time, talking about it. Little girls don’t have that many heroes, so to know that it provides positive inspiration for them is so special. I also get a lot of lawyers telling me how they went to law school because of Elle Woods. Elle is so optimistic, and she brings so much joy and positivity to so many.
The piece of advice I give younger people is just to be kind to everybody. The person who is getting you coffee one day, could be your boss the next day, or vice versa
Lexi Minetree plays the teenage Elle Woods in the mini-series. What can you tell us about her?
Lexi is such a revelation. She is such a star, and she brought all the right energy. We went through thousands of audition tapes to find our Elle, and Lexi stood out from the very first time we saw her. I can’t wait for people to see how incredible she is. The whole cast is amazing.
How much fun is it making a show set in the Nineties?
So much. Of course, we didn’t really have cell phones in the Nineties. We definitely didn’t have social media, so we had a lot of fun being naive. It created a space to be daydreamy and idealistic, and how you wanted the world to be. That is very much how Elle Woods was brought into the world.
Is it true that you still have all of your clothes from the Legally Blonde films?
That’s true. I have them all.
Why do you think Legally Blonde has remained so popular over the years?
I think it was such a feminist film. It was about saying how your life doesn’t have to be defined by your romantic relationships. It can be defined by your girlfriends, by your sense of self-worth, job, education, and accomplishments. It really was, and still is, such a special film.
Fans are hoping Elle will maybe lead to you returning to the role in another Legally Blonde film.
Sure, it would be interesting to see Elle and all the characters all these years later to see how they have and haven’t changed. But currently, I am just excited about the new show.
We will be seeing you on screen in the fifth season of The Morning Show. What can you tell us about that?
I can tell you that it’s an amazing season. Jeremy Irons and Marion Cotillard brought such incredible passion and talent to our show, and now we have Jeff Daniels and Sean Hayes, who just bring so much comedy. The level of talent that we have brought in is insane.
Why do you think audiences are so captivated by the relationship between your character and Jennifer Aniston’s character?
I think because it’s so rare to see a show focus on female work relationships and how that seeps into the personal world as well. I think so many of us have those relationships in real life. I have worked with the same women for 25 years. They are my best friends. It’s just so great to bring that to life with Jennifer.
What is it that makes Jennifer a good on-screen partner?
I think knowing each other for years and knowing we are helping form the storylines. We are pushing each other to go further and challenge ourselves. I have never played the same character for so long, so it’s interesting for me as an actor.
What would you say is the hardest lesson you have learned as a producer and an actress?
So many lessons. The piece of advice I always give younger people is just to be kind to everybody, because you never know. The person who could be getting you coffee one day, or is helping you in some way, could be your boss the next day, or vice versa. I think being kind to everybody is a universal lesson for any industry.