July 1, 2026 at 8:00am EDT

I think we can all agree that one of our favorite things about iconic Elle Woods is her bravery to unabashedly be herself. Now what if I told you that wasn’t always the case? Amazon Prime’s newest installment in the world of Legally Blonde shows what happens before a young woman becomes confident—and it’s relevant for parents and teens alike.  

The new show follows the iconic Elle Woods as she navigates a new high school where she might just not fit in. Forced to move from sunny California, Elle finds herself in Seattle, a city that stands for everything she is not: brunette, rainy, and adorned in flannel. She is thrust into a world of mean high schoolers and finds herself on the outside of the social scene, viewed as an outcast for her bright pink clothes and sunny disposition. While your teen might not be as eccentric as Elle, I’m sure they can relate to the struggle to find her place in the hierarchy that is high school. 

In true Elle Woods fashion, one of her first approaches is to dress the part, hoping that a Nirvana t-shirt revamped with her signature pink will grant her entry into the inner circle—a plan that proves useless as she’s called a “poser.” But we’ve all done it. We’ve all tried our best to fit in, even if that means losing a bit of our unique flair along the way. So, to any parents reminding their teen to be themselves, I’m here to say that only goes so far. Parents are constantly reminding teens that they are unique, but coming from a parent, it’s a little biased.  

It can be hard to know what to say when you know your teen will meet anything with skepticism. But sometimes not saying anything is just as good. Be the quiet guiding figure your teen needs, not the dismissive or overindulgent parent. High school is such an important time for teens to experiment and figure out what makes them authentic—and that doesn’t happen if they’re too focused on succumbing to a generic mold. Instead of cramping their style, give them space to experiment for themselves.  

As we become adults and leave the worries of high school behind us, we quickly forget how important those issues can seem, how consuming our fears are, and how damaging they can become. Sometimes teens need another voice to put everything in perspective, and parents can do that—even with some help from Elle, who stands as proof that things do get better. Remind them that high school is important but not everything; making mistakes at this age is not only okay but expected. Tell them about your high school experience, some of the mistakes you made, and how insignificant they all seem now. Don’t dismiss teen drama. Instead, truly listen and give your teen real advice — what they need are solutions and an attentive audience.   

Elle gives us a peek into the life of the iconic character before she became the confident woman that we’ve come to know and love over the past two and a half decades. Instead of the impressive defense attorney we watch Elle become in Legally Blonde, Elle highlights all that comes before, especially high school hardships. Elle yet again leaves us with an important message: that high school, while trying, can teach you to overcome adversity and build resilience in the future.  

While this version of Elle might not be the strong, polished version we’ve known for 25 years, I’m excited to watch her confront the same struggles I was once faced with. Elle is the perfect prequel to speak to both teens and parents, timely and fun for teens while nostalgic for older generations.  
Elle can show all of us how to become the most confident, authentic versions of ourselves. What, like it’s hard?