Jennifer Audrey Coolidge, born August 28, 1961, is a 54-year-old American actress and comedian, known for playing "Stifler's mom", the MILF in the film American Pie (1999); Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story (2004); Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots (2005); for her role in The Secret Life of the American Teenager as Betty; and for her regular role in the NBC sitcom Joey as Joey's agent, Bobbie Morganstern.
She is also a regular actor in Christopher Guest's mockumentary films. Coolidge is an alumna of The Groundlings, an improv and sketch comedy troupe based in Los Angeles. She stars in the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls as Sophie, Max and Caroline's Polish upstairs neighbor who owns a cleaning business and on Glee as the mother of Brittany Pierce.
Early life
Coolidge was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Gretchen (née Knauff) and Paul Constant Coolidge, a plastics manufacturer.[1] She was raised in Norwell, Massachusetts, and has a brother, Andrew, and two sisters, Elizabeth and Susannah. Coolidge attended Norwell High School, the Cambridge School of Weston, Emerson College in Boston and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.[2] Her charitable work has included a history of supporting AIDS assistance[3] and animal rights.
Career
Coolidge is known for her supporting roles in several comedy movies and guest spots on television.[4] She made her first appearance on TV in the Seinfeld episode "The Masseus". Before gaining recognition, she received small roles, appearing in such films as A Bucket of Blood, Plump Fiction, and A Night at the Roxbury. She also voiced Luanne's beauty school teacher Miss Kremzer in a recurring role on King of the Hill.
In 1999, Coolidge got her big break playing Jeanine Stifler, or "Stifler's mom" in American Pie. The film was a box-office hit and took in a gross worldwide revenue of $235,483,004.[5][6] In 2001, she reprised her role in American Pie 2. Later in that same year, she had a supporting role in Legally Blonde as Paulette Bonafonté the manicurist. Legally Blonde was a box-office hit, grossing US$96 million domestically.[7] The film's box-office success led to her reprising the role in its 2003 sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, but the movie was not as financially successful as the first film and generated mostly negative reviews.[8] In 2003, she again played Jeanine Stifler in American Wedding.
In 2004, she had a supporting role in the romantic comedy A Cinderella Story playing Hilary Duff's vain, self-absorbed stepmother. The film went on to become a moderate box office hit despite negative critical reviews.[9][10]
Coolidge nearly received the role of Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives, but it eventually went to Felicity Huffman.[4] From 2004 to 2006, Coolidge had a role in the NBC comedy series Joey as Joey's oversexed agent Roberta "Bobbie" Morganstern. During its second season, she went from a series regular to a more prominent role, appearing in 37 out of 46 episodes in the series. NBC officially canceled the series in May 2006 citing low ratings.[11][12] She originally starred in an episode of Friends in its final season as Amanda, a tactless and uninhibited wannabe whom Phoebe and Monica try to shake off. Prior to her Friends appearance she was a regular on She TV, a very short-lived sketch comedy that also featured Nick Bakay, Elon Gold, Simbi Khali, and Linda Kash. She also has appeared on According to Jim, playing Jim's sister and in an episode of Sex and the City, and on Frasier as Frederica, Martin Crane's new physical therapist. Coolidge also appeared in the kiddie comedy Slappy and the Stinkers, and as the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots. The film was accompanied by an original short animated film based on Robots, titled Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty; in which she reprised her role.[13][14]
In late 2005, Coolidge was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[15] In 2006, she guest starred on an episode of Top Chef, and played as Adam Sandler's wife's friend, Janine, in the comedy film Click. From 2000 to 2006 she played comic parts in the improv mockumentaries Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration, all directed by Christopher Guest.[16]
She appeared in the 2006 film Date Movie as a spoof of Barbra Streisand's Meet the Fockers character. The film received unfavorable critic reviews and Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film 77th in the 100 worst reviewed films of the 2000s, with a rating of 6%.[17] However, Variety did praise Coolidge for providing a few bright moments with a spot-on spoof of Barbra Streisand, but was otherwise unimpressed describing the film as "padded and repetitious".[18] Epic Movie, released in 2007 and made by the same people behind Date Movie, was the first movie in which she received a starring role. In the film she played the "White Bitch" (the White Witch) of Gnarnia (Narnia), a lampoon of the Disney and Walden Media film The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. A. O. Scott of The New York Times called the film "irreverent and also appreciative, dragging its satiric prey down to the lowest pop-cultural denominator" and added, "The humor is coarse and occasionally funny. The archly bombastic score . . . is the only thing you might call witty. But happily, Jennifer Coolidge and Fred Willard show up . . . to add some easy, demented class."[19]
During 2007, Coolidge appeared on Thank God You're Here and The Closer, on TNT. In 2008, she guest starred on The Secret Life of the American Teenager as a call girl.[4] In the second season, she was a frequently recurring character, now playing the fiance of Ben's dad and future stepmother of Ben. She also starred in the 2008 Lifetime Television film Living Proof.
In 2009, Coolidge took a dramatic role in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans as Genevieve McDonagh. The film premiered on September 9, 2009 at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, and It opened in general release in the United States on November 20, 2009.[20] Also In 2009, she starred alongside Heather Graham and Amber Heard in ExTerminators. A black comedy about a set of women who form their own "silent revolution", wreaking havoc on the abusive men in their lives.
In 2010, Coolidge appeared in Beauty & the Briefcase an ABC Family television film produced by Image Entertainment that originally aired on April 18, 2010.[21] It was Based on the novel Diary of a Working Girl by Daniella Brodsky.[22] The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the US on February 8, 2011.[23]
It was reported in October 2008 that Universal Pictures was planning to produce a third theatrically released sequel to American Pie.[24] In April 2010, the film entered pre-production, and in May 2011, Coolidge signed on to reprise her role of Stifler's Mom.[25] American Reunion opened in North America on April 6, 2012.
In June 2011, Coolidge curated a Blake Nelson Boyd art show in New Orleans.[26] In the same month Coolidge began to do standup comedy. She hosted the “Women in Film” at the Beverly Hills Hotel. It went over so well, that she decided to take an act on the road. Coolidge ended up doing shows all over the country and the world for two years, Scotland included.[4] Coolidge told Australian radio show The Kyle & Jackie O Show that she would be touring Australia as part of her Yours for the Night stand-up tour.[27]
In October 2011, Coolidge began a recurring role in the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls as Sophie Kachinsky, a Polish neighbor of the two lead characters.[28] She has since been promoted to main cast.[29]
On August 2013, Coolidge and actress Megan Mullally joined the cast of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Coolidge playing Ms. Suggs, the driving instructor.[30] The film was released in North America on October 10, 2014.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Not of This Earth | Nurse | |
| 1995 | A Bucket of Blood | Stupid girl | |
| 1995 | Love and Happiness | Jeringir | |
| 1997 | Plump Fiction | Sister Sister | |
| 1997 | Trial and Error | Jacqueline "Jackie" Turreau | |
| 1998 | Slappy and the Stinkers | Harriet | |
| 1998 | Men in White | Television film | |
| 1998 | A Night at the Roxbury | Hottie police officer | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem | Helen | |
| 1999 | Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Woman at football game | |
| 1999 | American Pie | Jeanine Stifler | |
| 2000 | The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy | Betty | |
| 2000 | Best in Show | Sherri Ann Cabot | |
| 2001 | Down to Earth | Mrs. Wellington | |
| 2001 | Legally Blonde | Paulette Bonafonté | |
| 2001 | Pootie Tang | Ireenie | |
| 2001 | American Pie 2 | Jeanine Stifler (Stifler's mom) | Uncredited |
| 2001 | Zoolander | American designer | |
| 2002 | Women vs. Men | Shelly | Television film |
| 2003 | A Mighty Wind | Amber Cole | |
| 2003 | As Virgins Fall | Janice Denver | |
| 2003 | Carolina | Aunt Marilyn | |
| 2003 | Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde | Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle | |
| 2003 | American Wedding | Jeanine Stifler (Stifler's mom) | |
| 2003 | Testosterone | Louise | |
| 2004 | A Cinderella Story | Fiona Montgomery | Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Sleazebag |
| 2004 | Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | White-faced woman | |
| 2005 | Robots | Aunt Fanny (voice) | |
| 2006 | Date Movie | Roz Fockyerdoder | |
| 2006 | American Dreamz | Martha Kendoo | |
| 2006 | Click | Janine | |
| 2006 | For Your Consideration | Whitney Taylor Brown | |
| 2007 | Epic Movie | The White Bitch of Gnarnia | |
| 2008 | Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief | Daisy (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2008 | Foreign Exchange | Principal Lonnatini | |
| 2008 | Igor | Jaclyn/Heidi (voice) | |
| 2008 | Living Proof | Tish | Television film |
| 2008 | Soul Men | Rosalee | |
| 2009 | ExTerminators | Stella | |
| 2009 | A Good Funeral | Helen | |
| 2009 | The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans | Genevieve McDonagh | |
| 2009 | Gentlemen Broncos | Judith Purvis | |
| 2010 | The Jack of Spades | Monica | |
| 2010 | Beauty & the Briefcase | Felisa McCollin | Television film |
| 2011 | Mangus! | Cookie Richardson | |
| 2012 | American Reunion | Jeanine Stifler (Stifler's mom) | |
| 2013 | Austenland | Miss Elizabeth Charming | |
| 2014 | Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | Ms. Suggs | |
| 2015 | Hell & Back | Durmessa (voice) | In post-production |
| TBA | B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations | Carol Sue (voice) | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Seinfeld | Jodi | Episode: "The Masseuse" |
| 1994 | She TV | Various | |
| 1995 | The Monroes | Marcia Kelly | Episode: "Educating Billy" |
| 1996 | Saturday Night Special | Various | |
| 1997–99 | King of the Hill | Miss Kremzer (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 1998 | Alright Already | Rhonda | Episode: "Again with the Hockey Player: Part 1" |
| 1998 | Rude Awakening | Sue | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Ladies Man | Helen | Episode: "Neutered Jimmy" |
| 2001 | The Andy Dick Show | Nancy Bunting | Episode: "Kid Krist" |
| 2001 | Frasier | Frederica | Episode: "Forgotten But Not Gone" |
| 2001 | Sketch Pad | The Groundlings | |
| 2002 | Do Over | Gwen Brody | Episode: "Cold War" |
| 2003–04 | According to Jim | Roxanne | 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Sex and the City | Victoria | Episode: "The Perfect Present" |
| 2003 | Friends | Amanda Buffamonteezi | Episode: "The One with Ross's Tan" |
| 2004 | Game Over | Ramona (voice) | Episode: "Into the Woods" |
| 2004 | MADtv | Herself/Ivanka | Season 9, episode 23 |
| 2004–06 | Joey | Roberta "Bobbie" Morganstern | Main cast; 46 episodes |
| 2004 | Father of the Pride | Tracy (voice) | Episode: "And the Revolution Continues" |
| 2004 | As Told by Ginger | Nikki Laporte (voice) | Episode: "The Wedding Frame" |
| 2005 | Hopeless Pictures | Traci (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Comic Relief 2006 | "Fur" | Stand-up comedy benefit concert in the wake of Hurricane Katrina |
| 2007–09 | Nip/Tuck | Candy Richards/CoCo | 3 episodes |
| 2008–09 | Yin Yang Yo! | Coop's mother (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | The Closer | Angie Serabian | Episode: "Dial M for Provenza" |
| 2008–12 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Betty | 35 episodes |
| 2008 | Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World | Fannie Mae (voice) | Episode: "Mom Fight" |
| 2009 | Kath & Kim | Lenore | Episode: "Celebrity" |
| 2009 | Party Down | Bobbie St. Brown | 2 episodes |
| 2010, 2012 | The Life & Times of Tim | Various voices | 3 episodes |
| 2010–13 | Hero Factory | Daniella Capricorn | 3 episodes |
| 2011–14 | Fish Hooks | Ms. Lips (voice) | Recurring |
| 2012 | The Game | Marissa | Episode: "Skeletons" |
| 2012 | Napoleon Dynamite | Mrs. Moser (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2012–present | 2 Broke Girls | Sophie Kachinsky | Recurring (season 1); main cast (season 2–present) |
| 2012–present | Gravity Falls | Lazy Susan Wentworth (voice) | Recurring |
| 2015 | Glee | Whitney S. Pierce | Recurring (season 6) |
Gallery
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177639/
- An interview with Jennifer Coolidge by Maurie Sherman
- Interview: Jennifer Coolidge Supporting the Nantucket AIDS Network on Plum TV
References
- ↑ Jennifer Coolidge Biography (1963–). Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-12.
- ↑ Jennifer Coolidge. Tops in Lex (2011-03-01).
- ↑ Aid For AIDS Celebrity Support. aidforaids.net
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Template:Cite web Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "interview" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "interview" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ American Pie (1999) Box Office Mojo
- ↑ American Pie – Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information The Numbers
- ↑ Template:Cite web
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- ↑ {{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174196,00.html%7Ctitle=Friendly Fire|last=Rice|first=Lynette|date=2006-03-17|publisher=ew.com|accessdate=4 December 2012}}
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Academy Invites 112 to Membership. oscars.org (2005-06-24).
- ↑ Template:Cite web
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- ↑ New York Times review
- ↑ http://www.24framespersecond.net/index.php?/24frames/news_details/herzogs-bad-lieutenant-gets-a-us-release-date
- ↑ Template:Cite press release
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- ↑ http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=Beauty+%26+the+Briefcase&x=0&y=0
- ↑ Template:Cite web
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- ↑ http://austereo.castmetrix.net/podcast/378302368699185950/1/TheKyleandJackieOShow.mp3
- ↑ Jennifer Coolidge to Join Cast of CBS' 2 Broke Girls – Theater News – Oct 27, 2011. Theatermania.com (2011-10-27). Retrieved on 2012-07-12.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite news