Get those fingers ready
Legally Blonde
fans, because it’s time to bend and snap!
The highly-anticipated prequel series
Elle
is a follow-up
Legally Blonde
, the 2001 hit film starring
Reese Witherspoon
. It follows the quintessential blonde in her formative high school years. And yes, her trusty companion dog Bruiser is along for the ride.
But what can we expect from the bubbly Elle Woods? Is she thriving or simply surviving her adolescent years? And will we see the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair or
Jennifer Coolidge
in the show?
Here’s everything we know about the upcoming prequel,
Elle
and it’s new leading star Lexi Minetree.
What is
Elle
about?
As a fish-out-of-water in the Harvard-based
Legally Blonde
film, Elle Woods has always found strength in adversity and as a result, she triumphed over her peers as a class student.
“What, like it’s hard?”
The prequel,
Elle
, follows a similar path to its predecessor as Elle Woods navigates the complexities of a new high school when her family relocates from Los Angeles to Seattle. As a literal bright spark in a gloomy setting, Elle doesn’t fit in with her peers and she’ll need her charm to forge new friendships and confront challenges.
Check out the trailer for
Elle
below:
With her mum by her side, played by June Diane Raphael, Elle discovers that the ties that bind you could be the very thing that propels you forward in life.
Set in the 1990s, fans can expect some nostalgic fashion and throwbacks as the series dives into a much-loved era.
Who is in the cast of
Elle
?
Lexi Minetree is at the heart of the series as Elle Woods, a role she won after an open casting call went out to the world in 2024. Six months later, Lexi was on set in the role of a lifetime. And spoiler, she’s not a natural blonde!
Speaking to
Elle
magazine about her audition, Lexi said she understood the pressure she was under. The character is a cultural icon after all!
But she kept her cool, as much as she could.
“This might sound woo-woo, but do you ever have those things where you feel that they’re just meant for you in a way?” Lexi told
Elle
. “There was this calm that I had the entire time, where I felt like I understood this character so much and I understood her essence and what she was made of. It just felt right.”
As for her parents, June Diane Raphael stars as Elle’s mother Eva, and Tom Everett Scott as her father Wyatt.
The series also stars
the late James Van Der Beek
, who died February 11, 2026 after a battle with colorectal cancer. He stars as Dean Wilson, the school district superintendent and candidate for city mayor. This would be his final role.
The supporting cast includes Jacob Moskovitz, Gabrielle Policano, Chandler Kinney, Zac Looker, and Amy Pietz.
Will Reese Witherspoon appear in
Elle
?
Shortly after
Legally Bonde
celebrated its 25
th
anniversary, conversations about what a reboot could like began circulating through Hollywood. Reese Witherspoon then floated the idea to Lauren Neustadter, her partner at production company Hello Sunshine, and the pair began cooking up ideas.
While we are yet to receive confirmation on whether Reese or the other original stars, such as Selma Blair, Jennifer Coolidge or Luke Wilson, will appear in the prequel series, it’s unlikely given their timeline in the story.
But! We hold out hope for a screen reunion, of sorts!
Where can I watch
Elle
in Australia?
Elle
premieres July 11 on
Prime Video
.
