---
name: "Jennifer Coolidge"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jennifer-coolidge"
fi1m_id: "jennifer-coolidge"
imdb_id: "nm0177639"
tmdb_id: 38334
wikidata_id: "Q230278"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 August 1961"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 15
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 14
updated: "2026-10-07T16:26:46.765688+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jennifer Coolidge

## Identity

Jennifer Coolidge

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jennifer-coolidge
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jennifer-coolidge
- **IMDb ID:** nm0177639
- **TMDB ID:** 38334
- **Wikidata ID:** Q230278
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Coolidge, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q230278, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177639/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/38334

Actor. Born 28 August 1961 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 August 1961, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- **Active:** 1997–present
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 15: 14 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Mike White](https://film.one/person/mike-white.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 14 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 73 (3), 2000s 70 (7), 2010s 56 (2), 2020s 70 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 63 across 13 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 4 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 10 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 13, Family 5, Animation 4, Drama 3, Adventure 2, Crime 2
- **Screen time:** 18 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,683m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Coolidge, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q230278, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177639/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/38334

## Coming up

- *Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk* (2027-02-26), as Aunty Peggy (voice)
- *A Minecraft Movie Squared* (2027-07-22), as Vice Principal Marlene

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The White Lotus*](https://film.one/tv/the-white-lotus.md) (85), [*Legally Blonde*](https://film.one/film/legally-blonde.md) (78)
- **Disney+:** [*Gravity Falls*](https://film.one/tv/gravity-falls.md) (84)
- **Apple TV:** [*Best in Show*](https://film.one/film/best-in-show.md) (84)
- **Peacock:** [*Promising Young Woman*](https://film.one/film/promising-young-woman.md) (72)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*American Pie*](https://film.one/film/american-pie.md) (64)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Emoji Movie*](https://film.one/film/the-emoji-movie.md) (27)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Jennifer Coolidge

> Jennifer Coolidge makes neediness funny without dismissing the unhappiness beneath it. We value her most in *The White Lotus*, where the familiar breathy drawl belongs to a woman whose distress matters as much as the trouble she causes.

As Tanya McQuoid in *The White Lotus* (2021), Jennifer Coolidge makes wanting attention look exhausting, even for the woman demanding it. The familiar breathy drawl helps, but the unhappiness is what holds us. We rate her most highly when a part gives that unhappiness time to become more than another reason to laugh. Mike White’s resort satire does, and she supplies much of its sadness without losing the comedy.

*American Pie* (1999) established her as a comic character actor through Stifler’s Mom, and *Legally Blonde* (2001) reinforced that impression with Paulette. Between them came *Best in Show* (2000), her first of four films with director Christopher Guest. His ensemble comedy suited her precise timing and physical presence. From the mid-2000s until 2021, though, typecast supporting parts left little opportunity to develop beyond the eccentric or highly strung woman.

White gives her the space those parts seldom allowed, and, just as importantly, does not ask us to forgive Tanya because she is unhappy. Coolidge makes the self-absorption wearing for everyone involved; the pain beneath it never seems put on to soften our judgement. We felt unexpectedly tender towards Tanya because Coolidge made her distress convincing even when her demands were tiresome. That is difficult comedy to sustain, and she does it without asking us to stop noticing the bad behaviour.

There are limits to what even this performance can repair. The first season spends more time with its guests than its workers, and its account of class could be more searching. Coolidge makes the attention given to Tanya worthwhile, though we still notice who gets less of it. A director hiring her merely for a familiar voice would be wasting what White gives her time to do. Start with the first season of *The White Lotus*, but do not choose it for a restful evening.

## Biography

Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress. Born on 28 August 1961 in Boston, Massachusetts, she studied at Emerson College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her early screen work included a 1993 episode of the sitcom Seinfeld.

Coolidge gained recognition for her supporting roles in the American Pie film series (1999–2012), as Stifler’s mother, and the Legally Blonde films (2001–2003), as Paulette. She has collaborated with director Christopher Guest on four mockumentaries: Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006) and Mascots (2016). Other film credits include A Cinderella Story (2004), Click (2006) and Promising Young Woman (2020).

On television she has appeared in Joey (2004–2006), 2 Broke Girls (2011–2017) and The Watcher (2022). She received critical acclaim and two Primetime Emmy Awards for portraying Tanya McQuoid in the first two seasons of the HBO anthology series The White Lotus (2021–2022), along with a Golden Globe Award. She played Vice Principal Marlene in A Minecraft Movie (2025). In 2023 she was named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, variety.com, minecraft.wiki, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (15)

### Performed in (14) — the average rests on these

- *A Minecraft Movie* (2025), Fi1m 52, as Vice Principal Marlene — [page](https://film.one/film/a-minecraft-movie.md)
- *The White Lotus* (2021), Fi1m 85, as Tanya McQuoid — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-white-lotus.md)
- *Promising Young Woman* (2020), Fi1m 72, as Susan — [page](https://film.one/film/promising-young-woman.md)
- *The Emoji Movie* (2017), Fi1m 27, as Mary Meh (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-emoji-movie.md)
- *Gravity Falls* (2012), Fi1m 84, as Lazy Susan / Additional Voices (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/gravity-falls.md)
- *Click* (2006), Fi1m 58, as Janine — [page](https://film.one/film/click.md)
- *Robots* (2005), Fi1m 62, as Aunt Fanny (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/robots-2005.md)
- *American Wedding* (2003), Fi1m 54, as Stifler's Mom — [page](https://film.one/film/american-wedding.md)
- *Legally Blonde* (2001), Fi1m 78, as Paulette — [page](https://film.one/film/legally-blonde.md)
- *Zoolander* (2001), Fi1m 74, as American Designer — [page](https://film.one/film/zoolander.md)
- *Best in Show* (2000), Fi1m 84, as Sherri Ann Cabot — [page](https://film.one/film/best-in-show.md)
- *American Pie* (1999), Fi1m 64, as Stifler's Mom — [page](https://film.one/film/american-pie.md)
- *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me* (1999), Fi1m 73, as Woman at Football Game — [page](https://film.one/film/austin-powers-the-spy-who-shagged-me.md)
- *King of the Hill* (1997), Fi1m 82, as Miss Kremzer (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Graham Norton Show* (2007), Fi1m 82, as Self — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-graham-norton-show.md)

## Complete filmography (118)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *A Minecraft Movie Squared* (2027), as Vice Principal Marlene
- *Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk* (2027), as Aunty Peggy (voice)
- *Girl Group* (2026), Actor
- *A Minecraft Movie* (2025), as Vice Principal Marlene — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/a-minecraft-movie.md)
- *Riff Raff* (2025), as Ruth · Executive Producer
- *We Have a Ghost* (2023), as Judy Romano
- *Shotgun Wedding* (2022), as Carol Fowler
- *The Watcher* (2022), series, as Karen Calhoun
- *Single All the Way* (2021), as Aunt Sandy
- *Ten Year Old Tom* (2021), series, as (voice)
- *I Heart Arlo* (2021), series, as Stucky (voice)
- *Swan Song* (2021), as Dee Dee Dale
- *The White Lotus* (2021), series, as Tanya McQuoid — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-white-lotus.md)
- *Monsters at Work* (2021), series, as Marilyn (voice)
- *Arlo the Alligator Boy* (2021), as Stucky (voice)
- *Promising Young Woman* (2020), as Susan — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/promising-young-woman.md)
- *Bobbleheads: The Movie* (2020), as Binky (voice)
- *The Fungies!* (2020), series, as Dr. Nancy (voice)
- *Royalties* (2020), series, as Miriam Hale
- *Like a Boss* (2020), as Sydney
- *The Cool Kids* (2018), series, as Bonnie
- *The Emoji Movie* (2017), as Mary Meh (voice) — Fi1m 27, [page](https://film.one/film/the-emoji-movie.md)
- *Wally's Opening Day* (2017), as Stunk (voice)
- *The New Adventures of Max* (2017), as Mrs. Toadstool / Canary (voice)
- *Mascots* (2016), as Jolene Lumpkin
- *Gravity Falls: Between the Pines* (2016), as Lazy Susan (Voice)
- *Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip* (2015), as Ms. Price
- *Hell and Back* (2015), as Durmessa (voice)
- *Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day* (2014), as Ms. Suggs
- *Rick and Morty* (2013), series, as Daphne (voice) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/rick-and-morty.md)
- *Austenland* (2013), as Miss Elizabeth Charming
- *LEGO Hero Factory: Brain Attack* (2013), as Daniella Capricorn (voice)
- *Gravity Falls* (2012), series, as Lazy Susan (voice), Lazy Susan / Additional Voices (voice) — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/gravity-falls.md)
- *American Reunion* (2012), as Stifler's Mom
- *Napoleon Dynamite* (2012), series, as Mrs. Moser (voice)
- *2 Broke Girls* (2011), series, as Sophie Kachinsky
- *LEGO Hero Factory: Ordeal of Fire* (2011), as Daniella Capricorn (voice)
- *Mangus!* (2011), as Cookie Richardson
- *LEGO Hero Factory: Rise of the Rookies* (2010), as Daniella Capricorn (voice)
- *LEGO Hero Factory* (2010), series, as Reporter
- *Fish Hooks* (2010), series, as Ms. Lips (voice), Doris (voice)
- *Beauty & the Briefcase* (2010), as Alicia
- *The Jack of Spades* (2010), as Monica
- *Gentlemen Broncos* (2009), as Judith
- *Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans* (2009), as Genevieve
- *Glee* (2009), series, as Whitney Pierce — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/glee.md)
- *A Good Funeral* (2009), as Helen
- *Party Down* (2009), series, as Bobbie St. Brown — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/party-down.md)
- *ExTerminators* (2009), as Stella
- *Soul Men* (2008), as Rosalee
- *Living Proof* (2008), as Tish
- *Kath & Kim* (2008), series, as Lenore
- *The Life & Times of Tim* (2008), series, as Actress (voice), Debbie's Mom (voice), Amber (voice)
- *Igor* (2008), as Jaclyn / Heidi (voice)
- *Foreign Exchange* (2008), as Principal Lonnatini
- *The Secret Life of the American Teenager* (2008), series, as Betty
- *Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief* (2008), as Daisy (voice)
- *Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World* (2007), series, as Fannie Mae (voice)
- *Epic Movie* (2007), as White Bitch
- *For Your Consideration* (2006), as Whitney Taylor Brown
- *The Game* (2006), series, as Marissa
- *Click* (2006), as Janine — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/click.md)
- *American Dreamz* (2006), as Martha Kendoo
- *Date Movie* (2006), as Roz Funkyerdoder
- *Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty* (2005), as Aunt Fanny (voice)
- *Hopeless Pictures* (2005), series, as Traci
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Angie Serabian
- *Robots* (2005), as Aunt Fanny (voice) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/robots-2005.md)
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Caroline (voice)
- *Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events* (2004), as White-Faced Women
- *The Wedding Frame* (2004), as Nikki LaPorte (voice)
- *Joey* (2004), series, as Bobbie Morganstern
- *Father of the Pride* (2004), series, as Tracy (voice)
- *A Cinderella Story* (2004), as Fiona
- *Game Over* (2004), series, as Ramona / Amazon (voice)
- *Testosterone* (2003), as Louise
- *American Wedding* (2003), as Stifler's Mom — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/american-wedding.md)
- *Nip/Tuck* (2003), series, as Candy Richards, Candy Richards, Coco — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md)
- *Carolina* (2003), as Aunt Marilyn
- *Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde* (2003), as Paulette
- *A Mighty Wind* (2003), as Amber Cole
- *As Virgins Fall* (2003), as Janice Denver
- *Do Over* (2002), series, as Gwen Brody
- *Women vs. Men* (2002), as Shelly
- *The Women* (2002), as Edith Potter
- *According to Jim* (2001), series, as Roxanne
- *Zoolander* (2001), as American Designer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/zoolander.md)
- *Dead Last* (2001), series, as Annalee
- *American Pie 2* (2001), as Stifler's Mom (uncredited) — Fi1m 49, [page](https://film.one/film/american-pie-2.md)
- *Legally Blonde* (2001), as Paulette — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/legally-blonde.md)
- *Pootie Tang* (2001), as Ireenie
- *The Andy Dick Show* (2001), series, as Nancy Bunting
- *Down to Earth* (2001), as Mrs. Wellington
- *Best in Show* (2000), as Sherri Ann Cabot — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/best-in-show.md)
- *The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy* (2000), as Betty
- *Ladies Man* (1999), series, as Helen
- *Restaurant* (1999), as Woman at McClure's
- *American Pie* (1999), as Stifler's Mom — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/american-pie.md)
- *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me* (1999), as Woman at Football Game — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/austin-powers-the-spy-who-shagged-me.md)
- *Brown's Requiem* (1998), as Helen
- *A Night at the Roxbury* (1998), as Hottie Cop
- *Men in White* (1998), Actor
- *Rude Awakening* (1998), series, as Sue
- *Sex and the City* (1998), series, as Victoria
- *Slappy and the Stinkers* (1998), as Harriet
- *Alright Already* (1997), series, as Rhonda
- *Trial and Error* (1997), as Jacqueline
- *Plump Fiction* (1997), as Sister Sister
- *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Miss Kremzer (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md)
- *Saturday Night Special* (1996), series, as Various
- *A Bucket of Blood* (1995), as Stupid Girl
- *The Monroes* (1995), series, as Marcia Kelly
- *Not of This Earth* (1995), as Nurse
- *Love and Happiness* (1995), as Jeringir
- *Friends* (1994), series, as Amanda — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md)
- *She TV* (1994), series, as Various
- *Frasier* (1993), series, as Frederica — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Jodi — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)

## Gallery

- ![Jennifer Coolidge](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-c0dae0a9aa06.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge — Adam Chitayat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Jennifer_Coolidge_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_6_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Jennifer_Coolidge_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival_6_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler's Mom), American Pie 4 Premiere, Paris, France (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-f096410194f8.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler's Mom), American Pie 4 Premiere, Paris, France (2012) — Thibault from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Jennifer_Coolidge_%286873981912%29.jpg/1280px-Jennifer_Coolidge_%286873981912%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler's Mom), American Pie 4 Premiere, Paris, France (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-b66d96d892f8.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler's Mom), American Pie 4 Premiere, Paris, France (2012) — Thibault from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Jennifer_Coolidge_-_Cropped.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jennifer Coolidge in Paris - 2012-03-26](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-021329ddbe45.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge in Paris - 2012-03-26 — Thibault from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Jennifer_Coolidge_2.jpg/1280px-Jennifer_Coolidge_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jennifer Coolidge](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-6fdea9b89dc5.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge — Image via TMDB
- ![Jennifer Coolidge](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-a57af8de358b.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge — Image via TMDB
- ![Jennifer Coolidge](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-4abc3267fe1c.jpg) Jennifer Coolidge — Image via TMDB
- ![Jennifer Coolidge of The White Lotus at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-430161ca901d.png) Jennifer Coolidge of The White Lotus at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards — Max, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Jennifer_Coolidge_2024_Emmys_01.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jennifer Coolidge of The White Lotus at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards](https://film.one/media/person/8619/gallery-779090400855.png) Jennifer Coolidge of The White Lotus at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards — Max, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Jennifer_Coolidge_2024_Emmys_01_%28cropped%29.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 2023: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (won), for *The White Lotus*

### Other awards — 1 won

- Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year 2023: Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year (won), for *Woman of the Year*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jennifer-coolidge