Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, a Canadian actress who gained recognition through her leading role on the Netflix comedy series “Never Have I Ever,” has joined the cast of the “Legally Blonde” prequel “Elle” for its second season. The actress will play a character named Sam, marking her return to the teen-oriented television landscape following the conclusion of her previous series.
Ramakrishnan’s character in “Elle” is described as ambitious but lacking optimism, serving as the founder and editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and positioning herself as an opponent of levity. The role differs from her prior television work, which Ramakrishnan highlighted in recent remarks about the project. She expressed enthusiasm about working within the “Legally Blonde” universe and praised both the franchise and executive producer Reese Witherspoon, whom she characterized as a industry legend.
The casting parallels Ramakrishnan’s original selection for “Never Have I Ever,” which came through an open casting call and was executive produced by Mindy Kaling. Similarly, actress Lexi Minetree, selected from approximately 5,000 audition tapes, was chosen to lead “Elle” through an open search process. Ramakrishnan emphasized similarities between Kaling and Witherspoon, noting both producers share a commitment to improving representation in television and a dedication to storytelling. She also commented positively on working alongside Minetree, characterizing their professional relationship as collaborative.
The second season of “Elle” has already been filmed and renewed for additional episodes. The first season is currently available on Amazon Prime Video.