Matthew Davis, who portrayed Warner Huntington III in the 2001 hit film "Legally Blonde," has shared his reflections on the movie's enduring legacy and the experience of working alongside Reese Witherspoon.
Davis, who was in his early twenties when he filmed "Legally Blonde," admitted he had no idea the movie would become a cultural phenomenon. "I had no clue what it was going to go on to become all these years later," he told The Post. The actor recalled feeling initially overwhelmed by Witherspoon's presence on set, describing her as a "force of nature."
"The very first scene I shot with Reese was the breakup scene in the restaurant," Davis said. "I thought I had a grasp on what it was, but when I showed up to set, I didn’t see Reese. I saw Elle. I saw this force of nature."
He described the experience of trying to keep pace with Witherspoon as a "minor existential crisis" that scrambled his mind. "It became like a minor existential crisis," he quipped. "My only thought during the filming was to 'just keep up.' And I just remember surrendering everything I had to just match what she was doing."
Davis noted that "Legally Blonde" continues to inspire people, with many telling him it motivated them to pursue law school. He added that he frequently receives photos from fans showing the movie playing during flights.
Recently, Davis reunited with his "Legally Blonde" castmates, including Witherspoon and Selma Blair, to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary and the premiere of the Prime Video prequel series "Elle." This marked the first time he had seen Witherspoon since filming the original movie. He described the reunion as "warm and sweet."
He also expressed particular fondness for Selma Blair, who played his character's law school fiancée, Vivian Kensington. "I was very new to Hollywood; I was very green," Davis recalled of Blair. "I think [Blair] saw that, and put me under her wing, a little bit. She was very kind to me, and I will always love her for that."
Davis has not yet watched the new "Elle" series, stating that his young daughters have been monopolizing the television with children's programming, but he intends to watch it soon.