Jennifer Coolidge says she 'stupidly thought' she was auditioning for Elle in “Legally Blonde”
Jennifer Coolidge says she 'stupidly thought' she was auditioning for Elle in “Legally Blonde”
Shania RussellMon, June 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM UTC
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Jennifer Coolidge at the 'Legally Blonde' 25th anniversary reunionCredit: Kevin Mazur/GettyKey Points -
Jennifer Coolidge has revealed the hilarious truth about her Legally Blonde audition.
The actress recently reunited with her fellow costars from the hit 2001 comedy.
Coolidge played the role of ditzy manicurist Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle.
From the very start, Jennifer Coolidge knew that she was meant to star in Legally Blonde. She just got some of the details wrong.
"I was so lucky to get cast in this movie, and it is one of my favorite jobs of all time," Coolidge told a room full of fans while attending a panel for the film's 25th anniversary in New York City on Saturday.
She then made a hilarious revelation: "But I stupidly thought that when I was auditioning, I thought I was gonna be Elle."
In the end, bubbly sorority president-turned-law student was a role that Reese Witherspoon was born to play and soon became one of her most iconic roles. And though Coolidge did not land the starring role, she made a big impression on fans as manicurist and Elle's closest confidante, Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle.
Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Coolidge at the 'Legally Blonde' 25th anniversary reunionCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty
From learning the bend-and-snap to stealing back her dog from her ex, Coolidge proved herself a scene-stealer as the ditzy companion. While attending the Saturday event — which not only honored the original movie but celebrated the upcoming prequel series Elle — Coolidge was treated to a few clips of her iconic character in action.
Asked for a reaction to seeing the scenes again, she quipped, "I forgot that when we first started filming, I was only 17 years old."
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When the crowd and her fellow panelists laughed, she deadpanned, "No, I was, and so I just can't believe it. All this time has gone by!"
Witherspoon and Coolidge were joined at the event by costars Selma Blair (Vivian Kensington), Ali Larter (Brooke Taylor Windham), Matthew Davis (Warner Huntington III), and Victor Garber (Aaron Callahan). Also in attendance was Lexi Minetree, the actress taking over the role of Elle Woods for the Prime Video prequel series that explores the beloved character's high school years.
The 'Legally Blonde' 25th anniversary reunionCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty
As for Coolidge, her future in the Legally Blonde-verse still lies ahead. A third film has been in the works since 2020, and both Coolidge and Witherspoon have made it very clear that there's no way Paulette Bonafonté won't have a role to play in Elle's next chapter.
"There is no Legally Blonde 3 without Jennifer Coolidge," Witherspoon told EntertainmentTonight in February 2023.
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Later that month, Coolidge confirmed her interest, telling Extra, "Of course, I would be on board. 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."
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
