Jennifer Coolidge just returned from Season 2 shooting The White Lotus and she’s on a high. Having made such an indelible mark in Season 1 of Mike White’s limited series set in a luxury Hawaiian resort, she’s the only main character returning for a second shot. For now, she’s having to keep plot details under wraps, but she’s positive that it will be another hit: “It would be impossible to not like it,”She said. We know that Season 2 will feature Coolidge (Emmy-nominated for her role) back as Tanya McQuoid, her tortured and grieving boyfriend Greg (Jon Gries). This time the setting is a Sicilian White Lotus resort, where they’ll be joined by such new cast members as Aubrey Plaza, F. Murray Abraham, Adam DiMarco Tom Hollander. Here, she reminisces on a career that’s seen her stealing scenes in classic modern comedies such as American Pie and Legally Blonde.
My First Film Lesson
When I was trying to do, the first lesson that I learned about a set was the most sad. Legally Blonde, and there was an actor — a television actor that I’d seen on TV, a funny guy — and he was the parking attendant [for the studio]. And I recall thinking: We have to be thankful. I thought I could do this movie there, then I could go back to waitressing. It is impossible to know everything. It was an honor to be offered this job. I thought, God, this is a business where you have to be grateful. It’s quite a rollercoaster ride being an actor and we have to be thrilled about getting these jobs, because sometimes they don’t come around again for a long time. Or ever.
The Best Advice I Have Ever Received
My father used to always say to me — and he used to say it more than any other little phrase — “Jennifer, you have to remember that character is fate.” And I think he’s right. Your ending is defined by who you areYou can be either good or bad.
The Part I Always Wanted
There was a very cool thing that Mike White wrote for HBO, which didn’t get made, but it was calledThe Tears of St. Patsy. It was amazing. But I have to say, it’s not like Tanya McQuoid was a disappointment. I’m happy with either of them.
My most difficult role
I don’t know if there’s any film footage of it, but I did this movie with Adam Sandler. It was called Click and his character was married to Kate Beckinsale’s. My love interest was the main in Baywatch, David Hasselhoff. They were planning to have these reunions as we age. Even though I was wearing the old-age make-up for quite a while, I noticed that everyone else had less of it when I arrived on set. Kate looked just like my daughter. It was quite funny. She had very little of it on, but I remember with my face that’s sort of chubby, with the old-age prosthetics, I looked like a space-monster.. It was amazing to me that everyone else looked the same age as me, and yet it seemed like I was Godzilla. I remember going home thinking, Wow, I don’t know, maybe it’s about time I should quit the movie business.
The Films and TV Shows That Make Me Cry
I can’t handle any movie with something sad that happens to an animal. And then there are some movies that are just so overwhelmingly devastating, you can’t recover from them. Cinema ParadisoI still recall crying at the end that movie. Although I like sad music, sad movies can be difficult to deal with.
The Most Fun I’ve Had On Set
I made a movie called Gentlemen BroncosJared Hess was my partner and we had an amazing time. This was the moment I met Mike White. He was my boyfriend in the movie, so we actually got to know each other. Then we really got along. [Jared’s] wife. Jerusha Hess was a great wife and I loved him so much that I went to do it. Austenland She was with me. Another amazing experience on a set in the English countryside. Those two experiences were perhaps the pinnacle.
The Character That’s Most Like Me
There are many things to know about Tanya McQuoidThese are the same. Mike stole a lot because he saw me while on a trip through Africa. I’m like, “Oh my God, am I really that bad?”Who am I most like, though? I don’t know, but I would’ve liked to have been as confident as Stifler’s mom [from American Pie]Real life. I wish she could have been my mentor in real life. It would have made me a better person and I could have had an easier time finding love. She had it going on and she really didn’t give a shit. What a great thing where you’re not really worried about what people think.
My Most Quoted Role
You know, it’s so weird because there’s something about the Fourth of July line from Legally Blonde 2. Many people leave me messages and DMs. And if I’m out on that day, people just go nuts. I don’t know, it’s probably that line Paulette said, where she goes, “You look like the Forth of July. That makes me want a hot dog real bad.”That is what I hear the most.
[The ‘bend and snap’, also from from Legally Blonde]A moment in moviemaking is something I completely disagree with. I’ve never had bending over work for me like it did in that movie. I think the bend and snap are misleading. But I’d have to say when I did do the bend and snap, I was wearing my underwear and I feel like in real life you have to leave it off.
My Guilty Pleasure
I like to purchase Bubble gum in a large bagI will chew the bag for 2 seconds, then place it on my nightstand. The whole bag is easy to go through. I don’t know, it’s like it’s something really decadent. Double Bubble, or whatever it might be.
Who’d Play Me In My Biopic
There are two options: who would play your part and who would you choose to? If I could choose someone to play me, I think I’d have Jennifer Lawrence. I mean, I don’t know if she’d like it — she’d probably refuse it — but I really like her.
What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever done?
While I was in Florida, I found a job as an assistant professor. Undercover pregnant womanI was looking for shoplifters in a maternity shop. Ironically, the cashier stole the money and I wasn’t one of the customers.