Few modern actors are as recognizable as the incredible Jennifer Coolidge. The actress has been working since the 90s, playing numerous supporting roles across a wide and colorful variety of films and genres. Known for her distinctive speech and comedic timing, Coolidge is a gifted and respected comedian who often steals every scene she's in.
Coolidge experienced a career resurgence with her Emmy-winning role in Mike White's satirical comedy series The White Lotus. However, she has many other revered films and shows on her resumé, cementing her reputation as one of the funniest and most irreverent performers working today.
10 'Single All the Way' (2021)
The underrated Michael Urie stars opposite Philemon Chambers in the Netflix queer Christmas rom-com Single All the Way. The plot concerns Peter and Nick, two best friends pretending to be a couple while on a holiday visit. Coolidge plays Peter's irreverent aunt, Sandy, who oversees the Christmas children's pageant.
Coolidge does what she does best in Single All the Way, playing a hilarious and scene-stealing character who has most of the film's most memorable lines. Aunt Sandy is fun, funny, and instantly unforgettable, a modern rom-com star who brings great energy to what could easily be a formulaic rom-com.
9 'A Cinderella Story (2004)
In the early 2000s, few young stars were more famous or beloved as Hilary Duff. The actress received one of her first big-screen starring roles with 2004's A Cinderella Story, a modernized version of the classic tale. Coolidge co-stars as Fiona, the protagonist's wicked stepmother.
The wicked stepmother is a classic character in fairy tales, and no stepmother is more wicked than Cinderella's. Coolidge is incredible as the vapid and cruel Fiona, delivering her absurd lines with the perfect mix of ridiculousness, self-awareness, and acid. A Cinderella Story is not a great movie, but it's a classic of the millennial generation, largely thanks to Coolidge's incredible performance.
8 'The Watcher' (2022-Present)
Ryan Murphy's The Watcher boasts an impressive cast, including two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, and Coolidge. The plot centers on a married couple harassed by a creepy stalker, The Watcher, after moving to their perfect home.
The Watcher is a Ryan Murphy show to the tee. It features great moments and a tense, disturbing atmosphere mixed with campy and slightly ridiculous moments. Coolidge is delightful as Karen, the realtor who sells the home to the protagonists. It's the perfect role for Coolidge - sporadic, energetic, and wholly entertaining, the rare bright spot in the otherwise gloomy series.
7 'American Pie (1999)
The 1999 coming-of-age sex comedy American Pie was a landmark moment for teen movies. The plot follows a group of five high school seniors making a pact to lose their virginity before their upcoming high school graduation. American Pie stars a who's who of young performers who would become well-known in Hollywood, including Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Sean William Scott, and Mena Suvari.
Coolidge plays the small but pivotal role of Stifler's mom in the film's third act. Embodying the "cougar" trope, Coolidge was a vision as the older and experienced character, fulfilling a very specific fantasy for countless adolescents. American Pie remains a classic of 90s teen movies and one of Coolidge's most significant roles; it proved her on-screen magnetism and cemented her as a pop culture icon for years to come.
6 'A Mighty Wind' (2003)
Following the success of Best in Show, Coolidge re-teamed with Christopher Guest for the folk music mockumentary A Mighty Wind. The plot revolves around a folk music concert featuring three bands who haven't performed together in decades. Coolidge plays Amber Cole, a dim-witted publicist and one of the film's most memorable characters.
It's hard to stand out among such a large cast of gifted comedians. However, Coolidge is hilarious as Cole; adopting a bizarre and instantly memorable accent and embracing the character's vapidness, Coolidge is one of the film's secret weapons. A Mighty Wind is far from one of the best mockumentaries — it's not even Guest's best effort. However, it remains a chaotic and funny showcase for its large ensemble of underrated performers.
5 'Promising Young Woman' (2020)
Emerald Fennell's Oscar-winning feature debut Promising Young Woman stars Carey Mulligan as Cassie Thomas, a young woman pursuing vengeance for a tragic crime in her past. Coolidge plays Susan, Cassie's concerned mother who doesn't know how to get to her daughter.
Provocative and topical, Promising Young Woman is a tantalizing and thought-provoking thriller powered by a career-best turn from Mulligan. Coolidge wisely chooses restraint with her performance, showcasing Susan's anguish regarding Cassie; she knows there's something up with her daughter but doesn't know what it is or how to help her. Susan adds another layer to Cassie's tragedy, and Coolidge delivers one of her most nuanced performances.
4 'Swan Song' (2021)
The 2021 drama Swan Song is among the most underrated films of the past five years. Udo Kier stars as Pat Pitsenbarger, "the Liberace of Sandusky," a retired hairdresser who takes a long walk to style his former client for her funeral. Coolidge plays Dee Dee, Pat's former apprentice who turned her back on him and drove him out of business.
Coolidge delivers what might be her finest dramatic performance in Swan Song. As the sharp-tongued and uncompromising Dee Dee, Coolidge is resentful and poisonous, delivering the screenplay's acidic words with surprising gusto. Her confrontation with Pat is powerful and painful, with Coolidge and Kier conveying years of bitterness and anger. Coolidge is a comedy icon, but Swan Song proves the industry has slept on her dramatic abilities for too long.
3 'Legally Blonde' (2000)
Coolidge rose to international prominence following her performance in the 2001 comedy hit Legally Blonde. Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon stars as Elle Woods, a determined young woman who enrolls in Harvard Law School to win back the man she loves. Coolidge plays Paulette, a beautician and Elle's close friend.
Legally Blonde is a bonafide classic and a brilliant showcase for Witherspoon. However, Coolidge is a crucial part of the film's success; the actress is irreverent and hilarious, proving her comedic genius in practically every scene she has. Coolidge is the ideal partner for Witherspoon, providing the film's most memorable and hysterical moments and cementing herself as a comedy icon.
2 'Best in Show (2000)
Christopher Guest's magnum opus remains the 2000 mockumentary Best in Show. Starring a parade of his usual suspects, the film follows five competitors at a prestigious dog show as they prepare, compete, and process their performance at the event. Coolidge plays Sherri Ann Cabot, a wealthy man's trophy wife competing on the show with her poodle, Butch. Joining Sherri Ann is her lesbian lover and Butch's trainer, Christy Cummings.
Putting two comedic geniuses like Coolidge and Lynch together was a stroke of genius. Best in Show gets many of its most memorable moments from the Lynch/Coolidge tandem; the duo creates a chaotic and irresistible pairing, riffing off each other as only two consummate pros could.
1 'The White Lotus' (2021-2022)
Jennifer Coolidge earned the best reviews of her career for portraying neurotic and insecure heiress Tanya McQuoid in Mike White's biting satire The White Lotus. Tanya appears in Seasons 1 and 2, mourning her deceased mother in the first and falling victim to a group of scamming homosexuals in the second.
Tanya is among the all-time best HBO characters. Fragile but selfish and short-sighted, Tanya embodies the senseless and self-interested wealth White satirizes. However, Coolidge brings a raw vulnerability to her performance, turning Tanya into a doomed and operatic leading lady that's impossible not to root for. Coolidge won multiple accolades for her performance, including the Primetime Emmy, and it's easy to see why. This is the performance of her career thus far, and it's incredible to finally see her getting her dues.