Matthew Davis Compares Melissa Fumero’s Role to Reese Witherspoon’s Iconic Elle Woods

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Grosse Pointe Garden Society arrived in the 2025 TV schedule to bring some murder mystery to NBC’s Sunday nights, and the latest episode dropped a big clue about the identity of the deceased – a.k.a. “Quiche.” That, or the drama dropped a major red herring to thicken the plot that much more as episodes continue airing weekly and streaming with a Peacock subscription. One character who we know was not killed and buried in a flowerbed by Birdie (Melissa Fumero), Catherine (Aja Naomi King), Brett (Ben Rappaport), and Alice (AnnaSophia Robb) is Joel, played by Legally Blonde alum Matthew Davis.

Davis spoke with TopMob about working heavily with the Brooklyn Nine-NIne and Night Court vet, with a callback to when he filmed Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon. Birdie and Joel have been flirting in the present of Grosse Pointe Garden Society, while flash-forwards show that they’ve gotten hot and heavy by the time the foursome commits their murder. The situation is only complicated by the fact that Joel is stepfather to Birdie’s biological son, who she gave up for adoption years prior… and he also happens to be a cop.

Since most of Matthew Davis’ scenes in his first four episodes as part of the Grosse Pointe Garden Society cast were opposite Melissa Fumero, I had to ask the Legacies alum: did he have a chemistry read with the Night Court guest star before landing the role? He responded:

No, and to be perfectly honest, I was not familiar with Melissa. I wasn’t familiar with her work. I believe I was one of the first people cast, so I remember just kind of sitting back waiting to see who they were going to populate the leads with. When they cast her, I was intrigued, because I was not familiar with her work, and on some level I was kind of grateful, because I didn’t really want to know the actor or actress. I just wanted to meet Birdie. So I’ve gotten to know Melissa during the season, and it’s been great. I mean, she’s just been so magnificent in this part. It’s been such a joy to work with her.

Davis may not have been a fan of Fumero from her Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Blockbuster, or One Life to Live days, but he’s clearly become a fan since getting to work with her on Grosse Pointe Garden Society. In fact, he went on to reflect on filming Joel and Birdie’s first big interactions of the show:

I remember the first day she and I really shot scenes together in Episode 2, and we were rehearsing, and then Birdie was just so present and so there and so dynamic. I immediately had this wild flashback. I never had this before. The only other time I thought I was in the presence of a truly iconic, dynamic character like that, played by somebody so talented, was opposite Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde.

As a devoted admirer, let me sing the praises of Melissa Fumero as an outstanding scene partner! There’s no denying that Birdie McKeever and Elle Woods are two unique characters, yet they share a vibrant energy that’s captivating to watch.

Now, I can understand why Matt Davis might draw parallels between the plot twists in the first season of Grosse Pointe Garden Society and potential shenanigans in a hypothetical Legally Blonde 3. Both characters are certainly dynamic enough to navigate such intricate plots!

The former Vampire Diaries actor went on to cite the Legally Blonde scene he’d filmed with Reese Witherspoon that he was flashing back to while working with Melissa Fumero, and it’s arguably one of the most memorable from 2001 comedy: Warner and Elle’s breakup. He shared:

I remember the first time I shot a scene with Reese was the breakup scene. And I rolled up. I thought I was prepared, and I sat down opposite Reese. [laughs] Her work was so stunning, right out the gate, just there, fully present. There was Elle Woods. I did not see Reese Witherspoon at all, and I was so blown away and so captivated by just the presence of that character. I’ll never forget it.

Fans of the cast of Legally Blonde likely aren’t surprised to learn that Matt Davis was “blown away” by Reese Witherspoon’s early work as Elle Woods. He went on to share how her “presence” impacted him on set for that film, and why Melissa Fumero brought back that same feeling on set more than two decades later:

I just forgot everything. I forgot everything I knew about my character. I forgot everything I knew about the world, and everything I knew about life, and the only thought I had in that moment was like, ‘Shit, just keep up! If you could just keep up with her, you’ll be fine.’ And I haven’t had that kind of encounter with an actor’s work until I worked with Melissa recently. We started working together, and I knew immediately. I was like, ‘I’ve felt this before!’ You’re really in the presence of a genuinely iconic character.

Based on what we know so far from the series “Grosse Pointe Garden Society,” there are still numerous unanswered questions regarding the mysterious dead body, but with Joel being alive and healthy, it’s clear that he is not the victim himself. The recent promo suggests that Joel and Birdie’s connection may deepen in the present, hinting at potential developments in their relationship. Let’s take a closer look!

The new episodes of “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” will still be shown on Sundays at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on NBC, right after the freshman series “Suits LA”. In case you missed any clues in previous episodes, you can catch up by streaming them on Peacock. Meanwhile, the popular movie “Legally Blonde” is now available to watch with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

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2025-03-18 08:39