---
title: "Meet the New Elle Woods: Lexi Minetree Takes On a 'Legally Blonde' Prequel"
description: "Reese Witherspoon has handed off one of her most beloved roles. In 'Elle,' a new 'Legally Blonde' prequel series streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the newcomer Lexi Minetree steps into Elle Woods's pink heels — playing the character in high school, years before Harvard Law."
category: "Entertainment"
category_url: https://herald.la/category/entertainment
author: "Mei-Lin Tang"
published: 2026-07-02T15:10:43.000Z
updated: 2026-07-02T15:10:43.000Z
canonical: https://herald.la/article/meet-the-new-elle-woods-lexi-minetree-takes-on-a-legally-blonde-prequel
tags: ["Legally Blonde", "Elle Woods", "Lexi Minetree", "Reese Witherspoon", "Prime Video"]
---
# Meet the New Elle Woods: Lexi Minetree Takes On a 'Legally Blonde' Prequel

Reese Witherspoon has handed off one of her most beloved roles. In 'Elle,' a new 'Legally Blonde' prequel series streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the newcomer Lexi Minetree steps into Elle Woods's pink heels — playing the character in high school, years before Harvard Law.

There is a particular pressure in taking over a role that a star made iconic. Lexi Minetree is finding out what it feels like — she is the new Elle Woods.

## The show

Minetree stars in "Elle," a "Legally Blonde" prequel series that premiered July 1 on Amazon Prime Video, [according to its creators and reviewers](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/elle-review-legally-blonde-prequel-1236799563/). Created by Laura Kittrell, the eight-episode first season rewinds to 1995 and imagines Elle Woods at 16 — bubbly, blonde and out of place after her family moves to Seattle, years before the Harvard Law School triumph that made her famous. Amazon has already renewed the series for a second season, [Wikipedia's summary of the show notes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elle_(TV_series)).

Reese Witherspoon, who originated Elle in the 2001 film, is an executive producer, alongside the veteran producer Marc Platt. Witherspoon framed the handoff warmly. "I could not be more proud to pass the baton — or the pink torch — to Lexi Minetree as the new Elle Woods," she said, calling the young actress "a bright light."

## The newcomer

Minetree, in her mid-20s, is a relative unknown who, by the reporting, landed the part after a standout audition, [The Hollywood Reporter noted](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/legally-blonde-prequel-elle-woods-lexi-minetree-1236135696/). Witherspoon, she has said, cut the suspense quickly — telling her she had the role rather than making her keep auditioning. Stepping into a character so tied to another actress is daunting, but Minetree has spoken about studying Witherspoon's performance closely to capture Elle's voice and spirit while making the part her own.

## Why Elle endures

The appeal of Elle Woods has proved durable. In the 2001 film, she was written off as a ditzy sorority president, then talked, studied and charmed her way into Harvard Law and out-argued everyone who underestimated her. The movie became a cultural touchstone, spawned a 2003 sequel and a 2007 Broadway musical, and has been cited by countless women as an inspiration — including, famously, to pursue law themselves.

That is the legacy a prequel inherits: not just a brand, but a character audiences feel they know. Reviews of "Elle" have been mixed on whether the series adds enough that's new, but the pull of the premise is clear. For a performer just starting out, playing Elle Woods is a high-wire act — and, for someone who grew up on the movies, the kind of role you dream about.

## Sources

- ['Legally Blonde' prequel series casts Elle Woods](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/legally-blonde-prequel-elle-woods-lexi-minetree-1236135696/)
- [Elle (TV series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elle_(TV_series))
- ['Elle' review: Amazon's 'Legally Blonde' prequel](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/elle-review-legally-blonde-prequel-1236799563/)