Sometimes dreams do come true, and here's the proof—writer Lucy Jayne Ford wrote a 15,000 word dissertation all about Legally Blonde while she was in college, and yesterday she got to give Reese Witherspoon a copy in person. And yes, this is real life.
Ford was about to interview Witherspoon, Oprah, and Mindy Kaling (as one does) about their new movie A Wrinkle in Time. But Ford couldn't pass up an opportunity to tell the real Elle Woods all about that time she wrote thousands of words about the female characters in Legally Blonde. Needless to say, Witherspoon's reaction was priceless:
The moment I handed @RWitherspoon my 15,000 dissertation/love letter to Legally Blonde - and yes, it was scented. I blacked out somewhere between her taking it and Oprah saying 'wow' #WrinkleInTime pic.twitter.com/56XV8FElqVMarch 13, 2018
Accepting the gift, Witherspoon looked visibly moved, and even asked, "Is it scented?" Calling it a "love letter," Ford told Witherspoon, "You can read it, you can burn it, you can clean your windows with it." And even Oprah said, "Wow," so it seems as though the gesture went down pretty well.
Hopefully Witherspoon's excitement about the Legally Blonde dissertation will reignite talks about a third sequel. In January 2017, Witherspoon told E! at the Women in Television dinner at Chateau Marmont that she was ready to consider a third movie about Elle Woods. She said, "I do think it's a good time to do it. I think women need that kind of positivity right now." And she's definitely right.
Above all, this sweet dissertation gesture should provide hope to all pop culture super fans who dream that one day they'll get to meet their idols, too.
