As ‘Legally Blonde’ celebrates its 25th anniversary, fan favorite Jennifer Coolidge has revealed a hilarious behind-the-scenes confession about her audition for the 2001 classic.
While we will always remember her as Elle’s loyal manicurist and friend, Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle, the actress herself had a completely different role in mind.
Jennifer Coolidge Thought She Was Auditioning For Elle Woods in ‘Legally Blonde’
Speaking at a special 25th-anniversary panel for ‘Legally Blonde’ in New York City, Coolidge looked back on her experience making the film alongside her fellow cast members. She described the role as one of the highlights of her career, even though she completely misunderstood which character she was auditioning for at first.
“I was so lucky to get cast in this movie, and it is one of my favorite jobs of all time,” she told fans before revealing the surprising truth. “But I stupidly thought that when I was auditioning, I thought I was gonna be Elle.”
As a fellow blonde, there’s no doubt that Coolidge could have brought her own unique charm to the role of Elle Woods. But of course, the role ultimately went to Reese Witherspoon. Meanwhile, Coolidge landed the role of Paulette, Elle’s closest confidante and a character audiences still adore decades later.
“Well, you know, I forgot that when we first started filming, I was only 17 years old,” she joked while looking back at her old clips from the movie. “No, I was, and so I just can’t believe it. All this time has gone by.”
Coolidge Is Still Ready To Carry Paulette’s Legacy Forward
The anniversary event was not only a celebration of the original film but also a moment for the cast to reflect on the movie’s impact on popular culture. A prequel series named ‘Elle’ is already on its way, and a third installment in the movie franchise has also been in development since 2018.
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Coolidge has never hidden her enthusiasm about returning to the role of Paulette. “Of course, I would be on board,” she once told ExtraTV when asked about a potential sequel. “I’ve been hearing about it for a long time. Maybe it really is happening at this point. I would absolutely love to do Legally Blonde 3.”
For us, it is truly impossible to imagine a story without Paulette. Fortunately, whether or not a long-awaited sequel arrives, fans can stay assured that Jennifer Coolidge loves Paulette and is ready for any journey when it comes to her future in the ‘Legally Blonde’ world.
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