PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 03: Jennifer Coolidge attends the 36th Annual Palm Springs … More
FilmMagicJennifer Coolidge — who won a pair of Emmys for her role in Seasons 1 and 2 of The White Lotus — admitted that she’s “bummed” about not being in Season 3 but still watches the series.
Coolidge’s performance as the rich heiress Tanya McQuoid won her Outstanding Supporting Actress Primetime Emmys for The White Lotus in 2022 and 2023.
In writer-director Mike White’s acclaimed dark social satire, Coolidge’s character eventually marries Gary Hunt (Jon Gries) to become Tanya McQuoid-Hunt. Tanya, however, meets an untimely demise when she drowns at the end of Season 2.
And while Greg turns up in The White Lotus Season 3 — which is set in Thailand — Tanya’s name has come up and interest in her death is growing.
In a recent Zoom conversation to discuss her latest film Riff Raff — which debuted on digital streaming on Friday — Coolidge said she clearly understands why Tanya can’t appear in the latest series about the guests at The White Lotus worldwide chain of luxury resorts, but that doesn’t mean she can’t she miss being in the show.
“I’m bummed. I’m bummed just because this season is phenomenal and you never want The White Lotus train to end,” Coolidge said, adding with her impeccable gift of comedic delivery, “I guess when they kill you, it ends.”
Jennifer Coolidge Calls ‘The White Lotus’ One Of The Best Jobs She’s Ever Had
Jennifer Coolidge — whose first screen credit came in a guest role in a 1993 episode of Seinfeld — has had a prolific career on both the big and small screens with well over 100 roles.
On the big screen, Coolidge’s credits include director Christopher Guest’s comedy-style mock-documentaries Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration and Mascots, as well as American Pie, Legally Blonde and A Cinderella Story.
Coolidge has also made dozens of appearances on TV and streaming, including starring turns in the Friends spinoff sitcom Joey, as well as Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s mystery thriller miniseries The Watcher.
Coolidge, who plays Ruth, the tough-talking ex-wife an ex-hitman (Ed Harris) in Riff Raff, said she was thrilled for the opportunity to play a different sort of character in the dark crime comedy. In fact, she said, the role evoked the same sort of feelings she had when she was asked by Mike White to play Tanya in The White Lotus.
And while The White Lotus is in Coolidge’s past as an actor, it is very much a part of her life as a faithful viewer.
“It was by far one of the best jobs I’ve ever had … To do two seasons of The White Lotus, what a gift,” Coolidge said. “I think the new cast is fascinating. [I watch the new season] with all my friends. It’s about getting a whole group of people together and watching these episodes because we’re so enthralled by Mike White’s writing and all the weird stuff that happens at the White Lotuses.”
And much like the unpredictability of the first two seasons of The White Lotus, Coolidge loves the idea of not knowing what’s going to happen next in Season 3
“It’s so dark right now and interesting and creepy,” Coolidge said. “There’s some really risqué stuff that’s just happened. I mean, wow. Oh, my God.”
The complete first two seasons of The White Lotus — starring Coolidge — and the first five episodes of Season 3 are streaming on Max. Riff Raff is available for purchase or rent on digital streaming via video on demand on such digital platforms as AppleTV, Fandango at Home, the Microsoft Store and Prime Video.
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