Stepping into the stilettos of an icon is a big challenge, but Lexi Minetree shows she has the blonde ambition to pull it off. With the highly anticipated Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle, arriving on Prime Video today, audiences can finally see the high school struggles and triumphs of a young Elle Woods.
While the character is known for her confidence, bringing her backstory to life meant Minetree had to confront some nerves of her own. Specifically, a homecoming dance sequence pushed the actress outside of her comfort zone. But she didn’t have to handle it all by herself.
In an exclusive interview with Parade, Minetree and co-stars Chandler Kinney and Gabrielle Policano shared their experiences with the big dance number, the support that helped them through it and how the day on set rekindled Minetree’s love for the stage.
Related: ‘Elle’ Star June Diane Raphael Says Working With James Van Der Beek Was ‘A Dream’
Lexi Minetree Says the Elle Homecoming Dance Was Her Hardest Day on Set
Elle Woods is known for being, well, a lot, and Minetree expressed having some difficulty performing a whole lot of dance in a homecoming scene—not just in front of a crowd, but also in front of co-star Chandler Kinney.
“My hardest day was when I had to do the homecoming dance,” said Minetree. “Just because I have never, like, done a dance number like that before.”
“And she killed it!” exclaimed Kinney, who plays the sharp, judgy Seattle native Kimberly in the show. Kinney appeared on Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars and finished in third place, so she knows her stuff when it comes to dance.
“She did kill!” agreed Gabrielle Policano, who plays low-key musician Liz.
“Don’t stop me now!” sang all three actresses in unison, referring to a line in Elle’s big dance number that we’ll just have to wait to see. “That’s our favorite part,” said Policano. “And we still do that till this day!” added Kinney.
How Chandler Kinney Helped Ease Lexi Minetree’s Nerves During the Big Scene
Chandler Kinney’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’ experience made the moment equally exciting and intimidating for Minetree. In the interview, she recalled that Kinney’s background added another layer of pressure to the scene, especially with the overall scale of the homecoming sequence.
“I was like, that’s really intimidating to do that in front of someone like that [referring to Kinney],” she shared.
Kinney later recalled giving the young star guidance and support throughout the routine. From basic tips to general encouragement, she helped ease Minetree’s nerves leading up to the big moment.
“I gave you some tips, but you didn’t really need it. You really didn’t…need it. You know, you actually were incredible.”
Policano agreed with Kinney, adding “You were so good. Oh my God. And there are professional dancers around you doing that with you. And you ate it up.”
Related: Channel Elle Woods’ Determination With the 35 Best Quotes From ‘Legally Blonde’
Why Lexi Minetree Loved Bringing Her Theater Background to Elle
At one point in the interview, Minetree reflected on how filming the homecoming dance scene reminded her of her theater background.
“I’m a huge theater kid, so it just reminded me of, like, doing something for an audience again,” she shared.
For Minetree, the whole experience felt incredibly real, as if she were actually performing in front of a crowd, feeding off their energy.
“Everyone’s cheering for me, and I know they’re just paid to do that, but it felt real,” Minetree said.
While she initially felt intimidated by the dance routine, the moment served as a good reminder of why she loves being on stage.
Related: James Van Der Beek ‘Appeared Buoyant and Happy’ While Battling Cancer on Set of ‘Elle’
What Is Prime Video’s Elle About?
Prime Video’s show ‘Elle’ is a prequel to the 2001 hit ‘Legally Blonde,’ starring Reese Witherspoon. It follows a teenage Elle Woods as she navigates high school, friendships and more. It stars Lexi Minetree, June Diane Raphael, Tom Everett Scott, Chandler Kinney, Jacob Mosckovitz, Gabrielle Policano and Zac Looker.
When Does Elle Premiere?
All eight episodes of ‘Elle’ are scheduled to drop on July 1, 2026. The series will stream exclusively on Prime Video. It’s rated TV-14.
Related: Amazon’s ‘Legally Blonde’ TV Series Gets a Release Date—and a Season 2 Renewal