Actor Reese Witherspoon, who brought the beloved character Elle Woods to life in the 2001 classic Legally Blonde, has announced an exciting development for fans of the franchise: an open casting call for a prequel series focussing on Elle’s teenage years. In a video posted to Instagram, Reese expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I can’t wait to tell you that we are starting the casting process, and we are making it open. Yes, that is right. This is an open casting for the young Elle Woods when she was in high school.” She encouraged aspiring actors, saying, “I cannot wait to see all the Elle Woods’ out there. This is gonna be really fun!”
The Oscar-winning actor confirmed that her production company, Hello Sunshine, will be at the helm of this new series for Prime Video. A press release accompanying the announcement, obtained by People magazine, describes Elle as “a driven, natural-born leader who will always stop to straighten another woman’s crown”. The series promises to capture her vibrant personality, highlighting her confidence and vulnerability as she navigates her first love and heartbreak during the 1990s.
Reese first portrayed Elle Woods in the original Legally Blonde, which grossed over $141 million globally. She reprised the role in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, and produced the 2009 spin-off, Legally Blondes.
Based on Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel of the same name, Legally Blonde was released in theatres on July 13, 2001, and was followed by a sequel titled Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, two years later.
Luke Wilson told People magazine last month that he’d be fully on board for the upcoming Legally Blonde 3, which was first confirmed back in 2018. When asked if he’d want to reprise his role as Emmett, Luke said, “Yeah. I’m always up to work with Reese again.”