Jennifer Coolidge
Appearances
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
And so I have to say, I thought about the comedic part of it way more than the sad part.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Weehee! You're a beautiful couple.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I have no idea what that came from. But was it in the script? No, I don't think so, no. I think it was just... I don't know. I was trying to think of something that would repulse Shane. I mean, you know, that was something I was trying to think of, like, I mean, in other words, the actress, me, you know, not the character.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I was thinking of just, like, what can I do to, like, gross out Shane, you know? Like, in other words, the opposite of sexy. I just, you know, he doesn't like anything the opposite of sexy. And so to just do something like this. You know, it's not attractive and seductive.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
And I just thought, like, there's nothing worse than someone coming on to you with some strange voice or something, and it just at all, like, you know, makes, you know, a man really just want to retract everything.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Yeah. Actually, we're gonna go to Honolulu tomorrow. Yeah, spend the weekend together.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
When it's not a soundstage and you're just actually filming in all these dramatic places. I mean, there's something about... So much of the work is done for you. It's just so much easier to believe the story that you're in. Because there's nothing around you that's false. It's all like... I mean, look, yeah, we were in the hotel. The guys weren't trying to murder me at all moments or whatever.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
But we shot in these places that were so authentic and ancient that I swear to God, I don't know, the backdrops, everything was real. We really were standing on cliffs and in these boats. And Like, the evil gaze really did look evil on that boat. And it was so easy when I was on that boat in the middle of the ocean trying to think of, like, how will I get off it? It's like, it's so weird.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
It's just, yeah, you're not acting. It's like being in a movie where, you know, with a bunch of snakes and you're just, and so they come in and they dump all these rubber snakes on you and you have to be scared, whatever. It's like, I felt like White Lotus 2... was like, the snakes were real. Everything was real, you know, everything was kind of frightening.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
What about the bike? Were you on the motorcycle?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
It could have gone, yeah, we could have gone off the cliff. I love that.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
He called them the evil gays. And he said, I'm very excited about this. And he goes, you know, this group of men, they're not your friends. They are out to destroy you. And I was sort of fascinated. And I was like, really? They're bad? They're really bad? And Mike goes... Yes, Jennifer, because let me tell you something. Gay men don't always want to be the best friend.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Gay men don't always want to be the pal and the person that puts the family back together. Do you know how badly gay men want to play evil people? This is going to be really fun for them. And this is something people want to see. And he was so adamant about it. And then...
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
You know, when we were, like, filming it and, you know, everyone had been cast and we were doing some scenes from it, I just remember thinking, having this revelation going, like, oh, my God. Mike White is so tuned in. It was unexpected. And people really liked this, you know, clever bunch of evil gays.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Yeah, it is. The one thing I sort of feel like I haven't really told the truth about is, you know, I've been interviewed a lot about, are you sad that you're, you know, how do you feel about not being in White Lotus 3? And I sort of felt like I automatically said, you know, I'm devastated or whatever.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
But I don't know if I'm that devastated because I do think it's really exciting if you've never done White Lotus to get a part in Mike's show. And I am really excited for, like, this next cast. I mean, it is...
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
You know, I'm sure there's some jealousy down in there, like, oh, I wanted to go, you know, I want to be part of that whole thing and go with that fun group of people and be in Thailand with that fun group of people. But, I mean, Mike White gave me such a generous gift and I got to be in two of his shows.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
seasons in White Lotus so I have to say like I don't know if I'm really spending my time crying over spilt milk I'm looking at other jobs though that bring that sort of the Mike White satisfaction when you're like he gives you a lot to do and play and you can't help but have a good time on a job with him I mean he's tough too he's really tough and he's you know he knows what he wants
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
But he really likes actors and he is a really fun person to hang out with. And like I say, I have to say, I don't talk about my joy enough from the joy I got from those two years.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Yeah, I know. Well, that's very nice. Yeah, you're right. They do ask the same questions over and over. But sometimes your feelings change about them or you keep saying something and you're like, I don't know if I really feel that way today, you know. I don't know. There was a moment I sort of thought maybe I could have talked him out of it. But...
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
It didn't really go with the big, you know, Italian opera. You know, it got so dramatic. And look, the story turned into this fascinating but very sort of scary, unpredictable dream. And I don't know that...
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
If Mike had sort of written a scene where I sort of, all of a sudden everyone's on the beach and they see this like flotation device coming up to the shore and I'm, you know, my head is sticking out of it and I'm like, hey guys! I mean, I don't know. I don't think anyone would, you know, maybe it's just good to be killed off sometimes and, you know, before people really hate your guts. True.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
No. No, but you have to realize, like... You know, I don't know if someone would watch Pootie Tang and go like... Hey, I got a role for you. I forgot about what you were saying. But you know what I mean?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Like, in other words, a lot of the time you get cast in things is people see a glimmer of something that you've done or whatever, and then you might have to recreate it on a bigger scale, you know what I mean? But I hadn't done any mind-blowing work where people were like, oh, you know, you could really go on some emotional... It takes people on an emotional ride or anything.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
And I don't even know if I fully achieved it. All I know is that I got this cool part from Mike White, and it was way more than I have ever been asked to play. It was a gift, a giant gift. The greatest thing about White Lotus is it was all a surprise. I didn't... I could never have predicted this moment. I'm still in disbelief that it ever happened.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I've always said to people that you do have to have an unrealistic view of... Thank you. Thank you.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
Wow, I guess I got that really wrong. God, I mean, now that makes sense. You know, I want more.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I mean, am I really going to turn into that kind of old fart where I can't find... I went past this building so many times. I don't think it's an old thing.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I think it was sort of cool that even though she was completely obsessed with herself and all of that, I think somehow the audience forgave Tanya because she was suffering so much. Tanya was kind of a weirdo, but somehow, you know, people forgave her for a lot. They really did. You know?
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I know we're not supposed to, I know you have that famous saying, you're not supposed to say anything negative about the character you create. I remember my acting teacher saying that. But I just did. And I think she passed away. So I'm not hurting her feelings. But but I don't know. Yeah.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I mean, I just I thought, you know, I create this weird thing that sort of someone who's a little bit more repulsive than attractive, probably. But I just like the people sort of went with it anyway. It's just being rich can really prevent you from getting well faster with all the distractions.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
You know, if you're really wealthy, you can distract yourself and distract others from ever finding out who you are just because it's so easy to do. It's almost like if you have nothing, you almost have a better chance.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
And I just realized yesterday I'm going to need a boat. Coughing up my insides was cathartic because the entire cast got to see me throw up over and over again. And it got very intimate. It's sort of like, it's almost like I gave birth in front of everybody. You know, I gave birth to a baby in front of the whole cast. It was so vulnerable.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
It was such a vulnerable, you know, because it looks like the boat was bigger than what it was. It was a teeny little boat. So everyone is like six inches from each other. out in the middle of the ocean in Maui with the whales. There were whales that came, were jumping out of the water. And so it was kind of incredible. So there was this, you know, being deathly ill.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
But I mean, I just remember it was very intimate. That's the most intimate I've felt with a group. You can't get off the boat and you have to be this close to a girl throwing up over and over again and everything. So there was something I'll never, it was sort of almost like initiation to a club that I'll never forget. You know, I'll always be part of that club.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
So let's have fun, okay? I was excited to play, of course, you know, someone who lost their mother. Yeah, I lost my mother early and just never recovered. And Mike knows that, and he wrote that. He's also a genius because it's a very sad moment for my character, but when I read it, I was so excited about destroying Shane.
The White Lotus Official Podcast
Episode 5: Tanya with Jennifer Coolidge
I didn't even know the magic of Jake Lacey before we shot it, but his ability to play someone who can't handle an uncomfortable moment is so comedic. I mean, we know that guy so well. When something starts to go wrong, there's nothing funnier when that kind of guy is forced to be on a boat with, like, a really crazy person.