We can’t imagine a life without knowing who Elle Woods is. Legally Blonde has been a staple in our lives – a movie franchise that gave us laughs, a love of pink, and the reminder that no matter what we can accomplish everything.
Elle Woods is an icon. She was underestimated and she thrived. She put her heart and soul into everything that she did. Elle taught us that heartbreak isn’t the end of life – but a new start.
The chance to keep growing.
When the prequel to the Legally Blonde – Elle – was announced we were scared. Scared because we didn’t want anything to ruin this series for us and there was a real fear of that possibility. You just never know
Prior to the television shows release we sat down to talk to star Danielle Chand. In the show, Chand plays Shannon, a popular girl who Elle is desperate to befriend. Shannon is the only person that is nice to Elle at her new school in Seattle.
We sat down and talked with Chand about her role, her life, and all of the things that she learned from Elle.
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What made you want to do Elle? And are you, like, were you the least bit nervous about doing something that’s so iconic?
Chand: Yeah, I, um, yeah, I was definitely nervous when I first heard that I booked the role. It’s my first, it was my first booking. So I was like, are they sure? Was it a different, is it a different Danielle Chand? Just because I was really proud of my audition, but I just didn’t think that it would ever go where where it actually went. It’s really big shoes to fill and such a huge loved franchise.
I think a lot of a lot of tension with prequels is people are nervous because they hold the original so near and dear to their heart that they are nervous. But honestly, the story and everyone that was involved was just so amazing. I’m also really I’m just excited for everybody to see it. And Lexi is incredible as Elle Woods just like, perfect.
RELATED: Lexi Minetree Talks Playing The Iconic Elle Woods
When you were on set, did you know that you were making something special? Were you like, what, what was scared you the most about making it? What, what was the easiest thing about making it?
Chand: The scariest part for me about making it was just learning everything for the first time being on set. I was learning in real time. Then the most exciting part was just like, after all the prep was done; going into hair and makeup, getting my costume on, putting my boots on. Because Shannon’s boots were ultra platforms and they were just so much fun.
Are you like a huge fan of fashion? This whole like franchise throughout has such like good fashion. What do you feel about like the fashion part of it all?
Chand: Shannon is a lot more fashionable than I am. But I did buy some things after the show was over, because I was like, I need to have this in my closet. I really like being fashionable. But I also really like being comfortable. My fashion kind of is like, okay, she like is dressed to the nines or she is in a sweater from high school that’s 10 years old. That’s my spectrum.
I was like trying to find stuff about you online. There is there’s next to nothing online. how do you find the balance between maintaining private and public life?
Chand: I know, it’s kind of hard for me to, to rationalize that right now. Honestly, I work in a restaurant. I don’t post a ton on Instagram. I don’t. I’m not super visible online. Like I do my, you know, maybe annual post a year to maybe two posts a year, I think that will have to change a little bit. But I just really like to live just in the present. And I like to just, you know, if I want to post something, then I’ll post something. If I want to put something on my story, then I’ll put it up. I guess I’m just gonna figure out that balance when I get to it, because there’s probably gonna be so much content and like so many things like that are gonna be like popping up. So – to be determined on how I will handle all of that. Because right now it still doesn’t. I just can’t even fully rationalize it.
Where were you when you got the call and you found out that you got the role? And what was your first thought?
Chand: I sent the audition. A couple days later, my agent said, “oh, we’re sending the tape to LA“. Then I went to my restaurant job, opened the restaurant. I said hi to my managers. I went into the office. My agent called. She was like, hey, like, they want to do a call back today. And I’m like, what time? They’re like 2:30. I’m like, oh, it’s 10:30. Okay, I just said hi to my managers. I’m just gonna tell them I have to leave now. And they were very supportive.
I did the call back. I went to acting class. And that night I was like, surrounded by my acting class. And I got I got the call and I went outside because I’m like, all right, everybody, everybody chill. I don’t know what is going to be on the end of this call. And as soon as my agent was like, you booked it, I like ran back inside. I was so happy. And everybody around me was just so happy and so supportive. It honestly couldn’t have been a better group of people to to be around. And, yeah, I just started crying. Like, I just was like, this isn’t. I was like, waiting for somebody to be like, JK.
I was like, okay, like, this is amazing. And then I was like, oh, this means this means that it’s happening. And I’m gonna be on set with Amazon and Hello Sunshine. Wait, Reese Witherspoon watched my soft tape?
What was your first reaction meeting her?
Chand: I haven’t met her yet. I actually just had a dream about meeting Reese, like a few nights ago. It was just a quick little, she was like, oh, yeah, let’s take a photo. Oh, I love your outfit. And that was the and that was the dream. And I was like, is that gonna be deja vu? Is that actually how it’s gonna happen? So my brain’s manifesting it. And I’m just, yeah, very excited to meet her.
You like to travel a lot. So if you could go anywhere in the world, just like just shoot Elle anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Chand: That’s, that’s so hard. I mean, like, it would be really fun to like shoot Elle in somewhere like, um, in like Milan with like the fashion scene. Or like, also, I don’t know, maybe Elle Woods takes on Paris. I’ve been to Paris, and Parisians have have a certain vibe to them.
What song defines Shannon as a character?
Chand: I would say, I always play just, JUST A GIRL, by No Doubt, like on like, just in the trailer. And it’s funny, because that was that, like, that was that was the song in, in the trailer that was just released was JUST A GIRL.
Did you take anything from set?
Chand: No.
I’ve never met an actor that didn’t take something from set. That’s amazing.
Chand: No, I did. I did. I took my little this was in my chair.
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What did you learn most about yourself and about the craft of acting filming this show?
Chand: I learned a lot. In acting school, all you hear is just trust yourself, trust yourself, trust yourself. And you know, when you’re in class sometimes it’s a little bit easier to fully trust yourself. When I was on set, I was just kind of like, okay, I’m gonna trust myself. I did the prep, I’m just gonna forget it and I’m just gonna have fun. I was the most locked in, in my acting then that I had ever been up until that point. Now I’m doing it like I’m doing other acting classes with another coach, Deb Podowski. And now I’m feeling that feeling in her class, like a lot more consistently. But that was but but being on out and just like fully trusting myself and just letting myself go and have fun.
So everybody asks this question, but do you guys have a group chat? And if so, what’s the name of the chat?
Chand: Um, the group chat that we were, wait, let me hang on, let me see what this group chat name [pulls out phone to check] Oh, my phone did something weird. It’s just called Elle Cast with hearts with pink hearts.
My last question for you is what do you hope that people take away from Elle?
Chand: Um, I think there’s moments that are really relatable. I think that there’s moments that are really funny. I think there’s, there’s moments that are really real. There’s a lot of things in there that people can can take away.
But yeah, I think that people are just I think people are really gonna just like it is a prequel but also and they’re gonna but they’re also just gonna like enjoy it even if people haven’t seen Legally Blonde, like maybe like younger audiences, I think that they’re still going to just love what they’re seeing on screen.
RELATED: Reese Witherspoon Talks About Passing The Legally Blonde Torch To Lexi Minetree
The entire first season of Elle is streaming now on Prime Video.
