Jennifer Coolidge: ‘White Lotus Upped My Game!’
Jennifer Coolidge is a name synonymous with unforgettable, funny characters in some of Hollywood’s iconic comedies. Whether it’s as the hot MILF, Jeanine Stifler, from the American Pie film series, the bending-and-snapping Paulette Bonafonté from Legally Blonde, or as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus (for which she won her first Golden Globe), Coolidge has built a career out of stealing the spotlight.
In an interview with the Sunday Times (via Page Six), Coolidge got candid and shared about how the HBO series “upped” her game, much more than when she was known as Stifler’s mom.
Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus
Coolidge didn’t hesitate to share how the role of Tanya McQuoid not only improved her professional career but also her dating life. She revealed that, despite playing a “complete weirdo’ on the show, handsome men have been approaching her more than ever.
She noted, “This is far better than ‘American Pie’ because people were really sad about Tanya falling off a boat. These men like you better because they feel that you went through something. That show really upped my game!”
What’s Next for Her?
The 2 Broke Girls actress admitted that before she landed the role in the series, she was often typecasted because of American Pie. Coolidge said, “I got very odd jobs — I had no guidance at all. I didn’t know how to play the game. I played a lot of highly strung rich women — people thought, ‘Oh, that’s just what she does.'”
Fortunately, an opportune moment during an African vacation, where Coolidge shared a tent with The White Lotus creator Mike White, led to White coming up with the idea for the character of Tanya, inspired by her “eccentricities,” per Variety.
Coolidge is currently experiencing a career renaissance. Her latest movie, Riff Raff, also starring Gabrielle Union, Pete Davidson, Ed Harris, and Bill Murray, was released on February 28. The film follows the life of a former criminal whose world is turned upside down when he reconnects with his old family.
Next up, Coolidge will appear in A Minecraft Movie, alongside Jack Black and Jason Momoa, which is scheduled for a theater release on April 4.
