The bestJennifer Coolidgemovies and TV shows include award-winning and box office dominating comedy movies and some fantastic television work along the way. Coolidge, unfortunately, spent much of her career simply known from one role where most people only knew her by the description of “Stiffler’s Mom.” That was, of course, from the R-rated sex comedyAmerican Pie, but there is much more to the actress’ career than that one role.
While Coolidge aspired to be a dramatic actor while attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, she ended up earning more roles thanks to her comic timing.Coolidge made her first appearance in an episode ofSeinfeldand then started appearing in comedy and spoof movies before she got her big break inAmerican Pie. However, she moved on to work with Christopher Guest in his improv movies and has recently finally gotten herdramatic roles with the seriesThe White Lotus.
A Cinderella Story
Cast
A Cinderella Story is a modern retelling of the classic fairy tale, focusing on a high school girl who faces hardships from her stepmother and stepsisters while finding solace through an online romance. Set in a contemporary American high school, the film explores themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the quest for true love amidst challenging circumstances.
In 2004, Jennifer Coolidge appeared in the Hilary Duff romantic comedyA Cinderella Story. The film follows the fairy tale storyline ofCinderellabut is set in modern day high school. Duff stars as Sam, a teen whose father died during an earthquake and now lives with her stepmom and stepsisters, where she is forced to wait on everyone hand and foot.Coolidge stars as the evil stepmother, Fiona.
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Coolidge is brilliant in the role and she steals every scene she is in as she lies and manipulates her stepdaughter to maintain control of her dead husband’s fortune and home.Everything that Coolidge does as Fiona is over the top. She has no problem with the slapstick comedy needed to make her character look like a fool, which makes her eventual downfall much more satisfying.
2 Broke Girls
2 Broke Girls is a sitcom that aired on CBS for six seasons from 2011-2017. Created by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cummings, the series follows the lives of Max Black (Kat Dennings) and Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs), as they work at a local diner to try to earn enough money to open a cupcake business in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Caroline is the daughter of a billionaire, while Max grew up in poverty, which makes for hilarious differences in their outlooks on life. The series had a quirky cast of supporting characters, including Garrett Morris as Earl Washington, Jennifer Coolidge as Sophie Kachinsky, Jonathan Kite as Oleg Golishevsky, and Matthew Moy as Han Lee.
2 Broke Girlsstars Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as Max and Caroline, two young women who have no money and work at a Brooklyn diner, barely making ends meet.Jennifer Coolidge stars as their part-time boss and neighbor, Sophie, a Polish immigrant. The series ran for six seasons and 138 episodes, and while it was a success, it was also a very polarizing show with some loving it and others hating the comedy.
As for Coolidge, she was a recurring character in the first season and then joined the main cast in the second season.
However, most of the praise went to the acting, and specifically the chemistry between Dennings and Bahrs. As for Coolidge, she was a recurring character in the first season and then joined the main cast in the second season. She delivers much of the humor that makes the show so polarizing, as she often tells the girls stories of her sex life and growing up in Communist Poland.
The Watcher (2022)
In 2022, Jennifer Coolidge signed on to something very different. This is a horror series created by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story) with Coolidge set in one of the lead roles. Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale star in the series as a married couple (Nora and Dean) who move into their dream home in New Jersey. However, their neighbors are less than welcoming, andthey start to get letters from a stalker who calls himself The Watcher.
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Coolidge stars as Nora’s old friend and the realtor Karen, who sells them the home. The entire series is a mind-twisting tale, and it is unclear what is happening throughout most of the series. It received an average critical reception, with 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics saying it is scary but spins in too many directions. However, it was an interesting turn for Coolidge, who got a chance to do something dark and disturbing for a change.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a drama series that chronicles the life of Amy Juergens, a teenage girl who navigates the complexities of high school after an unexpected pregnancy. The show explores the impact of her situation on her family, friends, and romantic relationships, addressing various themes relevant to adolescence. It stars Shailene Woodley as Amy and ran from 2008 to 2013.
Debuting in 2008,The Secret Life of the American Teenagerstars Shailene Woodleyin her breakout role as a 15-year-old named Amy who learns she is pregnant. Amy chooses to keep the baby, finds a new boyfriend (Kenny Baumann), and keeps the birth father (Daren Kagasoff) in her life as well. Molly Ringwald, who was the queen of teen rom-coms when she was younger, takes on the role of Amy’s mother.
Jennifer Coolidge stars in the series as Betty Boykewich. She had a very interesting role in the series, as she was a prostitute that Grace’s adoptive brother hired and invited to his family’s house. She then ended up marrying the Sausage King (Steve Schirripa) and went down as one of the show’s better characters. In all, the series was mostly a guilty pleasure and was popular with the teens, receiving several Teen Choice Awards over its run.
For Your Consideration
While most fans knew Jennifer Coolidge from her roles in theAmerican Piemovies, there were also fans who knew her from something very different. Christopher Guest made a career out of making improvisational comedy films, and he put together a comedy troupe that was able to bring laughs thanks to their quirky personalities and quick-witted sense of humor.This includes names like Fred Willard, Jane Lynch, Eugene Levy, and Jennifer Coolidge.
This was the fourth movie with most of this cast and Guest in control, and it proved to be just as funny as the originals.
One of these movies wasFor Your Consideration, and while it wasn’t the best of their collaboration, it was still a funny movie that poked fun at the entertainment industry, especially the filmmakers who set out to make “prestige” films, seeking awards recognition. This was the fourth movie with most of this cast and Guest in control, and it proved to be just as funny as the originals, but it was not as recognized at awards ceremonies.
A Mighty Wind
A Mighty Wind is a mockumentary film directed by Christopher Guest, depicting the reunion of three eclectic folk bands for a concert honoring their late manager. The 2003 film follows the bands, once popular but never famous, as they navigate their return to the stage after decades apart.
A Mighty Windwas one ofChristopher Guest’s improvised mockumentaries, this one following a folk concert where three bands reunite for the first time in decades. The movie features most of Guest’s regular acting contributors, including Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Harry Shearer, Parker Posey, Michael McKean, Jane Lynch, and Jennifer Coolidge. When released, many critics compared it toThis is Spinal Tap, but as a reunion later in musicians’ lives.
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Coolidge stars as Amber Cole, the clueless PR maven who was helping promote the reunion show. Coolidge was able to steal every scene she was in, mostly thanks to her dialogue, which often seemed ridiculous and made very little sense. Possibly her best scene had her talking about model trains and throwing everyone off when she said if it wasn’t for model trains. They never would have gotten the idea for the big ones.
4Legally Blonde (2001)
Paulette Bonafonte
WhileAmerican Piehelped introduce Jennifer Coolidge to the world, it was her role inLegally Blondethat showed she was more than just “Stiffler’s mom.”Legally Blondestars Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a fashion modeling student whose boyfriend breaks up with her because he wants to be a senator and feels she is not serious enough about her future. To prove him wrong, she scores a 179 on the Law School Admission Test and is admitted to Harvard Law School.
However, the movie really shows how Elle proves herself and does so without needing any man on her side, a true inspirational story, but one with some great comedic beats. Many of those come from Jennifer Coolidge, who stars as Paulette Bonafonte, Elle’s manicurist and confidante. It was a nice change from her role inAmerican Pie, as she proved here to be a loyal friend, but she also delivered some great lines and performed some great physical comedy along the way.
American Pie
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy that follows four high school friends as they enter a pact to lose their virginity before college. The film explores their comedic and often awkward attempts to fulfill this goal, set against the backdrop of typical high school experiences and senior prom.
The movie that made Jennifer Coolidge a star wasAmerican Pie. While the film was about some high school friends who were nearing graduation and their sex lives,Coolidge had a smaller, but memorable role as “Stiffler’s mom,”Jeanine Stifler. She was the mother of the one sexually experienced high school student and was also the eventual love interest of one of the high school students in a role that would never be shown today.
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However, Jeanine was a standout in the movie and stole most of the scenes she was in as a seductress, even if it is a little controversial based on the age difference between her and Eddie Kaye Thomas’s Finch. The character had a chance to grow and develop as the franchise moved on, and she ended up in a more respectable relationship with Jim’s dad, played by Coolidge’s Christopher Guest movie co-star Eugene Levy.
The White Lotus
The White Lotus is a television series that explores the interactions of guests and staff at an upscale tropical resort. Premiering in 2021, the narrative unfolds over a week, revealing underlying complexities and tensions among the resort’s seemingly ideal travelers and employees.
Many fans today know Jennifer Coolidge best from her most recent television role in the Max seriesThe White Lotus. This is an anthology series that aired for two seasons, andCoolidge appeared in both seasons as Tanya McQuoid. The first season focused on a murder mystery and the people staying at the infamous White Lotus resort who were the main suspects. The second season also had a crime-based storyline, but it dealt more with the characters' romantic relationships.
Coolidge earned 18 award nominations, winning 11 total, which included one Golden Globes win and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Coolidge was a standout in both seasons and helped tie them together as much of thecast changed from the first to the second season. Critics praised her performance, and she received a lot of awards and recognition at the end of the season. In the first two seasons, Coolidge earned 18 award nominations, winning 11 total, which included one Golden Globes win and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Best in Show
Best in Show is a mockumentary directed by Christopher Guest, exploring the eccentric personalities behind the participants of the fictional Mayflower Dog Show. Released in 2000, the film humorously delves into the lives of the various dog owners and handlers competing for the coveted top prize.
Jennifer Coolidge stars in one of Christopher Guest’s best mockumentaries as Sherri Ann Cabot inBest in Show. This mockumentary pokes fun at the prestigious dog show events and follows five entrants as they compete with their dogs to win the top prizes. Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy both star in the film along with Coolidge, Catherine O’Hara, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Parker Posey, and many more.
Jennifer Coolidgestars as Sherri Ann Cabot, a two-time winner of the show who is also an overly made-up trophy wife of an elderly wealthy man. While Sherri has a basic poodle, she hires an extremely competitive trainer named Christy (Jane Lynch) to help her whip the dog into shape. The chemistry between Coolidge and Lynch was fantastic, and the film itself holds a very high 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating score.
