She made her first appearance on television in the Seinfeld episode ' The Masseuse'. Career 1993–1999: Early career Ĭoolidge played supporting roles in several comedy movies and guest roles on television. While in New York, Coolidge worked as a waitress in a restaurant alongside another aspiring actress, Sandra Bullock. During college, Coolidge wanted to become a dramatic actress like Meryl Streep, but instead became a comedic character actress. She attended Norwell High School, the Cambridge School of Weston, and pursued university studies at Emerson College in Boston and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She was raised in Norwell, Massachusetts.Ĭoolidge played the clarinet and went to orchestra camp for three summers as a child. She garnered critical acclaim for her role as Tanya McQuoid, an insecure wealthy woman, in the HBO anthology series The White Lotus (2021–2022), winning a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.Ĭoolidge was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Gretchen (née Knauf) and Paul Constant Coolidge, a plastics manufacturer. On television, Coolidge has appeared in the sitcoms Joey (2004–2006), The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2012), and 2 Broke Girls (2011–2017), and the drama series The Watcher (2022). She has also appeared in the films A Cinderella Story (2004), Click (2006), Date Movie (2006), Epic Movie (2007), Promising Young Woman (2020), Single All the Way (2021), and Shotgun Wedding (2022). She has regularly collaborated with Christopher Guest on his mockumentary films, such as Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). Ĭoolidge had supporting roles in the American Pie film series (1999–2012) and the Legally Blonde film series (2001–2003).

In 2023, Coolidge was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. A character actress with performances across screen and television, primarily in the comedy genre, Coolidge is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Jennifer Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress.

The Great Awokening by Meagan C. Elling