Reese Witherspoon has revealed how she created Elle Woods‘ famous Valley Girl voice after a tearful weekend reunion with her ‘Legally Blonde’ co-stars.
The cast got together in New York City last weekend for ‘Elle World.’ It was a fan event to celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary and to promote the upcoming prequel series ‘Elle‘ on Amazon Prime Video. It was the first time the original cast had been together in public in 25 years. Witherspoon was joined by Jennifer Coolidge, Selma Blair, Ali Larter, Matthew Davis, and Victor Garber.
How Reese Witherspoon Built Elle Woods’ Voice
The event was full of nostalgia and emotion. Witherspoon got emotional on stage and told the crowd, “Playing this character for 25 years has been the privilege of my life.” She said fans often come up to her and share stories about how Elle inspired them to go to law school, name their daughters Elle, or get through hard times. Jennifer Coolidge, who played Paulette, also shared something surprising. She said she originally tried out for the role of Elle herself. The night ended with performances by Hoku and Vanessa Carlton, who sang ‘Perfect Day‘ and ‘A Thousand Miles.’
The reunion kept going this week when Witherspoon appeared on Good Morning America. Her co-star Luke Wilson, who played her love interest in the movie, could not make it to the weekend event. But he sent a surprise video message that made her cry. In his message, he asked where Elle’s unforgettable voice and mannerisms came from. Witherspoon’s answer showed a careful but simple creative process.
“I wanted to make sure [Elle] sounded like she was from California, so she drags her words a little bit,” Witherspoon said. To really become the character, she watched people in Southern California. Her research took her to fancy stores in Beverly Hills.
“I went around Beverly Hills and I watched women shop in shoe stores and how they held their nails and how they walked when they tried on pretty shoes,” Witherspoon explained. “Women just act different when their nails are done and when they have on a pretty shoe, you just walk differently, so I developed it all while watching people shop in Beverly Hills.”
This helped her create the way Elle moved and talked. She said her castmates, especially Wilson, encouraged her to go all in with the character. “I came out with a big character voice and a big character walk, and I think I surprised a lot of people,” she said.
Elle Prequel Series Coming to Prime Video
The reunion event also served as a launch for the prequel series ‘Elle.‘ It will start streaming on Amazon Prime Video on July 1. The show follows a young Elle Woods in 1995 during her high school years in Seattle. Newcomer Lexi Minetree will play the younger Elle. The original and new cast members posed together on the pink carpet to pass the torch.
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For Witherspoon, the reunion was a strong reminder of what the character stands for. She talked about female friendship and believing in yourself. “It was a beautiful moment that was unexpectedly emotional,” she said. “I cried over and over.” She pointed to the friendship between Elle and her nail technician, Paulette, as a key part of the movie that has kept it relevant all these years. She said, “Women support each other across every part of life.”
‘Elle’ arrives on Prime Video on July 1.
You might also want to read: Reese Witherspoon Breaks Down Over James Van Der Beek’s Final Role In ‘Legally Blonde’ Prequel Series ‘Elle’
