Legally Blonde writer ‘sad’ over fan response to rumoured queer alternate ending
Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) and Vivian (Selma Blair) were rumoured to have ended up together in an early version of Legally Blonde. (20th Century Fox)
The writer of Legally Blonde has said she’s “sad” that fans are mourning a rumoured “chaotically bisexual” alternate ending.
Last week, one of the stars of the film shocked Legally Blonde fans by claiming there was an alternate ending that would have seen Elle Woods and rival Vivian end up together.
In a New York Times discussion marking the 20th anniversary of the cult classic, Jessica Cauffiel – who played Elle’s friend Margot – said: “The first ending was Elle and Vivian in Hawaii in beach chairs drinking margaritas and holding hands.
“The insinuation was either they were best friends or they had gotten together romantically.”
Although another cast member, Alanna Ubach, has said she also remembers the queer denouement, dubbed “chaotically bisexual” on social media.
But both of the film’s screenwriters – Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith – told the New York Times that they “never wrote that ending”.
Since then, McCullah has been taking to Twitter to correct various publications and social media users.
This is not true.
— Karen McCullah (@KarenMcCullah1) July 8, 2021
I wrote the movie. Im in the picture you just posted. The actress quoted was incorrect— Karen McCullah (@KarenMcCullah1) July 8, 2021
Although McCullah received some backlash for putting the record straight, she told Entertainment Weekly that she did it because she didn’t want to see people upset over a queer ending that had never existed.
“It made me sad to see people mourning something that never existed, and being sad that it was taken from them,” she said.
“So I just wanted to clear that up. Don’t be sad!”
Legally Blonde alternate ending was very much straight
McCullah also clarified that there was only one alternative ending to Legally Blonde and it was, unfortunately, decidedly straight and saw Elle and Emmett kiss in front of the courthouse after the trial.
She continued: “And then we cut to like a year later, where Elle and Vivian are handing out flyers for the Blonde Legal Defense Fund on campus.
“Vivian had now dyed her hair blond, and they were friends. Along with the ending that’s in the movie, those were the only two endings that were shot.”
