A Legally Blonde prequel series titled Elle is on the way, focusing on Elle Woods in her high school years, and Reese Witherspoon already has a perfect replacement for one of her most iconic roles. The Legally Blonde Prime Video prequel series created by Insecure, BlackMonday, and High School producer Laura Kittrell was officially announced on May 14, 2024. Not much is known yet about the series Elle, but the announcement garnered a lot of excitement from fans of the popular franchise.
The romantic comedy film Legally Blonde first premiered in 2001 starring Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a seemingly ditzy sorority girl who followed her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School to try and win him back. Legally Blonde is celebrated for subverting the “dumb blonde” stereotype and its themes of women’s empowerment as Elle realized she didn’t need Warner and became the valedictorian of their class. The franchise was already set to expand with the upcoming Legally Blonde 3, and the prequel series will certainly add to the hype and anticipation for the new addition to the trilogy.
Legally Blonde is one of Reese Witherspoon’s best movies, and she will forever be linked to Elle Woods for her memorable and singular performance. Her work even earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, which is made even more impressive given the track record romantic comedies tend to have with award nominations. All this considered, Elle has the daunting task of finding a Witherspoon replacement who can play a convincing version of a younger Elle Woods when audiences already have such a distinct impression of her in their minds.
The first Legally Blonde movie was filmed in late 2000 when Reese Witherspoon’s oldest child, her daughter, Ava Phillippe, had just turned one. Now, almost 24 years later, Ava is just around the perfect age to take on one of her mother’s most famous roles in the Legally Blonde prequel series. Even more importantly, Ava is the spitting image of her mother.
During an appearance on Today With Hoda and Jenna, Witherspoon claimed that she and Ava, who are often referred to as “twins,” didn’t see their uncanny resemblance the way others do. Despite what Witherspoon may think, the resemblance is strong. If Ava is cast in Elle, it could help add to the believability that viewers are actually watching a younger version of Elle Woods. As X user Aiah Samba put it, “Reese Witherspoon’s daughter looks more like Reese Witherspoon than Reese Witherspoon.”
Ava Phillippe, 24, is the oldest of Reese Witherspoon’s three children. She was also the first child of actor Ryan Phillippe, whom Witherspoon was married to from 1999 to 2006. Together, Ava’s parents starred in the cult classic Cruel Intentions. While she grew up around actors, Ava hasn’t yet decided whether she’ll follow in their footsteps. In a 2021 interview, Ava shared that her parents always encouraged her to “choose the path that’s right for [her].” Acting isn’t something she’s done professionally, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Ava attended UC Berkeley, where she studied social welfare, and has broken into modeling. The young model has had major campaigns with brands like Ivy Park and Pat McGrath Labs, showing she’s not afraid of being in the public eye. An Aerie-sponsored Instagram post of Ava by the pool once again proved her striking resemblance to Reese, reminding viewers of the Legally Blonde pool scene. The Legally Blonde prequel series could be the perfect project for Ava to make her acting debut.
Source: Today With Hoda and Jenna, E! Online