The 80th Annual Golden Globes Awards aired last Tuesday, January 10th. One of the most prestigious (and most controversial) awards shows set the stage for some groundbreaking wins and nominations. There are always productions considered the most likely to win, but these awards have ways to surprise the viewers – positively and negatively. This year, there were some big moments, such as Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan winning Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor in the Motion Picture Musical/Comedy categories for their roles in the A24 movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once. But someone always steals the spotlight, and this year was Jennifer Coolidge.
This was Coolidge’s second nomination for the award, and she shone brightly with her funny and heartwarming speech, just as much as she did with her character in The White Lotus. Many may remember seeing Coolidge in some movies and television shows, however the actress usually played a side character, never getting the chance to really show what she is capable of.
Here is a bit more about Coolidge's 30-year-long career and the productions by which she is most remembered. How The White Lotus was a game changer for her and what's next for one of the hottest actresses in Hollywood right now.
Jennifer Coolidge's Acting Career
Most remember the actress, especially if the viewer was a young adult male in the early 2000s, for her performance in the American Pie movies. However, most may not know the amount of movies and TV series Coolidge has acted in (after working as a waitress for years alongside Sandra Bullock, of all people) since 1993, when she made her acting debut on a television episode of none other than Seinfeld. The actress has an impressive 122 productions on her resumé, not including one as a writer and five as a part of the soundtrack.
Sex and the City, Friends, and Frasier are all shows that Coolidge has been a part of. Granted, she usually had small roles and was a guest appearance in one episode, but there are few people who can claim to be in so many iconic moments in television as she has. The actress made various movies for which she's come to be known, including Legally Blond (the first and the second) and especially the great mockumentary movies of Christopher Guest, such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.
She acted in some movies and series filled with sexual scenes and innuendos, such as Two Broke Girls, Austin Powers, and the American Pie franchise. However, she also made family-friendly movies, such as A Cinderella Story alongside Hilary Duff, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.
Coolidge has also been in thrillers such as the recent Netflix series The Watcher. The actress did a lot of voice acting, voicing characters in Gravity Falls, Rick and Morty and Ten Year Old Tom. She was a part of 46 episodes of The Fungies. It is almost impossible to list everything Coolidge did, never limiting herself to one genre, but her road to worldwide popularity has been long and bumpy in these past 30 years.
The Role That Changed Everything
In 2021 a new limited HBO series called The White Lotus, created by actor and writer Mike White, was released. A satire set in a luxury hotel in Hawaii quickly became a fan and critic favorite. In the 2022 Emmy Awards, it received 20 nominations and won 10 (including Coolidge as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series). Despite initially being billed as a single-season show, it was so beloved that HBO renewed it for a new season, becoming an anthology series. Now, season three is on the way.
Every season will be set in a different luxury resort of The White Lotus chain on a new paradisiac place. The cast of the first and second seasons was amazing, diving deep into dysfunctional dynamics between families, couples, and social classes. However, Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid stole the spotlight – and starred in both seasons as one of the main characters. Coolidge, alongside Jon Gries, who plays Tanya's husband, were the only ones to return for season two.
Jennifer Coolidge's Golden Globes Speech
Tanya is an insecure heiress socialite who likes spending money and doing extravagant things. Coolidge is one of the funniest actors in The White Lotus, and brings something fresh and entertaining to watch among so many heavy storylines. Tanya was the role that really put her on the map, and recently got Coolidge her first Golden Globe because of it.
In her hilarious and emotional acceptance speech (which was a bit longer than her Emmy one, as they cut her off), Coolidge was very sincere about how long she has been in the industry without ever getting big roles. The actress was nominated for 18 awards in the Best Actress category across multiple awards shows because of Tanya. She also mentioned in her speech that it can be hard to find work as an older actress, given how the industry perceives aging women. Coolidge stated to Mike White, who was crying his heart out at this point, that he gave her hope.
What's Next for Jennifer Coolidge?
For those caught up with the second season of the HBO hit show about the elite in a luxury hotel (that somehow always involves a dead body being found) — the actress won't be a part of the upcoming season, unless it's a prequel or in flashbacks. However, fear not, for the great actress has finally 'made it,' as she has three projects on the line, including the feature film We Have a Ghost, which is already finished.
Another project that is highly anticipated is the third installment of the Legally Blonde movies. Coolidge will also narrate the animated feature Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk. Needless to say, her Golden Globe win and very likely new Emmy nomination will only increase the demand for her to be in new productions in the future.