To know Legally Blonde is to know the humble art of the ‘bend and snap’ routine. The swift movement has been etched in our memories ever since Elle Woods and her nail guru Paulette Bonafonté brought it to the screen—we were never the same again.
The success rate of the ‘bend and snap’ is still up for debate—Woods theorised a 98 per cent chance of getting your crush’s attention after doing it, with an 83 per cent chance of being asked out to dinner. Still, it remains ever relevant in the cultural zeitgeist, so much so that Jennifer Coolidge, who played Bonafonté, has given fans some more insight into its origins—although what she had to say might surprise you.
“[The ‘bend and snap’] is a moment in moviemaking I would just totally disagree with,” she told Deadline in the new interview.
“I’ve never had bending over work for me like it did in that movie. I think that the ‘bend and snap’ is misleading.”
That said, Coolidge had a pro tip for those of us who still believe in its success rate.
“I’d have to say when I did do the bend and snap, I was wearing my underwear and I feel like in real life you have to leave it off.”
Coolidge also revealed another iconic Bonafonté moment which has gone on to haunt her forever.
You’ll likely recall in Legally Blonde 2 when Bonefonté says: “Elle! Oh my god, you look like the Fourth of July. Makes me want a hotdog real bad.”
Well, according to Coolidge, she gets inundated with messages and imitations from people repeating that line.
“I get so many DMs and texts and people leaving things in my mailbox. And if I’m out on that day, people just go nuts,” she said.
There’s increased interest in Legally Blonde at the moment due to the rather exciting fact that a third film is in the works. It comes almost two decades after the second Legally Blonde film was released, and it’s set to bring back the old cast—with a couple of new faces in front and behind the camera.
Namely, renowned comedian Mindy Kaling will co-write the film while Reese Witherspoon and Collidge will reprise their roles respectively.
This week, Kaling also hinted at another potential addition closely related to Withserspoon—her daughter Ava Phillippe.
“Listen, I think I can do anything, and if that’s something she wanted to do, what a joy to have her in that,” Kaling told Extra.
Assuming that the new film will see Elle Woods 20 years on from her last famous jaunts in Legally Blonde 2, there’s a good chance Phillippe could play her on-screen daughter. It wouldn’t take much convincing, that’s for sure…
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