Reese Witherspoon floored by Lexi Minetree's 'Elle' audition

Reese Witherspoon was amazed by how Lexi Minetree chanelled Elle Woods during auditions for the upcoming "Legally Blonde" prequel series, “Elle.”

During Witherspoon's appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the American actress and producer recalled the moment she first saw Minetree's audition tape. 

“She's such a bright light. It was spooky," Witherspoon, 50, said before revealing just how much Minetree stood out among thousands of hopefuls.

"We watched 3,000 videos of girls trying out to be Elle Woods, and when I saw her video, it was like a lightning strike," Witherspoon explained. 

"She had my voice down. She had the mannerisms. There's part of the movie where I have a little lisp, and she had the lisp. I was like, 'Oh, my God.'"

What impressed Witherspoon even more was Minetree's commitment to the role. The 25-year-old recreated Elle Woods' Harvard admissions video in her own backyard, a detail that helped seal the deal.

"It was that extra 10% that made her really Elle Woods," Witherspoon said.

Fallon shared that after landing the role, Minetree told him she watched Legally Blonde another 150 times to further prepare for the character.

The conversation also turned to Minetree's recent appearance on "The Tonight Show," where she wore a pink dress that turned out to be one of Witherspoon's dresses from the original "Legally Blonde" era, which Witherspoon also wore during the premiere two decades ago. 

According to Witherspoon, Minetree's stylist is a longtime friend who reached out to ask whether she still had any dresses from that period. Witherspoon revealed that she has all of the wardrobe stored away.

"I sent her as many dresses as they wanted, and I said, 'choose any dresses that you want for her,'" Witherspoon said. "She put it on and it fit perfectly. It's like Cinderella's slipper. She's meant to be Elle Woods."

A short scene from the upcoming series was also shown during the program. In the clip, Minetree's Elle Woods is seen carrying a dog given to her by her mother while simultaneously talking to both her mom and the newly adopted pup. She decides to name the dog Bruiser.

Witherspoon, who originated the role of Elle Woods in the 2001 film and now serves as an executive producer on "Elle," joked, "Could baby Bruiser be the new Baby Yoda?"

The original "Legally Blonde" follows bubbly sorority queen Elle Woods, who enrolls at Harvard Law School after her boyfriend leaves her for someone he considers a more "serious" partner. 

While initially trying to win him back, Elle discovers a passion for law, realizes her true potential, and ultimately shines during a high-profile murder trial.

The new prequel series, "Elle," explores Elle Woods' high school years and the formative experiences that shape her into the confident and beloved character audiences came to know in "Legally Blonde." Joining Minetree in the cast are Jessica Belkin, Danielle Chand, Sophie Thom, June Diane Raphael, and more.

Recently, Minetree and Witherspoon appeared together at the red carpet premiere of "Elle" in New York on June 23. Season 1 of "Elle" premieres on Prime Video on July 1, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of "Legally Blonde."