Elle Woods
Encyclopedia
Elle Woods is a fiction
al character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde
universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon
. In a Broadway theatre
adaptation of the first film, Legally Blonde - The Musical
Woods has been portrayed by seven different actresses in different stagings of the show. They were Laura Bell Bundy
, Bailey Hanks
, Becky Gulsvig
, Jessica Jung
, Nikki Bohne
, Luna Park
and in the West End by Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps star Sheridan Smith
(who was later to be replaced by her Legally Blonde
co-star Susan McFadden
). From 11th July 2011 Carley Stenson
will take over the role of Elle Woods with Susan McFadden leaving the show.
Entertainment Weekly
put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "She's blond, bubbly, and carries a tiny Chihuahua. But despite the inevitable Paris Hilton comparisons, Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde dynamo managed to be taken seriously. Case closed!"
The character is mentioned, but not seen, in a later direct-to-video sequel, Legally Blondes
, which portrays the adventures of two English cousins of Elle Woods.
. She obtains admission to and attends Harvard Law School
in an effort to rekindle a relationship with a shallow boyfriend who had ended the relationship before heading there himself. Although superficially apparently nothing more than the stereotypical 'dumb blonde', she demonstrates a surprising intellect even before going to Harvard- albeit mainly focused on fashion-related details-, and also shows genuine concern and care for the less popular rather than disdaining them. She eventually earns her Juris Doctor
, gains the respect of her peers, and marries a man who is more mature than her initial boyfriend. In the sequel to the original film, she works on Capitol Hill.
of Elle Woods is a transition from a ditzy sorority girl who believes that her happiness is dependent on the man in her life, to a confident law student who realizes that her happiness is contingent on the successful development of her own abilities. Because of the completion of this personal journey in the first film, there is no appreciable character arc for Woods in the sequel, other than facing a degree of disillusionment with the political process.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al character who is the lead protagonist of most media revolving around the Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and produced by Marc E. Platt...
universe. The character originated in the 2001 novel, Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown. Woods was portrayed in both films by actress Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
. In a Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
adaptation of the first film, Legally Blonde - The Musical
Legally Blonde (musical)
Legally Blonde is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name. It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to...
Woods has been portrayed by seven different actresses in different stagings of the show. They were Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Bell Bundy
Laura Ashley Bell Bundy is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, both starring and supporting, as well as in television and film. Her best known Broadway roles are the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and the original Elle Woods in the musical...
, Bailey Hanks
Bailey Hanks
Bailey Noel Hanks is an American singer, actress, and dancer best known for winning MTV's Legally Blonde - The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods. She performed on Broadway as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical in 2008....
, Becky Gulsvig
Becky Gulsvig
Becky Gulsvig from Moorhead, Minnesota, is an American stage actress, singer, and dancer.Of Norwegian heritage, Gulsvig's mother is a teacher and her father is a financial advisor. She attended Moorhead High School, Trollwood Performing Arts School, and the Red River Dance and Performing...
, Jessica Jung
Jessica Jung
Jessica Jung , better known by her first name Jessica, is a Korean-American singer, dancer, actress and model. She was born in San Francisco, and is fluent in both Korean and English...
, Nikki Bohne
Nikki Bohne
Nicole "Nikki" Christine Bohne is an American singer/actress/dancer. A former Young Ambassador, she graduated from Brigham Young University in 2010 with a BFA in Music/Dance/Theater. After graduation, she moved to New York City and was hired to star as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, the musical.....
, Luna Park
Luna (singer)
Park Sunyoung , better known mononymously as Luna , born on August 12, 1993, is a South Korean singer, dancer and model. She is most famous as being part of quintet pop girl band f, under the label of SM Entertainment in South Korea and Avex Trax in Japan.-Personal life:Luna was born as Park...
and in the West End by Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps star Sheridan Smith
Sheridan Smith
Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
(who was later to be replaced by her Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde (musical)
Legally Blonde is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name. It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to...
co-star Susan McFadden
Susan McFadden
Susan McFadden is an actress and singer born in Dublin, Ireland. She is known for playing the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical in London at the Savoy theatre.- Biography :...
). From 11th July 2011 Carley Stenson
Carley Stenson
Carley Anne Stenson is an English actress and singer, best known for playing Steph Cunningham in the Channel 4 series Hollyoaks. She also appeared as a performer in Abbamania, and is a member of the all-female band Diamond...
will take over the role of Elle Woods with Susan McFadden leaving the show.
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "She's blond, bubbly, and carries a tiny Chihuahua. But despite the inevitable Paris Hilton comparisons, Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde dynamo managed to be taken seriously. Case closed!"
The character is mentioned, but not seen, in a later direct-to-video sequel, Legally Blondes
Legally Blondes
Legally Blondes is a 2009 spin-off film of the Legally Blonde series from MGM. Elle Woods, previously played by Reese Witherspoon, does not appear in the film, but is mentioned several times. Witherspoon produced the film. The film aired on ABC Family and Disney Channel, and is directed towards a...
, which portrays the adventures of two English cousins of Elle Woods.
Personality
She is an attractive blonde sorority girl from CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She obtains admission to and attends Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in an effort to rekindle a relationship with a shallow boyfriend who had ended the relationship before heading there himself. Although superficially apparently nothing more than the stereotypical 'dumb blonde', she demonstrates a surprising intellect even before going to Harvard- albeit mainly focused on fashion-related details-, and also shows genuine concern and care for the less popular rather than disdaining them. She eventually earns her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, gains the respect of her peers, and marries a man who is more mature than her initial boyfriend. In the sequel to the original film, she works on Capitol Hill.
Character arc
The character arcCharacter arc
A character arc is the status of the character as it unfolds throughout the story, the storyline or series of episodes. Characters begin the story with a certain viewpoint and, through events in the story, that viewpoint changes. A character arc generally only affects the main character in a...
of Elle Woods is a transition from a ditzy sorority girl who believes that her happiness is dependent on the man in her life, to a confident law student who realizes that her happiness is contingent on the successful development of her own abilities. Because of the completion of this personal journey in the first film, there is no appreciable character arc for Woods in the sequel, other than facing a degree of disillusionment with the political process.