rugby shirt. Aimé Leon Dore
skirt. Aknvas
sneakers. Adidas x Wales Bonner
opposite
coat. Gabriela Hearst
shirt. Altuzarra
shorts. Saint Laurent
tie. The Frankie Shop
Gabby Policano never expected ‘Legally Blonde’ to become part of her own story. Long before she stepped into the world of Elle Woods, she was simply another fan who grew up watching Reese Witherspoon’s iconic heroine and dreaming about carrying a Chihuahua everywhere she went. Today, she’s introducing audiences to Liz, a grunge-loving record store employee whose quiet confidence offers a striking contrast to Elle Woods’ unmistakable optimism.
Between theatre, spoken-word poetry and her first television role, Policano is still adjusting to the whirlwind that followed booking the series. She laughs about “gaslighting” herself into believing she belonged on set, reflects on years of rejection before finally landing her breakthrough, and explains why portraying a queer teenager in the 1990s without making her sexuality the entire story felt so important.
Speaking to Schön!, Policano opens up about growing up with ‘Legally Blonde’, finding confidence through uncertainty and why sometimes friction really does mean you’re in the right place.
jacket, trousers + shoes. Sportmax
boxers. The Frankie Shop
opposite
suit + shirt. ETRO
heels. Altuzarra
‘Legally Blonde’ has been around for 25 years now, yet people still connect so deeply with Elle Woods. I think a lot of it comes down to that “fish out of water” feeling and staying true to yourself. Was that something you related to? And how much did the original film shape you growing up?
I honestly can’t remember a time in my life when I hadn’t seen the movie. I saw it very young, and it was always with me. Then the musical came out when I was about eight or nine, and I got to see the original Broadway cast. I love every version of ‘Legally Blonde’. It’s such a timeless story about being a fish out of water in a new place. With ‘Elle’, we’re seeing her in high school, making very human mistakes and having those life experiences that shape the firecracker we meet in the film. Sixteen is a crazy age for everyone, and I think people can relate to figuring out who they are while trying to find where they belong.
I thought Elle Woods was the coolest woman ever when I was a kid. I remember thinking, I’m going to have a Chihuahua when I grow up and carry it around just like she does. Getting to be part of this story 25 years later is such a gift. Not that Elle ever left, because she’s a cultural icon, but getting to tell a new part of her story is an incredible honour. I still can’t believe I’m part of that storytelling process. It feels surreal every single day.
You come from a theatre background, but this is your first major television role. Was stepping onto a TV set intimidating?
I was absolutely petrified. I think this is the part of the interview where you’re supposed to say, “No, I walked in full of confidence.” I didn’t. I was scared. When I got cast, I kept thinking, They’re going to realise as soon as I get to set that they made a mistake. On the first day, I kept asking Lexi (Minetree), “Am I doing this right? What am I doing?” She finally looked at me and said, “The trick is you have to gaslight yourself into believing you know exactly what you’re doing and that you’re 100 percent meant to be here. Eventually, you’ll start believing it.” It actually worked.
I also think there’s a misconception that television acting is completely different from theatre. It really isn’t. You’re just learning a whole new language—the technical side, the terminology and the rhythm of filming. At the core, it’s still the same thing. It’s about meeting the character where they are, figuring out who they are and settling into them once the cameras start rolling. Luckily, theatre gave me that foundation.
I also discovered you’re an award-winning spoken-word poet. Does poetry feed into your acting, or do they live in completely different parts of you?
I started writing a long time ago and studied poetry in college. After I graduated, I didn’t book anything for almost a year. I’d gone to conservatory, I’d trained my whole life, and suddenly I was auditioning constantly without getting any work. I remember thinking, “There has to be something I can do creatively that’s actually within my control,” so I started going to open mics in New York.
For a couple of years, I was writing every day. I’d sit in coffee shops for hours, then perform that night, workshop the poems, edit them and do it all over again. Eventually I started competing in slams at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and it became such a huge part of my life. Looking back, I don’t think poetry would have existed without the actor in me. Performing the poems became just as important as writing them. Even now, when I perform poetry, I’m using everything I’ve learned as an actor to tell the story the way I want to.
polo + dress. Lacoste
mules. Jimmy Choo
opposite
rugby shirt. Aimé Leon Dore
skirt. Aknvas
sneakers. Adidas x Wales Bonner
Tell me about the audition process for ‘Elle’. Did you connect with your character Liz right away?
I already knew they were making the show because I’d seen the video of Lexi and Reese, but I never imagined there would be a role for someone like me in the ‘Legally Blonde’ universe. Then I got the audition notice for Liz, and they described her as the opposite of Elle in every way. Elle moves through life at a million miles an hour. I saw Liz as someone who moves with a much steadier heartbeat. When I taped the audition, I put on my headphones and picked up a book. Both ended up becoming part of the character, so I felt connected to Liz almost immediately.
If Liz could take some pieces from your closet, what would she take?
We’re actually very different people, but we do have one thing in common: our closets. I already owned half of Liz’s wardrobe before filming, and honestly, I feel like the coolest version of myself whenever I get to be Liz. In season two, there’s an outfit my character wears that I personally own—head to toe.
Liz has such a distinct style and personality. How much research did you do to get into that ’90s grunge mindset?
I went on a huge grunge deep dive. I researched it as both a genre and a culture, learning about what was happening in Seattle in 1995 and who the defining artists were. I made this huge playlist and spent hours listening to Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Bam Bam, Hole and Soundgarden. I wasn’t just listening, either. I took notes on the lyrics, the production and how the songs were constructed because Liz is a musician. I wanted to understand not only what she listened to, but why.
I also loved discovering how many different versions of grunge existed, especially among female artists. You had Courtney Love’s baby doll dresses and Doc Martens, then bands like Team Dresch with a much more masculine presentation. I loved exploring all of it. Honestly, researching grunge was one of my favourite parts of preparing for season one.
jacket + trousers. Sportmax
oppposite
coat. Gabriela Hearst
shirt. Altuzarra
shorts. Saint Laurent
sneakers. Scarosso
tie. The Frankie Shop
One thing I really appreciated was seeing a queer character in the ’90s whose sexuality wasn’t treated as the entire storyline. How important was that to you?
It was really important to all of us. Lori Kittrell and Caroline Dries, our showrunners, are both queer women, and we were completely aligned on what we wanted Liz’s story to be. We didn’t want their queerness to be a tragedy. We wanted to show a young queer person in the ’90s who was already out, surrounded by a supportive family and friends. That felt like a story we hadn’t seen enough. Liz is queer, and that’s wonderful. She is also a musician, a writer, she makes zines, and she is fiercely loyal to her friends. There are so many parts of who she is that reducing her to just her sexuality never felt fair.
There’s a quote in the show that really stayed with me: “Sometimes friction means you’re in the right place.” Has there been a moment in your own life where that mindset really carried you through?
I think back to the years right after graduating college. Everyone tells you this industry is going to be hard and full of rejection, but nothing really prepares you for what that feels like. I was waiting tables, nannying, working at a gym, doing everything I could to pay rent while trying to build an acting career. It felt like nothing was moving. But I remember thinking, If I don’t give myself at least five years to really try, I’ll never forgive myself.
Looking back, I’m grateful it was so hard. It threw me into the deep end, and if it had been easy, it wouldn’t have prepared me for how much work this career actually takes. It’s still hard. People sometimes think that once you’re on a TV show, you’re set forever, and that’s just not true. This is one chapter of a much bigger journey. But I feel so much more prepared now because I had those years of struggling before ‘Elle’ came along.
suit + shirt. ETRO
heels. Altuzarra
‘Elle’ is streaming now on Prime Video.
photography. Emerald Layne
fashion. Tatiana Cinquino
talent. Gabby Policano
hair. Seiji Yamada @ Walter Schupfer Management using Color Wow!
make up. Quinn Murphy using SPATCH
production. Cassidy Cocke
photography assistant. Allison Brooks
fashion assistant. Oriana Aponte
editor. Kelsey Barnes
interview. David Baczyk
