Reese Witherspoon turned the premiere of her upcoming series Elle into a family occasion when she attended the event with her son, Deacon Phillippe, in New York City on June 23. The actress and producer walked the red carpet at the SVA Theatre to celebrate the launch of the new Prime Video series. Witherspoon, 50, wore a pink lace dress with a sweetheart neckline and corset style design. Deacon, 22, chose a black suit with a magenta tie for the event.
The appearance drew attention because Deacon’s outfit closely resembled a look worn by his father, Ryan Phillippe, at the Los Angeles premiere of Legally Blonde in 2001. Ryan attended that event alongside Witherspoon while the couple was still married.
Witherspoon and Ryan married in 1999. They separated in 2006 and later finalized their divorce. The former couple share two children, daughter Ava, 26, and son Deacon. Witherspoon is also the mother of 13 year old Tennessee, whom she shares with her former husband Jim Toth.
The new Prime Video series stars Lexi Minetree as a younger version of Elle Woods, the character that Witherspoon famously played in the Legally Blonde films. The story takes place before the events of the original movies and follows Elle during her high school years in Seattle.
Reese Witherspoon and her son, Deacon Phillippe (22), shared a charming, energetic moment on the pink carpet at the world premiere of the series 'Elle' in New York City. The duo had the most fun while posing for the flashing cameras.#ReeseWitherspoon #DeaconPhillippe #Elle pic.twitter.com/21upBFXSd6
— MTN (@movietv_news) June 24, 2026
Released in 2001, Legally Blonde became a major hit and developed a loyal fan following. The film helped make Elle Woods one of the most recognizable female characters in comedy. The cast also included Selma Blair, Ali Larter, Jennifer Coolidge and Luke Wilson.
Before the series premiere, Witherspoon spoke about Minetree and her journey to taking on the role. In a video shared on social media, the actress became emotional while discussing Minetree’s audition and the importance of the character.
“I want you to understand the responsibility of what this means to people,” she said.
Witherspoon added that many generations of viewers have connected with Elle Woods over the years. She also described Minetree as an “incredibly disciplined, talented young woman” and said she was proud to pass the “pink torch” to the actress.
The premiere comes as production on Season 2 is already underway. Witherspoon recently surprised the cast by revealing that the show had been renewed for a second season before the first season had even premiered.
Season 1 of Elle will premiere on Prime Video on July 1.