From her roots in Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel to her legendary big-screen debut, Elle Woods has spent decades proving that pink and power go hand-in-hand. Now, as the original “Legally Blonde” film approaches its 25th anniversary, the franchise continues to grow (and we’re not just talking about the highly anticipated “Legally Blonde 3”). Prime Video is heading back to the beginning with a new prequel series titled “Elle.”
“Twenty-five years after the world met Elle Woods for the first time, it’s a dream come true to share the story of how she became the unstoppable force we all fell in love with,” said executive producer Reese Witherspoon, who originated the role of Elle onscreen. “I can’t wait to share Season 1 with the world and start rolling cameras on Season 2!”
From creator Laura Kittrell (“Insecure”), who will also serve as executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Caroline Dries (“The Vampire Diaries”), “Elle” will premiere July 1 on Prime Video, and the series has already gotten the greenlight for Season 2. Here’s everything you need to know about the “Legally Blonde” prequel, including audition advice from the series’ casting director and insight into its production schedule.
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“Elle” serves as a prequel to the “Legally Blonde” franchise. Produced by Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Amazon MGM Studios, the show transports viewers to the 1990s to witness Elle’s high school years and how they shaped her into the lovable force seen in the original films. It’s the ultimate coming-of-age story—with a signature splash of pink.
“Fans will get to know how Elle Woods navigated her world as a teenager with her distinct personality and ingenuity in ways that only our beloved Elle could do,” Witherspoon said in an official statement. “What could be better than that?!” She followed up on Instagram, writing, “Before she became the most famous Gemini vegetarian to graduate from Harvard Law, she was just a regular ’90s high school girl. And all of you are going to get to know her.”
We have no doubt the series will be packed with nostalgia and nods to the 2000s film as this cast explores the events that made Elle one of the most confident and cunning lawyers of her time.
- Lexi Minetree as Elle Woods
- June Diane Raphael as Eva Woods
- Tom Everett Scott as Wyatt Woods
- Chandler Kinney as Kimberly
- Gabrielle Policano as Liz
- Jacob Moskovitz as Miles
- Zac Looker as Dustin
- Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Sam
- Jessica Belkin as Madison
- Logan Shroyer as Josh
- Amy Pietz as Donna
- Lisa Yamada as Amber
- Brad Harder as Charlie
- Kayla Maisonet as Tiffany
- Chloe Wepper as Ms. Burke
- David Burtka as Chad
- James Van Der Beek as Dean Wilson (in his final acting role)
David Rubin and Matt Lander (“All Her Fault,” “Nine Perfect Strangers”) are the CDs of “Elle.” Rubin has worked with Witherspoon in the past, as he populated the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014’s feature film “Wild” and put together the ensemble behind HBO’s “Big Little Lies”—both starring turns for the Oscar winner.
David Rubin and Matt Lander (“All Her Fault,” “Nine Perfect Strangers”) are the CDs of “Elle.” Rubin has worked with Witherspoon in the past, as he populated the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014’s feature film “Wild” and put together the ensemble behind HBO’s “Big Little Lies”—both starring turns for the Oscar winner. In fact, Rubin has cast several page-to-screen adaptations during his career. As Rubin told us, he uses the source material to establish his foundation for the casting process, but quickly switches gears to focus on the project at hand—an approach that’ll come in handy as the team works to differentiate “Elle” from its legendary predecessor, “Legally Blonde.”
“I get a feeling from a novel of the mood, tone, and world of the piece. There’s a fabric that you want to have be consistent throughout the telling of the story, so that’s helpful background. You’re able to read paragraphs about how those characters are thinking as well as what they’re saying. It’s often very insightful into the internal life of the characters. I try to pull certain things from those descriptions, although it’s really important to embrace what the screenwriter has written that’s different from the novel,” he shared. “Once I read the novel, I don’t go back to it or refer to it again; it’s really a supplier of general information, feeling, and tone, and then I focus on the adaptation.”
When looking for its new Elle, the series cast its net far and wide with the “Finding Elle” initiative. In September 2024, Witherspoon and her team at Hello Sunshine opened the process up to any young performer hoping to become the teenage version of the iconic character. As Witherspoon said on Instagram at the start of the journey, “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. So send your submissions to the link in my bio. I cannot wait to see all the Elle Woods out there. This is gonna be really fun,” she explained.
During an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in January 2025, Witherspoon emphasized how many self-tapes had been submitted, while also discussing how the virtual process compares to the in-person auditions of yesteryear. Regardless, she said, “I just love them all so much, and they’re doing such a good job…. It’s a really hard decision.”
Witherspoon also told People, “It’s so exciting, too, to watch these young girls that are so filled with enthusiasm and excitement and completely… There’s so many good ones. That’s the hard thing because there’s so many good people to choose from.”
Ultimately, they chose Lexi Minetree to bring this new incarnation of Elle to life—and Witherspoon immediately imparted her wisdom. “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," Minetree told People. (Sounds like good advice for everyone in show business!)
“Elle” Season 2 reportedly began filming in March 2026 in Vancouver with plans to wrap sometime in June 2026. While there are no known open casting calls at this time, we recommend securing representation if you haven’t yet done so for access to insider updates on auditions that may not be available to the general public. Not sure how to get started? Here’s how to get an acting agent of your own.
Although there aren’t any auditions available at this time, we recommend bookmarking our main casting call pages for Vancouver gigs and Amazon gigs as these lists regularly update, providing easy access to what’s casting now. You might find our guide on how to audition for Prime Video useful, too, as you prepare for your moment in the spotlight.
Rubin has cast numerous big-name projects in the past, and the legacy behind “Elle” makes this series no different. His two essential bits of audition advice serve as a solid foundation for actors at any stage of their career.
“One is to prepare. By that, I mean study the craft of acting before you even embark on a professional career, and then certainly prepare for each individual audition, which involves making very clear choices and learning as much about the project beforehand so you understand the tone, energy, and style of the production you’re auditioning for,” Rubin told us. “The second most important thing is to never pander to what you think the filmmakers are looking for. Never walk into a waiting room and see people there and presume that they’re going to get the role and not you because they look more like the character you envision than you do. The one thing every actor can deliver in an audition that no one else can is their true self. Bring whoever you are to the role. It could be very different from what the filmmakers are looking for, but if it’s authentic and it works, it can actually reframe what people think they’re looking for.”
Beyond that, however, Rubin wants actors to recognize that CDs are always on the lookout for potential. “We’re looking for actors to bring possibility, and I feel that auditioning is actually a very generous process,” he said, noting that everyone who auditions brings something valuable to the project whether they realize it or not. “By showing up with a point of view on a well-prepared version of a character, an actor really offers up possibilities to us and his part. I’m grateful for every actor who auditions for the contribution that they make to the project, whether they get the part or not. Casting is an evolutionary process, and we learn things from every reading. That’s why something well-prepared, subject-specific, and very personal is the best way to approach an audition.”
If you do ever find yourself in Rubin’s audition know that you’re entering a welcoming space that nurtures creative expression. “[Actors] can expect unconditional support, a waiting room that is not crowded, and a very high-quality body microphone that enables them to not worry about playing things intimately and personally. They can expect a level of sensitivity that allows them to launch right into the scene if that’s what they need, or to answer questions prior to doing the scene, if that’s helpful. I like asking actors to do a slate, and when it’s required, we always do it at the end of the audition, because asking an actor to get into character prepared to do a scene and then having to look into a camera lens and say their real name is an interruption of the creative process,” he explained. “Mostly, they’ll find somebody who’s open to being surprised, because I feel it’s not about picking a list of qualifications for a particular role; it’s about discovering different people in that character and then to figure out after they’ve looked through them how it might fit into the mosaic of the ensemble cast.
