Jennifer Coolidge Thought She Was Auditioning To Play Elle In Legally Blonde

For many of us, Legally Blonde was the first time we were ever introduced to Jennifer Coolidge, who has gone on to become an award-winning screen icon.

In the 2001 rom-com, the future Emmy winner played manicurist Paulette, who becomes a confidante and close friend of the film’s heroine, Elle Woods, portrayed by Reese Witherspoon.

Over the weekend, Jennifer and Reese were among the cast members who took part in a fan event dubbed Elle World, to commemorate the film’s 25th anniversary.

While reflecting on her time in the film as part of a Q&A, the White Lotus star quipped: “I thought this was the funniest thing. I was so lucky to get cast in this movie, and it is one of my favourite jobs of all time.

“But I stupidly thought that when I was auditioning, I thought I was gonna be Elle.”

Following the success of Legally Blonde, Jennifer reprised her role in the 2003 sequel, subtitled Red, White And Blonde.

She also played a similar character in Ariana Grande’s 2018 music video for her single Thank U, Next, which paid homage to Legally Blonde, and which Jennifer later credited with reviving her career.

Next month, a new TV spin-off, titled simply Elle, is set to premiere on Prime Video.

Starring Lexi Minetree as the title character, the teen comedy reintroduces Elle in her high school years, after she is uprooted from her privileged life in Beverly Hills to move with her parents to Seattle at the height of the grunge era.

An official synopsis for Elle teases: “In season one, Elle follows Elle Woods in high school as we learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first Legally Blonde film.”

In addition to Lexi as Elle, the cast includes Gabrielle Policano, Jacob Moskovitz, Chandler Kinney and Zac Looker, while June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott will play the iconic character’s parents, Eva and Wyatt Woods.