Reese Witherspoon’s portrayal of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde—arguably one of her best movies ever—cemented her as a comedic icon. But years later, that very role returned to haunt her unexpectedly: a real-life Beverly Hills courtroom.

Witherspoon famously played the character of Elle Woods, in the 2001 movie “Legally Blonde,” portraying a young woman who applies and gets into Harvard Law School in order to win back her boyfriend, only to realize she has the potential to be a high-powered attorney.