By SAMEER SURI FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 21:52 BST, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 21:54 BST, 2 April 2025

Legally Blonde fans have finally been treated to the sight of their new Elle Woods, as the prequel series starts shooting.

Reese Witherspoon originated the role of the bubbly sorority girl who becomes an ace Harvard Law School student in the original classic 2001 comedy.

She reprised the part for the 2003 sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and is slated to play the character again in an untitled third film.

Now, a prequel series has started production at Amazon Prime, letting fans in on Elle’s origin story during her high school years.

In celebration of the start of filming, Reese, who is an executive producer on the show, has posted an Instagram photo of the new Elle.

Lexi Minetree, a 24-year-old actress who has appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, was pictured for the first time in character.

Legally Blonde fans have finally been treated to the sight of their new Elle Woods, as the prequel series starts shooting; Reese Witherspoon pictured in the original film in 2001

Legally Blonde fans have finally been treated to the sight of their new Elle Woods, as the prequel series starts shooting; Reese Witherspoon pictured in the original film in 2001 

In a pose that Legally Blonde fans will find warmly familiar, Lexi’s Elle was seen grinning broadly while chatting on the phone in bed.

‘Harvard was hard. High School was harder. Our new series, Elle, is now in production!’ Reese crowed in her Instagram caption.

Elle is created by Laura Kittrell, who has previously written on such programs as Insecure, Black Monday and The Michael J. Fox Show.

June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott have been cast as Elle’s parents, with Chandler Kinney and Gabrielle Policano announced as two of her schoolmates.

Meanwhile Jacob Moskovitz, an actor who appeared in the recent film Y2K, will be featuring as the star athlete at Elle’s school.

Reese embarked on a four-month nationwide search to find the young Elle before she and the show brass finally settled on Lexi.

In February, Reese posted a heartwarming video in which she ‘got to break the news myself’ to Lexi that she had won out over the other actresses.

Lexi was ecstatic over the development, bursting into tears and asking: ‘Can I hug you please?’ to which Reese sweetly agreed.

Lexi Minetree, a 24-year-old actress who has appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, was pictured for the first time in character

Reese originated the role of the bubbly sorority girl who becomes an ace Harvard Law School student in the original classic 2001 comedy (pictured)

Reese originated the role of the bubbly sorority girl who becomes an ace Harvard Law School student in the original classic 2001 comedy (pictured) 

In February, Reese posted a heartwarming video in which she 'got to break the news myself' to Lexi that she had won out over the other actresses

In February, Reese posted a heartwarming video in which she ‘got to break the news myself’ to Lexi that she had won out over the other actresses 

‘I haven’t slept in three nights. I wanted to tell you sooner,’ said Reese, and Lexi joyfully called her mother Anne to tell her what had happened.

The previous month, Reese said that Netflix’ Addams Family spin-off series Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega, was an inspiration for the new Elle show.

‘I started having all these ideas, and these amazing writers came up with a great pitch,’ Reese spilled on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. 

Meanwhile, a third Legally Blonde movie was announced in 2018 with Reese returning to the title role, and Mindy Kaling was later enlisted to write the project.

However, scant information has emerged about that project recently, with Reese apparently focused more on the high school show. 

Reese WitherspoonInstagram

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Reese Witherspoon shares first snap from Legally Blonde prequel as Elle Woods gets a major refresh

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