Jennifer Coolidge: "American Pie" star celebrates 60th birthday

Jennifer Audrey Coolidge was born on August 28, 1961 in Boston (Massachusetts). After studying there at Emerson College and later at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, she dedicated herself to her dream of becoming a serious actress. She got her start in an improv theater in Los Angeles and found her talent for comedy there. At the age of 32 she got her first television role in the cult series "Seinfeld" - but only for one episode.

Breakthrough with "American Pie"

After an extra role in Austin Powers (1999), she had her international breakthrough as a comedy actress in the same year with the youth film American Pie. In it she played the mother of party animal Steven Stifler (Seann William Scott, 44), Jeanine Stifler, who especially turned the character Paul Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas, 40)'s head. Coolidge was also in front of the camera for the sequels "American Pie 2" and "American Pie - Now we're getting married". In 2001, she played the role of Paulette Bonafonte in "Legally Blonde" alongside Reese Witherspoon (45).

From then on, Jennifer Coolidge shone again and again in comedic supporting roles, such as in "Zoolander" (2001) or in parodies like "Date Movie" (2006). Her longest-lasting role to date was in the comedy series 2 Broke Girls, in which she played Polish actress Sophie Kaczyński for five years, starting in 2012. In 2015, she completed voice acting jobs for Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Emoji The Movie (2017). In the music video "Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande (28), she slipped back into her role as hairdresser Paulette Bonafonte from "Naturally Blonde" in 2018. Over the years, however, their characters hardly differed. She always embodied the sexy middle-aged woman who often attracted attention with her naive demeanor.

The dream of serious acting

Even more than 20 years after she first embodied "Stifler's Mom", many fans still think of her as the sexy "American Pie" mother. But the 60-year-old never wanted to be a comedy actress. She longed for more than just supporting roles in comedy. She revealed to the Australian magazine "Female" that she emulated Oscar winner Meryl Streep (72) in her college years. "I've wanted to be a serious actress my whole life. I took that very seriously and took a different path," Coolidge said.

Not even her family found her funny, but rather strange. "My brother was the funny one in the family, it's so bizarre." Coolidge then used a talent for herself, as she revealed. She was always good at imitating people. She found her fun side at improv theater The Groundlings in Los Angeles and found she could make audiences laugh, although that wasn't her career goal.

"A character actress who happens to do comedy"

After many years in the business, the 60-year-old does not see herself strictly as a comedy actress. In the "Female" interview, she said: "I'm a character actress who happens to do comedy." Even years after her successes in various comedies, Jennifer Coolidge has not given up her dream of becoming a serious character actress.

In 2020 she got a more serious role in the thriller "Promising Young Woman", which can currently be seen in German cinemas. In the film she plays the worried mother of a grown woman who goes from club to club pretending to be dead drunk and then teaches men a lesson. In March of this year she was also seen in the film drama "Swan Song" alongside the German actor Udo Kier (76). The strip premiered at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.

In July 2021, Coolidge landed a starring role in the dramedy series White Lotus, available on the streaming service HBO Max. In it she plays Tanya McQuoid, a troubled woman who recently had to cope with the death of her own mother. In the series, various holiday guests of a hotel are illuminated, whose dark secrets are revealed more and more with each passing day.

Commitment to the environment and animals

In addition to her acting successes, Jennifer Coolidge has been committed to animal and environmental protection for years. Together with comedy colleague Chris Kattan (50), she moderated the celebration of the 30th birthday of the marine conservation organization "Sea Shepherd". She also supports sanctuaries and regularly supports fundraisers for the American Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The actress has also been vegetarian for a number of years.