What would Elle Woods be without her best friend Bruiser? Reese Witherspoon’s pretty-in-pink lawyer is one of the most iconic cinematic characters in the past 20 years, and she’s coming back next year for Legally Blonde 3. It wouldn’t be the same without her best pup pal, a chihuahua with a sense of style. Ahead of the movie rolling its cameras, animal rights organization PETA has sent Witherspoon and the film’s writer Mindy Kaling a letter to consider.
PETA is always advocating for safe and ethical conditions for the animals used on Hollywood sets. This time, the animal rights organization has penned a letter to Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling, asking that they consider keeping dogs from commercial suppliers out of Legally Blonde 3 and promote messaging regarding animal adoption instead. As PETA’s letter reads:
As a Gemini vegetarian who made it her mission to end animal abuse in the form of cosmetics testing, Elle would certainly object to the neglect that PETA and law-enforcement investigations have uncovered at Hollywood suppliers. While Elle treated Bruiser with love and respect, the reality is grim for most dogs used in film and TV, who are often deprived of the very things all dogs deserve—a family and a cozy bed in a loving home to rest their head on each night.
In the second Legally Blonde movie, Red, White And Blonde, the entire plot revolves around Elle Woods heading to Washington D.C. to pass a bill banning animal testing, so this would look to be an issue close to her heart. PETA is concerned that a movie like Legally Blonde 3 could glamorize the breeding of chihuahuas when, as the organization cites in the letter, there are nearly 6,000 chihuahuas on PetFinder alone, sitting in shelters and waiting for homes.
PETA also shared that when Bruiser was first introduced in 2001’s Legally Blonde, it inspired a fad of fans going out to get their own chihuahuas as impulse purchases from pet shops and breeders. The organization is hoping the movie promotes pet adoption over pet shop and breeder purchases should Bruiser or another lucky dog of Elle Woods' be involved in Legally Blonde 3.
The organization also provided some information about commercial animal suppliers that have reportedly been unfair to their animals off set. According to PETA, dogs have been denied food so they’ll be motivated by hunger when being trained to perform tricks, along with being cramped in cages stacked on top of each other in a dark garage or left outside in temperatures as low as 40 degrees.
PETA shared that A Star Is Born’s Bradley Cooper is a good example of humane treatment toward animals on sets since he cast his own dog in the Oscar-winning film. It’s great information for Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling to keep in mind ahead of shooting Legally Blonde 3. When we last we heard from Witherspoon in September, Legally Blonde 3 does not have a script yet. The movie currently has a release date for May 22, 2022, but we’ll keep you updated on what we know about Legally Blonde 3 here on CinemaBlend as more news comes.
