In this&nbsp;L'Officiel Philippines&nbsp;exclusive, we talk to the young star of&nbsp;Elle about becoming the iconic Legally Blonde&nbsp;lead.

25 years ago, a young woman in a hot-pink halter dress walked onto our screens and subverted everything we thought we knew about blonde ambition.&nbsp;Legally Blonde&nbsp;wasn't just a fun, frothy comedy but a joyful defense against the "dumb blonde" trope, a vibrant argument that appearances do not equate to intelligence. It taught us that women should not be diminished by their looks, judged by their choice of frivolous blazer, or underestimated because of a perfectly winged liner. The look of competence, the film argued, is far more complex than any stereotype allows.But for young audiences today, that cinematic moment is a distant memory. Which is precisely why&nbsp;Elle, the new Prime Video prequel series premiering this July, arrives at the perfect cultural moment. In an age of heightened awareness and socio-political enlightenment, it feels fitting to bring back a character who defied convention — this time, in a story all about finding herself, fitting in, and standing out at the same time.Stepping into those fabulous pink heels is Lexi Minetree, a 25-year-old actress who was born the very year&nbsp;Legally Blonde&nbsp;first premiered<a href="https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/lexi-minetree-elle-woods-legally-blonde-prequel-tv-show-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>. A University of Southern California graduate with a double major in theatre and public relations, Minetree has already built an impressive resume with appearances in&nbsp;Law &amp; Order: SVU&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Murdaugh Murders. But it's her uncanny resemblance to Reese Witherspoon, and her undeniable talent, that landed her the role of a lifetime. And yes, the resemblance is real. "My whole life, strangers on the street have come up to me and been like, 'You know, you look a lot like Reese Witherspoon,'" Minetree has said<a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a71602513/lexi-minetree-elle-woods-interview-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>. Once she went blonde for the role, she finally saw it, too<a href="https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/lexi-minetree-elle-woods-legally-blonde-prequel-tv-show-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>.

Reese Witherspoon herself hand-picked Minetree for the part, a moment the young actress still describes as surreal.&nbsp;The OG Elle Woods also serves as an executive producer on the series, ensuring the prequel remains true to the spirit of the beloved franchise.Set in 1995,&nbsp;Elle&nbsp;follows a teenage Elle Woods navigating the tumultuous waters of high school long before she ever set foot on Harvard's campus. After her plastic surgeon father (Tom Everett Scott) lands a job in the Pacific Northwest, Elle is uprooted from her Bel-Air mansion and thrust into a Seattle public high school where nobody is blonde and everyone's in grunge flannels. It's a fish-out-of-water story that parallels the original film's Harvard premise, but with the added awkwardness of adolescence. For Minetree, preparing to embody such an iconic character meant immersing herself completely in the role. "First, I watched the movie so many times. I think I could say it as a one-woman show," she tells L'Officiel Philippines. "I really wanted to get her mannerisms down, her voice, her intonations, her walk. You know, she's such a specific character. And I feel like her voice in particular is so specific and has a melodic rhythm to it that I wanted to capture."&nbsp;But Minetree was careful not to simply deliver a copy-paste performance. "Once I did that, I really wanted to bring my own kind of interpretation to her, because, you know, Reese already did such a wonderful job. And I didn't want it to be just copy-paste, you know? Nor would it be possible, you know, when you're playing someone else, a character that someone else has created, like, you know, you have lived different life experiences and you're a different person. So it's only natural that you have to bring some of that to that character." Witherspoon herself gave Minetree permission to add "my own little sprinkles of magic" to the role<a href="https://people.com/lexi-minetree-15-minute-morning-ritual-elle-series-exclusive-12005782" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>. "And so, to be honest, you know, because when you're playing a character like this, people can tell when you're putting on airs or putting on like a joke. You know what I mean? And I didn't want that. I wanted her to feel really genuine." The result is a performance that matches Reese's intonation without feeling like a carbon copy. <center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K6YyM3YxS1w?si=LhqWEdIsJ3wakO7C" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></center> The show's world-building extends far beyond performance. The fashion in&nbsp;Elle&nbsp;is a nostalgic delight, lovingly recreating the mid-90s with fluffy accessories, coordinated pink ensembles, graphic tees, and chunky hairbands. The wardrobe is filled with true vintage pieces that pay homage to the original 2001 film. And the soundtrack leans into the era with 90s rock and pop influences. Minetree vividly recalls filming the opening Sweet 16 scene, directed by Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect), who also directed the first two episodes. "He played Mariah Carey's 'Fantasy' every time I would walk down the steps," she shares. "And as I was walking down, there was people jumping into the pool and people spelling my name out with floaties. And it was the craziest experience of my life, as the camera was going above me, and the song was playing. And it just wiggled its way into my brain. And now I listen to it all the time. It's such a catchy song, and also such a perfect intro to Elle in this world, you know?"At its heart, Elle is a coming-of-age story about navigating new circumstances—something Minetree believes resonates far beyond high school. "You know, I've been thinking about this thing recently where, you know, as I feel like as adults or even people who are teenagers, we're not, we feel a pressure to not like, to not fail or to be in new scenarios. It's scary to be there," she reflects. "Like when I'm a kid, when I was a kid, I feel like we're always like trying new things and like, it's encouraged to, you know, you might fall on your face and that's normal. But when you get older, it's like, all of a sudden, it's like, oh no, like it's not for you or you can't try new things or you can't move to a new place. But I'm like, why is that the case?"She continues: "I think the reason so many things are set in high school is because people are put to new circumstances. But I think throughout entire lives, no matter how old you are, you're going to be faced with things you haven't faced before and have to try new things. And you're going to be the fish out of water. You're going to be out of your element." (She pauses, then grins. "Element, eh? Clever. Thank you. It just comes so naturally to me.") "But you're going to be out of your element and you're going to have to like, rise to the occasion and like, try something new and try something you might be uncomfortable with. And I think watching a character like Elle, who is like so specific and so Bel-Air, have to navigate this new world and like, can't really use the tricks that she did when she was at her home. It's like, it's really endearing. And I think people resonate with that, you know, maybe not this specific scenario for themselves, but like they can take that into their own lives and apply it."

For a generation searching for authenticity in a curated world, Elle Woods remains the ultimate guide. And in Lexi Minetree, she has found the perfect heir.

Blonde Ambition: Lexi Minetree Is This Generation's Elle Woods

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