- “Legally Blonde” came out 18 years ago.
- The movie has become beloved with quotes like “bend-and-snap” and “what? like it’s hard” becoming part of pop culture.
- Most recently, Ariana Grande did a take on the movie in her “Thank U, Next” music video.
It’s been nearly 20 years since “Legally Blonde” hit theaters, and at this point, it’s safe to call the film a classic. “Legally Blonde” features Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a blonde sorority girl who defies all stereotypes when she becomes determined to get accepted to Harvard Law School to win back an ex-boyfriend.
The facts about what went on behind the scenes while filming are just as interesting as the film, even so many years later. Here are are some “Legally Blonde” facts even the biggest fans didn’t know:
It was based on a book that is based on a true story.
Before “Legally Blonde” the movie came “Legally Blonde” the book. It’s written by Amanda Brown and tells the story of her own real experience at Stanford Law School, where she decided to go based on the shopping mall nearby.
Brown’s letters to friends, which made fun of her classmates, became the basis of the book. She told the SF Gate, “I wrote it all on pink paper, with my pink furry pen. I finally found an agent who picked it up out of a slush pile because it was on pink paper.”
The sorority voting on toilet paper was also based on a true story.
At the beginning of the movie, Elle's sorority group has a memorable scene where they vote on switching from Charmin toilet paper to generic paper. As ridiculous as it seems, it was based on a real story from co-screenwriter Karen McCullah's experience in a sorority at James Madison University.
McCullah later told Montpelier, "We were denied our toilet paper. I offered my sorority sisters activity points for stealing replacement rolls from the administration building."
The role of Elle Woods almost went to someone else.
It feels nearly impossible to imagine anyone else playing Elle Woods, but another actress almost did. Christina Applegate had the chance to try out to play Elle, but she told ETonline that she "got scared." She said, "What a stupid move that was, right?" But she also felt that the part went to the right actress, saying, "Reese deserved that. She did a much better job than I ever could, and so that's her life. That's her path."
Selma Blair almost didn't score the role of Vivian.
The role of Vivian almost went to actress Chloe Sevigny. She turned down the part to do the French film "Demonlover," which was shooting in Paris at the same time.
Witherspoon studied real sororities to get into the role of Woods.
Witherspoon put a lot of work into embodying Elle Woods. She told Entertainment Weekly that she studied sororities for the party, calling it "sort of like an anthropological study." She went to dinner with them to see how they ate and behaved.
Matthew Davis once admitted he had a big crush on Witherspoon.
In an old interview with Movieline, before "Legally Blonde" was even released, Davis (who played Warner) admitted he had such a big crush on Witherspoon (since he was 15-years-old) that he acted like a "bumbling idiot" around her - so much so that the producers pulled him aside to ask if he was OK. He eventually confessed how he felt to her and Witherspoon, who was married to Ryan Phillippe at the time, reportedly said, "That's so sweet! Okay, let's work on the scene."
Witherspoon filmed the movie shortly after giving birth to her first child.
The actress had given birth right before getting the role of Elle, so MGM hired a personal trainer for her so that she could lose the 42 pounds she had gained during pregnancy.
She also said she had a lot of sleepless nights during filming.
In an interview with Cinema, Witherspoon said that her daughter, Ava, was sick during most of the shoot, keeping her awake, and "there were a lot of days when I didn't think I could pull it off." She said she couldn't have done it without Phillippe, adding, "I kept thinking, 'I'm going to kill myself! I'm never going to make it!'"
The movie almost had a very different ending.
At the 2015 Vulture Festival, McCullah revealed that the film originally ended at the courthouse right after Woods won the case, with Elle on the courthouse steps sharing a big kiss with Luke Wilson's character. It then cut to future Elle with Vivian starting their own Blonde Legal Defense Club in law school.
McCullah said, "It was just kind of a weak ending. The kiss didn't feel right because it's not a rom-com - it wasn't about their relationship. So test audiences were saying, 'We want to see what happens - we want to see her succeed.' So that's why we rewrote for graduation."
Witherspoon got to keep all 60 outfits from the film.
The actress revealed in an interview that she got to keep all of the outfits she wears, mainly to keep them from being sold on the internet. She said, "It really bothers me. Imagine some sicko in Wisconsin smelling the seams … it creeps me out. It's all in the closet. One day my daughter can play with it."
Davis said he based his character on one of the US presidents.
In an interview on the movie's Special Edition DVD, Davis revealed that he based Warner off of President George W. Bush.
The decision to make pink Elle's signature color was very deliberate.
In an interview with Elle, costume designer Sophie de Rakoff decided that pink had to be Elle's color after she visited a sorority house with Witherspoon. She said, "It was just obvious that pink should be her signature color." The two also bonded over their mutual love of Dolly Parton.
One iconic Elle scene doesn't actually feature Witherspoon.
In the opening credits, you get a glimpse of Elle carefully brushing her beautiful blonde hair. But that isn't even the back of Witherspoon's head. She was in the United Kingdom at the time to film "The Importance of Being Earnest," so a hair double did it.
Witherspoon hung out in Beverly Hills to nail her character's personality.
Witherspoon, who is from New Orleans, said in one interview that she spent a lot of time in Beverly Hills to get used to the California girl mannerisms Woods has. She said she observed women eating and talking to get an idea of how to act.
The "bend and snap" almost wasn't included in the movie.
The producers had really wanted a scene for Jennifer Coolidge, who plays Paulette. At first, it was going to be about a robbery or a crime plot, but then the bend and snap was created in a "drunken moment" at a bar between McCullah and Kirsten Smith. McCullah said, "What if Elle shows [Paulette] a move so she can get the UPS guy?" and Smith came up with the move on the spot.
Witherspoon has said that playing such an energetic character was tough.
In one interview, the actress admitted that the role was "a jump" for her, as she didn't consider herself to be naturally perky and bubbly. She said the role was challenging for her because Elle put so much care and energy into things.
Davis has also said that he had a huge crush on Blair.
The actor may have gone into "Legally Blonde" with a crush on Witherspoon, but it seems that along the way, he might have had a thing for another actress. He later told News.com.au that he adored Blair, saying, "I absolutely loved and adored Selma," adding that he thought she was "the funniest person on set."
A reporter once gave Witherspoon a 15,000-word dissertation on "Legally Blonde."
When reporter Lucy Ford did an interview with Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey, she decided to give Witherspoon a copy of the 15,000-word dissertation she did on "Legally Blonde."
It's titled, "Dumb Blonde Ambition: 'Legally Blonde,' Postfeminism and the Reimagination of the 'Strong Female Character.'" Ford admitted she watched the film 800 times to write the paper, and Witherspoon responded by saying, "Thank you, that really touches my heart."
Blair and Witherspoon were neighbors during filming.
In a later interview with ETonline, Witherspoon revealed that she lived across the street from Blair. She said, "She'd come over. When I'd get locked out of the house, she'd have my key and stuff, so we're really close and it's been great because we get to hang out." Blair added, "She's been my friend since 'Cruel Intentions.' I would act with her any day."
Women have reportedly gone to law school because of "Legally Blonde."
In an interview on The Today Show, Witherspoon said the character of Elle will always hold a special place in her heart. She added, "I've had more young women come up to me and say, 'I went to law school because of Elle Woods.' It's very incredible to see how long movies can last and how important they can be to young people, generation after generation."
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