National Treasure
“I just find it baffling, absolutely baffling, that this is happening. But guess what? I really like it.”
After a career spanning three decades, Jennifer Coolidge is finally getting her due. The veteran character actress, 61, is everywhere, accolades are pouring in, and she even made Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2023.
It’s clearly a pinch-me moment for the star who has mostly flown under the radar for the bulk of her time in Hollywood, appearing in small but memorable roles in the Legally Blonde and American Pie franchises, and stand-out turns in a number of Christopher Guest films, including Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.
“I know what I am capable of. I read a character, and if I can say to myself,
‘I know this woman,’ then I take the role.”
But it was her casting in 2021’s The White Lotus that blew away audiences. Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid-Hunt was pitch-perfect as a neurotic socialite earning her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress and winning over the hearts of viewers and critics. Coolidge’s turn in season two of The White Lotus, garnered her a Golden Globe, a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and a Critic’s Choice Award. She also appeared in Netflix’s The Watcher and alongside Jennifer Lopez in Shotgun Wedding.
With several film projects in the works, including a third season of White Lotus and another return to familiar ground in Legally Blonde 3, fans can be assured there will be more of Coolidge’s incredible comic timing coming their way. And it’s no wonder that friend and actor Mia Farrow noted the much-deserved frenzy surrounding Coolidge (merchandise bearing her image ranges from tee-shirts to prayer candles) calling her a true “national treasure.”
Images Courtesy of: Getty Images, HBO
