Jennifer Coolidge Through the Years: From ‘Legally Blonde’ to ‘The White Lotus’

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Jennifer Coolidge Through the Years: From 'Legally Blonde' to 'The White Lotus'

Still a rising star! Jennifer Coolidge has been a Hollywood staple for years — but The White Lotus gave her a place to shine even brighter. The Massachusetts native made her first television appearance on Seinfeld before scoring her big break in 1999's American Pie. The coming-of-age movie spawned three sequels — and Coolidge wouldn't be opposed to going back to East Great Falls. "The Weitz brothers kept me going," the actress teased during her January 2023 Golden Globes acceptance speech for The White Lotus, referring to director Paul Weitz and producer Chris Weitz. "I milked [American Pie] to the bone. I mean, I'm still going for six or seven [movies], whatever they want, you know?" Along with the American Pie franchise, Coolidge is widely recognized for her portrayal of Paulette Bonafonté in the Legally Blonde movies. Paulette befriends Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) and learns the now-iconic "bend and snap" move from the sorority girl-turned-law student. [jwplayer IdBso0Ra-zhNYySv2] Nearly 20 years after Legally Blonde's debut, a third film — penned by Witherspoon's pal Mindy Kaling — was officially given the green light. "[She] is just someone who all writers would kill to write for," the Mindy Project alum gushed of Coolidge while speaking to Entertainment Tonight in April 2022. "She is so funny. She elevates any material ... And so as a writer, it's the jackpot." Kaling teased at the time that fans would be pleased with the "juicy" story lines for both Elle and Paulette. "The two of them, seeing what they look like now after 20 years, is really fun," she added. Coolidge has earned recognition for her work in fan-favorite movies, but she's also known for more under-the-radar comedies. She's teamed up with Christopher Guest on a handful of projects over the years, holding her own alongside Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara in Best in Show and For Your Consideration. Though the Joey alum is far from an industry newcomer, her career scored a major boost following the premiere of The White Lotus in 2021. Written and directed by Mike White, the HBO anthology follows guests and employees of a high-end resort chain. Coolidge's character, Tanya McQuoid, appeared in seasons 1 and 2 — and she took home multiple awards for her performance. "I feel so alive, you know?" the Single All the Way star told ET after accepting her 2023 Critics' Choice Awards win. "You go through your life, and you sort of just assume you're used to going a certain way and you just take on whatever that baggage is and that it's never going to change." Coolidge called her continued success on the series the "surprise of a lifetime," adding: "My life was changed overnight, and I could not be more grateful." Scroll down for a look at Coolidge's career highlights through the years:

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1999

Coolidge got her big break in American Pie, starring as the mother of Seann William Scott's Stifler. She reprised her role in the 2001 sequel and 2003's American Wedding before returning for American Reunion nearly a decade later. 

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2001

One of Coolidge's most memorable roles was Paulette Bonafonté in Legally Blonde. The lovable salon employee learns the "bend and snap" from Elle Woods (Witherspoon). However, Coolidge later joked that the move was "misleading," telling Deadline in 2022: "I've never had bending over work for me like it did in that movie."  

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2004

Coolidge joined Hilary Duff in A Cinderella Story, taking on the role of the selfish stepmother. The dynamic duo reunited on screen in the ABC Family original movie Beauty & the Briefcase in 2006. 

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2006

Following the success of 2000's Best in Show, Coolidge once again teamed up with Guest and Levy in the awards season spoof For Your Consideration. The comedy follows the team behind a low-budget film that begins to generate Oscar buzz against all odds. 

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2008

After continuing to score supporting roles on the big screen, Coolidge pivoted to TV on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She stars as Betty, a call girl who eventually marries Ben's (Kenny Baumann) dad. Coolidge made recurring appearances on the ABC Family series until 2012.

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2011

The Like a Boss actress began to dabble in stand-up comedy the same year that she nabbed a guest role on 2 Broke Girls. She was later promoted to the full-time cast and remained on the CBS sitcom until its 2017 series finale. 

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2018

When Ariana Grande revisited classic '00s flicks for her "Thank U Next" music video, Coolidge was on hand to make a cameo as her hilarious Legally Blonde character. 

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2020

Returning to the silver screen, Coolidge joined Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie and more in Emerald Fennell's Oscar-nominated Promising Young Woman.

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2022

Coolidge made her debut as Tanya on HBO's The White Lotus in 2021 — and her performance was met with critical acclaim. She took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I'm full. I'm full!" she gushed at the 2022 ceremony before dancing along to the music that signaled it was time for her to leave the stage. 

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2023

Coolidge continued to pick up trophies for her White Lotus role, winning big at both the 2023 Golden Globes and the 2023 Critics' Choice Awards. "I had such big dreams and expectations as a younger person, but what happened is they get sort of fizzled by life. ... Mike White, you have given me hope," she said while accepting her Golden Globe. "You've given me a new beginning."

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2023

Amid continued praise for her White Lotus performance, a source exclusively told Us how Coolidge was adjusting to her career transforming "in the blink of an eye."

"She's still the same person she always was but the fame and recognition has made things different," the insider revealed, adding that Coolidge is "living way more comfortably" thanks to the HBO show. "The fact it's been so well-received and celebrated has been life-changing."