Lexi Minetree Reveals 15-Minute Morning Ritual She Used to Channel Reese Witherspoon in “Elle” (Exclusive)

"I sounded like a crazy person," the actress tells PEOPLE of prepping for Elle Woods' iconic voice in the 'Legally Blonde' prequel series

NEED TO KNOW

• Lexi Minetree plays the high-school version of Elle Woods, the beloved character originated by Reese Witherspoon, in Elle
• Minetree, 25, tells PEOPLE how she prepared every day before set to nail the character’s voice and match how Witherspoon played the character in Legally Blonde
• Elle premieres July 1 on Prime Video

Lexi Minetree really had to get into the zone to play Elle Woods.

The 25-year-old actress plays the high-school version of Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde character in the new Prime Video prequel series, and she says that she had a specific routine on set to make sure she could match Witherspoon's performance.

"Every morning, I actually had a 15-minute warmup in place, to do not only body but also voice, just so I could get myself there," Minetree tells PEOPLE at the show's New York City premiere on Tuesday, June 23. "Because sometimes I sounded rough in the morning."

Elle's voice is "very rhythmic," she says, and very specific. "I'm sure some background people really thought I was losing my marbles," Minetree admits of her on-set behavior.

"I sounded like a crazy person because I was always muttering to myself lines from the movie to get into the voice and character," she adds.

Minetree previously told PEOPLE that Witherspoon gave her some simple advice after she was cast to lead the series. "She told me to make sure to drink water, make sure to rest, to breathe and to take in every moment here, because it's such a special opportunity," she said.

She added that she had "every thought known to mankind all simultaneously" come to mind after she found out she got the part — news that was delivered by Witherspoon, 50, herself. "I'm still pinching myself that this is my life," Minetree said. "I just feel really grateful, honestly."

Stepping into the shoes of "such an amazing character" was nothing short of a treat for the actress.

"There is not a better character that I could be playing that's healthy for my psyche to be in," she said in May. "I'm like, 'Oh, an optimist who believes in herself, hmm-mm, yeah.' I think I will go method for this role and just believe in myself."

Witherspoon also gave Minetree permission to add "my own little sprinkles of magic" to Elle Woods. "[I'm gonna] just say, 'You know what? I'm bringing Lexi's take onto this role and following in the footsteps of what Reese has already created.'"

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In season 1 of Elle, the titular character is a fish-out-of-water in Seattle when her parents, played by Tom Everett Scott and June Diane Raphael, relocate the family from Bel-Air. Chandler Kinney, James Van Der Beek and Jessica Belkin also star.

Elle premieres July 1 on Prime Video.

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