Lexi Minetree pays emotional tribute to late James Van Der Beek ahead of 'Elle' premiere
Washington, June 28
Nearly five months after the death of James Van Der Beek at the age of 48, one of his final onscreen performances is set to reach audiences with the premiere of 'Elle' on Prime Video on July 1.
Speaking to Deadline, 'Elle' star Lexi Minetree paid tribute to her late co-star, who plays Dean Wilson in the 'Legally Blonde' prequel series.
"He's wonderful. It was incredible working with him," Minetree said of Van Der Beek, adding, "He's so charismatic, and I'm so excited for people to get to see his performance, because he just brought so much life to this character, and to set, honestly."
Reflecting on their time working together, Minetree recalled the warmth Van Der Beek brought to the production.
"I remember meeting him and just feeling so much warmth, and he even brought his daughters to set. It was really incredible. I know this is his last show, and I think fans are gonna be in for a real treat, getting to see him. We miss him so much," she said.
Van Der Beek was cast in 'Elle' last year. The actor died in February at the age of 48 after previously sharing his colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2024.
Created by Laura Kittrell, 'Elle' serves as a prequel to 'Legally Blonde' and follows future Harvard law student Elle Woods during her high school years in Seattle. Lexi Minetree leads the series as Elle Woods.
The ensemble cast also includes Zac Looker, Jacob Moskovitz, Chandler Kinney, Gabrielle Policano, Tom Everett Scott and June Diane Raphael.
With its July 1 debut on Prime Video, 'Elle' will also mark one of James Van Der Beek's final performances, with his co-stars remembering both his contribution to the series and the warmth he brought to the set.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Never knew about this show 'Elle'. Legally Blonde was a classic, so a prequel could be interesting. But the real draw here is seeing James Van Der Beek's final work. Hope they did justice to his memory.
Emotional tribute indeed. It's heartwarming to hear how he brought his daughters to set. Shows what a family man he was. Will definitely watch 'Elle' to see his performance. Rest in peace, James. 🙏
Colorectal cancer is no joke. I wish more people talked about early detection in India. But it's nice to see the Hollywood community come together. Lexi Minetree seems genuinely touched by his memory. Curious about the show now!
I respect the tribute, but I wish the article had more details about his character in 'Elle'. Still, losing someone so young is tragic. His family must be going through a lot. Hope this show brings some closure to them and his fans.
So many memories of James Van Der Beek from Dawson's Creek! He was such a huge star in the 90s and 2000s. It's incredible that his final performance is in a Legally Blonde prequel—full circle for pop culture. Can't wait to watch. ❤️
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