Lexi Minetree is fully stepping into Elle Woods’ pink stilettos.
The actress, who stars as a young Elle Woods in Prime Video’s upcoming “Legally Blonde” prequel series “Elle,” recently paid tribute to Reese Witherspoon in a way fans of the franchise immediately recognized. During an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Minetree wore the exact pink Marc Jacobs dress that Witherspoon wore to the 2001 premiere of “Legally Blonde.”
The nostalgic fashion moment came during Minetree’s first-ever talk show appearance. Host Jimmy Fallon displayed a photo of Witherspoon wearing the spaghetti-strap pink dress at the original premiere before revealing Minetree in the same look more than two decades later. Minetree completed the outfit with hot pink Steve Madden heels and an elegant updo.
The tribute felt especially fitting given Minetree’s connection to the Oscar-winning actress. During the interview, she revealed that people had been comparing her to Witherspoon long before she landed the role of Elle Woods.
“Even when I was a brunette, random people would come to me and say, ‘You know who you look like? You look like Reese Witherspoon,’” Minetree recalled. “I was like thank you very much. That is a huge compliment.”
The full-circle moment is hard to ignore. According to reports, Minetree was only three months old when Witherspoon originally wore the dress to the “Legally Blonde” premiere in 2001. Now, 25 years later, she is preparing to introduce audiences to a younger version of one of the most beloved characters in modern comedy.
Lexi Minetree Went All In to Land the Role of Elle Woods
Minetree also shared details about the audition process that helped her secure the role.
The actress responded to an open casting call that required applicants to submit two scenes, a slate and a short explanation about why they would make a good Elle Woods.
Instead of keeping things simple, Minetree decided to recreate one of the most memorable moments from the original film: Elle’s Harvard admissions video.
“I literally bought this pink bikini, I wrote this whole script, my mom helped me film it, I edited it, put music behind it, spent hours,” she said.
Her commitment to the role did not stop after she was cast.
During her appearance on Fallon’s show, Minetree revealed that she watched the original “Legally Blonde” approximately 150 times while preparing to play the iconic character.
“Like 150 [times],” she said. “A lot of times. I think at one point, I probably could’ve done a one-woman show of it.”
She joked that all those viewings also helped her perfect a Jennifer Coolidge impression, even suggesting she could play the actress in a future biopic.
What Fans Can Expect From ‘Elle’
The upcoming series takes viewers back before Harvard Law School and before the events of “Legally Blonde.”
Per People, “Elle” follows a teenage Elle Woods in 1995 after her family moves to Seattle during the height of the grunge era. The series explores the friendships, romances and challenges that helped shape the confident and optimistic character audiences eventually met in the films.
“Pink little Elle Woods … is a fish out of water again,” Minetree said while discussing the show’s premise.
Reese Witherspoon, who famously originated the role in the 2001 film and its sequel, serves as an executive producer on the series. The project has already earned a second-season renewal ahead of its July 1 premiere.
Minetree previously revealed that Witherspoon offered a few words of advice before production began.
“She told me to make sure to drink water, make sure to rest, to breathe and to take in every moment here because it’s such a special opportunity.”
