- A Legally Blonde prequel, Elle, was confirmed in April 2024
- Reese Witherspoon is involved
- Young Elle Woods has not yet been cast
The girlies went wild when a Legally Blonde prequel, Elle, was announced in April 2024. Even more when Reese Witherspoon confirmed it in May 2024. Witherspoon also revealed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Netflix’s Wednesday inspired the idea for Elle: Young Elle Woods in high school. Yes, the story of Elle will follow a young Elle Woods in high school pre-college, and law school, “exploring the formative experiences that mold her into the iconic, confident character”.
Read More: Elle, The Legally Blonde Prequel: What We Know
Before Elle and finding a young Elle Woods
Witherspoon landed the role of the pink-loving law school student in 2000 and played her in two movies. Legally Blonde came out in 2001 and was beloved by fans because of its positive messaging. The first film follows Elle Woods, a sorority girl on her journey to win back her boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis) after he dumps her to find himself a more ‘appropriate’ girl. Woods follows Warner to Harvard Law School, where she graduates and becomes a successful, fashionable law girlie.
In her interview with Fallon, Witherspoon speaks briefly about watching audition tapes and casting a young version of her character. In early February 2025, she revealed she was “watching audition tapes”. In late January 2025, Witherspoon told People filming would begin in March, so the casting process must be close to an end now!
Despite the casting being open, as announced by Witherspoon on Instagram, fans have had their picks for a young Elle Woods since Elle was announced. While some are more popular than others, nothing is more fun than breaking down the best young Elle Woods casting choices for the Legally Blonde prequel.
Who should play a young Elle Woods?
1. Ava Phillipe
The best and most idyllic cast choice for a young Elle Woods is none other than Reese Witherspoon’s daughter Ava Phillipe. Witherspoon shares Phillipe with her ex-husband Ryan Phillipe. Although Phillipe at 25 is a little older than the age she’d play, she can pull it off. Besides, Hollywood actors in their mid-twenties play teenagers all the time. Just look at the cast of Riverdale!
Lookswise, Phillipe is a spitting image of her mother and more importantly of Elle Woods, so it is a win-win. All she needs to do is just dye her hair back to blond or wear a wig, and we’re all good! And cover her tattoos, but that’s nothing a bit of makeup can’t do.
Generally, we think that the 25-year-old would make a fantastic addition to Elle, but that’s only a dream.
2. Sabrina Carpenter
Once again this is more of a fan fantasy because in her Short N’ Sweet era, Sabrina Carpenter embodies Elle Woods and Barbie. Carpenter already has blond hair blue eyes, and the acting experience.
She has starred in The Hate U Give, Tall Girl, and the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World. Aside from that, Carpenter doesn’t give off mean girl energy. She is sweet and witty, which are two personality traits that Elle Woods has. Also 25, she may be a bit old to pull off a teenager, but being only five feet tall, she could get away with it. The shorter you are, the younger you look, apparently.
3. Emily Alyn Lind
Here us out on this one! Emily Alyn Lind is a great choice to play a young Elle Woods. She may not have natural blue eyes, but contacts exist. Additionally, Alyn Lind is the perfect age for Elle, at 22. She’s not too young, but also not too old. The actress also has played teenage roles before, she played Audrey Hope in the recent HBO Gossip Girl reboot and in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.
The 22-year-old also knows how to dress, working with fashion brands like Skims and starring in fashion campaigns, so she can embody the character’s fashion-forward dress sense.
4. McKenna Grace
Mckenna Grace is one of the best fan cast picks for a Young Elle Woods. First of all, Grace has blond hair and blue eyes that are integral to Witherspoon’s character. Secondly, she is 18, the perfect age to play a young Elle Woods. Even when the show comes out, Grace would probably be only 19. Therefore if she plays the character for a few seasons, she’ll still look a similar age.
Not to mention, Grace is a soon-to-be star. The young actress was announced to join the Scream 7 cast in December 2024. Previously, she starred in Young Sheldon and two Ghostbusters movies.
Playing Elle Woods would boost her career and offer her the chance to play a 2000s icon, what could be better?
5. Angourie Rice
Again, Angourie Rice is a unique choice in many fan casts, and she is one of ours. Rice gained fame recently starring in 2024’s musical version of Mean Girls. Rice played Lindsay Lohan’s character Cady Heron alongside Renee Rapp, who played Regina George. (PS, Rapp would also make a fantastic Elle Woods).
If you look closely, Rice resembles Witherspoon a bit. At 24, she is also very fresh-faced and naturally has blond hair and blue eyes to match. Like Grace, she is an up-and-coming actress. She has been acting for years, she starred in Honor Society, as well as having a recurring role in the Spiderman movies.
It would be interesting to see Rice take on a hyperfeminine character, the polar opposite of her Mean Girls character.
6. Lilia Buckingham
Not to lean into the influencer-to-actress trend, but this one is too good, and our personal pick. Lilia Buckingham is more of an influencer, but she is also an actress. She starred in Crown Lake and Zoe Valentine. Lilia has already dressed up as Barbie, and if you can see her as Barbie, you can see her as Elle Woods.
More of an underrated pic, but we love it all the same. Not to mention that she is 21, so she is the perfect age to pull off high school.
7. Brec Bassinger
Again, another underrated choice here. The gorgeous Brec Bassinger may not have blue eyes, but she has the look for Elle. Weirdly, Bassinger is a similar height to Witherspoon, so that also helps her case.
Looking at her acting roles, she is an expert at playing a teenager. She had a leading role in Bella and the Bulldogs and is set to star in Final Destination: Bloodlines this year. Even though she is 25, the actress has a very young face and could easily play a young Elle Woods.
8. Peyton List
Nobody is surprised Peyton List made this list (no pun intended). List has had a successful career, she started playing Emma Ross on Disney’s Jessie in 2011 and then moved into a leading role in Cobra Kai. She has years of experience in the acting world, as well as the look to pull of Elle Woods.
Looking at List’s posts she radiates confidence which is needed for Elle. The only reason she is at number eight is because she is currently 26, and 27 in April, which could be problematic if Elle were to last a few seasons.
So there are our fave fan picks for Elle. Honorable mentions go to Olivia Holt and Dove Cameron, but every fan cast list has them!
