Lexi Minetree, who plays a younger Elle Woods in the new Amazon Prime Video prequel series Elle, has opened up about the pressure of stepping into the iconic role made famous by Reese Witherspoon. The 25-year-old actress, known for her work on Law and Order: SVU, told Metro that while she took the responsibility seriously, she deliberately avoided mimicking Witherspoon's portrayal.
Bringing a Fresh Take to Elle Woods
Minetree acknowledged the profound impact Witherspoon's Elle has had on fans, many of whom credit the character with inspiring them to study law or feel empowered. 'I took it very seriously, because when a character means that much to someone, you want to make sure that you capture that and you capture the things that made her so special,' she said. However, she emphasized that a direct copy would be misguided: 'It would be a disservice because we have had different life experiences. And also it's a character at a younger age. So I tried to bring in the essence of what made Elle, Elle. Her kindness, her silliness, her heart, and obviously, add my own life experiences.'
The prequel follows Elle as she moves from glamorous Los Angeles to grungy Seattle to attend a new high school. Minetree expressed hope that her version would resonate with audiences the same way Witherspoon's did.
Castmates and Reese Witherspoon's Involvement
Minetree was joined in the interview by co-stars Gabrielle Policano, who plays Liz, and Chandler Kinney, who plays Kimberly. Kinney recalled a surreal moment on set: 'The standout moment for me was the first time I saw you guys [Lexi and Reese] standing next to each other. It was so meta and so, almost… freaky is the word that comes to mind because I'm like: “I think I'm seeing double.”' She noted eerie similarities in their vocal inflections, word choices, and hand gestures.
Witherspoon serves as an executive producer and conceived the idea for the series. Minetree described their close working relationship: 'What's so incredible, is how available she made herself to all of us. The fact that I could just call her up at any time or send her a voice memo and get one back. What world am I living in now?'
On-Set Presence and Support
Co-star Zac Looker, who plays Dustin, said Witherspoon's influence permeated the production. 'You always feel a sense of her will and her drive running across the entire set. You can really tell she has a very specific vision for what she's looking for from the show.' Jacob Moskovitz, who plays love interest Miles, added that Witherspoon was 'in the trenches' with them, recalling her presence during a mosh pit scene. Looker described the chaotic scene: 'I'd just stage dived, and they were like: “We'd like to see you over at video.” And I was like: “Oh, ok. I'm so damp right now.”'
Tom Everett Scott, who plays Elle's father Wyatt, praised Witherspoon's leadership: 'She's always been inspirational. I haven't spent a ton of time with her, but she's an incredible person.' The series is produced by Witherspoon's company Hello Sunshine in partnership with Prime Video.
Elle is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
