Legally Blonde – The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods(2008)

Legally Blonde — The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods is an MTV reality competition that aired in 2008 to cast a new Elle Woods for Broadway's Legally Blonde musical. Fifteen contestants competed over nine episodes, performing songs and completing challenges judged by a three-person panel. Winner Bailey Hanks earned the lead role, replacing Laura Bell Bundy, and recorded her own version of the show's first-act closer, "So Much Better." Runner-up Autumn Hurlbert became Hanks' understudy and performed in the ensemble. The competition ran from June 2 to July 21, 2008, with Hanks beginning her Broadway performances on July 23. Two other finalists, Rhiannon Hansen and Lauren Zakrin, went on to perform in the Legally Blonde National tour. The series captured the high stakes of casting Broadway's biggest musical comedy role.