Luke Wilson reveals Reese Witherspoon's "really cool" performance in Legally Blonde encouraged him to do better as an actor

Luke Wilson confessed he is a fan of his former co-star Reese Witherspoon. While not a great fan of romantic comedies, despite his fair share of films in the genre, Wilson looks back at his time working with Witherspoon in the hit rom-com Legally Blonde with fondness.

During an interview with People, Wilson recalled a memory from working with Witherspoon in the 2001 film.

"I thought, ''It's a romantic comedy, it's not particularly to my taste, but it'll be fun to work with Reese. She seems great."

And during filming, Witherspoon's portrayal of the SoCal sorority girl Elle Woods, who later became a Harvard Law student and a star in the courtrooms, complete with charm, wit, and all-pink ensembles, inspired Luke Wilson to bring his A-game.

"She's doing something really, really cool and I better buckle down and do a good job to play the straight man alongside her, to serve her character."

The actor also confessed to being excited to work with her because he was a "real fan" of the actress during her time in the 1999 satire Election about a type-A high school student who ran for class president.

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Luke Wilson talks about how it was to work alongside Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

Recalling his days on the set of Legally Blonde, Luke Wilson talks about how it was to work alongside the Hollywood star. He remembered first seeing Witherspoon in the wardrobe channeling her Elle Woods character, and the actor recalled saying:

"I thought, 'Okay, now I've got to concentrate. She is really doing something and working hard and making a real character out of this."

While the actor has praised Witherspoon's "realistic" portrayal in Election, seeing firsthand how the actress prepared and worked hard to play Elle Woods on the set inspired the actor. It also allowed him to foster more appreciation for the actress, despite saying that Witherspoon's Elle Woods is something "people take for granted."

On paper, Wilson admitted, that the actress's portrayal of the character "could have been a Saturday Night Live skit," but that Witherspoon has brought "such depth" to it.

Luke Wilson played Emmet Richards in the film, a lawyer and Reese's character's confidante who later became her love interest. The two reprised their roles in the 2003 sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, where their characters, Emmet and Elle, tied the knot.

In 2018, Reese Witherspoon confirmed she would be back as Elle Woods in the third installment of the beloved film, and in April this year, news that Witherspoon's media company Hello Sunshine will be behind a Legally Blonde spinoff TV series. While it's unsure whether Luke Wilson will be in the show or when it will air, the actor admitted that the film has a special place in his heart.