Exclusive Interview
Omigod, You Guys! Lexi Minetree & ‘Elle’ Cast Tease Love Triangle, New Characters & More
On May 14, the Elle cast took to Instagram to announce that their highly anticipated Legally Blonde prequel series will be hitting TV screens in 2026, confirming that “our favorite Gemini vegetarian is officially back next summer!”
Inspired by Jenna Ortega in Netflix’s hit Addams Family spinoff, Wednesday, the show will follow Elle Woods before her “bend and snap” and Harvard Law School days, when she was “just a ’90s high school girl with big dreams.” However, until recently, exact details about the spinoff and its characters have been strictly under wraps.
Swooon caught up with the Elle cast and Hello Sunshine (the media company founded by original Elle Woods, Reese Witherspoon) at the Amazon 2025 Upfront red carpet to chat about teenage Elle, new characters, and young love in their upcoming show.
Hello Sunshine’s President of Film and TV, Lauren Neustadter, told Swooon that Witherspoon decided to bring Elle Woods back to our screens because “everybody needs a little Elle in their lives, especially now.” She added that Elle is “an inherently optimistic character,” allowing the show to deliver some much-needed optimism “in spades.”
Everett Collection / Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
Neustadter continued to share that she loves “a good romance and a great love triangle,” teasing, “We might have some of that in [Elle]. You’re going to have to watch and find out.”
We also learned that the show is strictly drawing from the original Legally Blonde movie for inspiration. While this news was expected, as fans of Legally Blonde: The Musical and the viral sensation The Search for Elle Woods, we’re sorry to hear that we won’t be seeing references to Laura Bell Bundy‘s iconic rendition of Elle. As Neustadter put it, “We really looked to the original film for the inspiration, and we’re rewinding from there.”
For her red carpet debut, Lexi Minetree dazzled in Elle Woods’ signature hot pink. While we’re certain everyone has seen the adorable video of Witherspoon surprising her with the news that she would be taking over the role, Minetree walked us through the day from her perspective.
She shared, “I got a little bit bamboozled by everyone because I thought I was there to meet other people. I didn’t even know Reese was going to be there.” As for the actual moment, Minetree joked, “I think I blacked out.” After taking in the news, she bought herself some celebratory earrings, took the subway home, and went to Planet Fitness before the official announcement dropped.
(L-R) Jacob Moskovitz, Gabrielle Policano, Lexi Minetree, Chandler Kinney, and Zac Looker. Photo by Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
We also chatted with Chandler Kinney (Zombies), Jacob Moskovitz (Y2K), Gabrielle Policano (Babygirl), and Zac Looker (A Kind of Spark), who were finally able to share the names of their characters in the show.
Fresh off the ballroom floor, Dancing with the Stars finalist Chandler Kinney will be playing Kimberly, who is sort of Elle’s nemesis.” According to Kinney, Kimberly “doesn’t take to Elle Woods immediately.” However, while she is “not a big fan” of Elle, Kimberly “has a lot of heart and is very protective, fiercely loyal, sarcastic, and sardonic.” Kinney teased that “she has some great zingers” and will challenge Elle in a lot of ways. If you ask us, this is totally giving Vivian Kensington (Selma Blair) from the original movie.
Gabrielle Policano will be playing another one of the classmates who Elle may not get along with so well. She stated that her character, Liz, is “the anti-Elle.’ However, Policano agreed with us that if anyone could crack someone who is their complete opposite, it’s Elle. They stated, “Elle is… I think persistent is the word.”
Similarly, Zac Looker shared that his character, Dustin, and Elle are “kind of like oil and water in a way.” He added, “They’re very different from each other, but they kind of have a throughline of values that connects them.” For Dustin, these values revolve around social justice and “seeking change in his community.” Yet, “Like everyone who underestimates Elle Woods, he is very swiftly proven wrong.” Anyone else sensing an opposites attract vibe?
It wouldn’t be a high school romance without a love triangle, and it looks like Jacob Moskovitz’s character, Miles, is Elle’s other love interest. Moskovitz teased that his character is a star athlete who is “very charmed by [Elle]. VERY charmed by her.”
Are you looking forward to watching Elle? Comment below with your predictions for the Legally Blonde prequel.
