Jennifer Coolidge Reveals How She Almost Missed Out On Her Career-Changing White Lotus Role

Jennifer Coolidge has revealed she came close to turning down her award-winning role in The White Lotus.

The Legally Blonde star made her first appearance as the rich, needy, and self-absorbed Tanya McQuoid in the acclaimed comedy drama in its first season back in 2021.

Tanya quickly became a fan-favouriteand returned for the show’s second season with some unforgettable lines, including the forever-memed quote: “These gays, they’re trying to murder me.”

But in a new interview, Jennifer has admitted that she almost didn’t accept the part.

Speaking to British GQ about how she felt after landing the role, Jennifer admitted: “I was, like, not in the mood.”

“I was depressed,” she added. “I was very depressed.”

Luckily, Jennifer had a change of heart and committed to the show.

Her efforts were subsequently rewarded as she picked up an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Tanya, putting her career in a completely new direction.

Jennifer Coolidge with her two SAG Awards
Jennifer Coolidge with her two SAG Awards

FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images

The White Lotus is a satirical anthology series created by former School Of Rock star Mike White, with each season set in a different branch of a luxury hotel resort chain.

The second series arrived in November 2022 and, set in Sicily, Italy, followed the demise and eventual death of Jennifer’s character.

Divulging what she had hoped the most recent season would have in store for her, Jennifer added to the publication: “I had encouraged Mike to tell an Italian story, I said I would love to be in Italy or something, riding around on a Vespa with all these men reaching out and trying to light my cigarette.

“That’s my fantasy. But then I guess that suggestion got me killed.”

It was announced last year that The White Lotus would be returning for a third series, with reports claiming that it will be set in Thailand.

In April, it was confirmed that Natasha Rothwell – who played Belinda Lindsey on the first season – will be reprising her role.

Seasons one and two of The White Lotus are streaming on NOW in the UK.

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The White Lotus Star Lukas Gage Speaks Out On Chris Appleton Romance Reports

It was recently reported that the American actor – known for playing Dillon in the hit HBO series, as well as his roles in Euphoria, Love Victor and You – was in a relationship with Chris, who is known for his work with stars like Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez.

The pair have also shared pictures on social media on holiday together in Mexico, and walked the red carpet at the Vanity Fair and TikTok’s Vanities: A Night for Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles earlier this week.

Lukas was asked about their photos in Mexico in an interview with The New York Times, who suggested people believed the snaps to be a “relationship announcement”.

He did not confirm the reports, and said he was still working out the “weird line” of what to keep private.

“If they want to think that, they can,” he said. “I’m a pretty open book about most things in my life, but I have a problem with the culture of everyone needing to know everybody’s business and nothing can be sacred.

“It’s a weird line that I’m still trying to figure out.”

Following the publication of the interview, Chris shared a screenshot of it on his Instagram Story and wrote: “Hot & talented @lukasgage.(sic)”

He also commented on a post of Lukas’ promoting the interview, saying he was “proud” alongside a heart emoji.

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Jennifer Coolidge Is Open To Seeing This Fan Favourite Join The White Lotus

Jennifer Coolidge seems to have her eyes on a fan favourite Twitter users are begging to join the next season of The White Lotus.

After winning her first SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series at Sunday night’s ceremony, Jennifer spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the highly anticipated season three of the hit series.

Jennifer starred as the lovably loony Tanya McQuoid-Hunt in the first two seasons of The White Lotus. She recently scored her first Golden Globe and her first Emmy for her role in the series, which has led to a massive career resurgence for the actor.

At the end of season two, many viewers were shocked and upset after Jennifer’s character narrowly escaped death, only to die a silly accidental death later.

After Tanya was killed off, fans quickly flooded Twitter with some pretty noteworthy plot ideas for how to resurrect her in the show’s upcoming season.

While Coolidge was speaking with ET’s Denny Directo alongside her co-star, Jon Gries (who plays Greg Hunt), Gries tossed out the idea that “Jennifer play Jennifer’s sister.”

However, Jennifer rapidly turned down the idea. “I don’t think Mike’s going to allow that,” she said, referring to the show’s creator, Mike White.

When ET told Jennifer about Twitter’s viral campaign to get Pamela Anderson on the show, she seemed to enjoy the idea of the Baywatch icon joining the cast as Tanya’s sister.

“I just recently saw Pam’s documentary and I called 100 people to watch it. And I swear to God, we all had the same reaction. It’s amazing,” Jennifer said, gushing about Anderson’s recent Netflix documentary Pamela, A Love Story. “You finally get the real story, and she’s got this huge comeback.”

Though plot details are still under wraps for the forthcoming season of The White Lotus, Pamela reacted to mounting fan requests to see her cast on the series during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show earlier this month.

Sharing that she’s “up for anything,” the star cautiously added, “I think that would be an incredible challenge, but like I said, I’m not an ambitious person. I just like to go with the flow.”

Pamela continued, “So, I don’t really know what’s next, but I know I haven’t really had the opportunity to see what I’m capable of on film yet.”

In the Unpacking S2 E7 clip at the end of the White Lotuss season two finale, White hinted that season three could take place in Asia and focus on “death and Eastern religion and spirituality.”

“The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is sex,” Mike White said. “I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality. It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus.”

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Murray Bartlett Teases White Lotus Return For Armond And How It Could Happen

*Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus.*

Murray Bartlett would “definitely” return to star as hotel manager Armond in a future season of The White Lotus.

And on US chat show The Late Show this week, the actor navigated the tricky issue of how it could happen given that his character, well, dies at the end of Season 1.

Bartlett recalled the hit show’s creator Mike White “sort of jokingly” telling the cast in a speech the night before shooting began how “whoever was the nicest person and the best actor gets a spinoff series.”

“I was like, ‘Oh, oh, what about me?’” Bartlett remembered.

Bartlett says White replied to him: “We could always go back in time.”

Bartlett then ran with the idea, suggesting: “I think maybe like an Armond origin story, I don’t know, I’m just throwing it out there.”

Watch the full interview here:

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You Can Actually Rent The Dreamy Italian Villa From ‘The White Lotus’ On Airbnb

If you’ve been dying to book a Sicilian vacation after watching the second season of The White Lotus (pun totally intended), here’s your chance to live out all your Italian summer fantasies.

Now fans can book the very same irresistible palazzo that Harper Spiller (Aubrey Plaza) and Daphne Sullivan (Meghann Fahy) visited for a day trip turned dizzying girls’ night in episode three of the hit HBO show.

The grand three-story mansion, Villa Tasca, is available to rent on Airbnb. But as you might expect, you need to brace yourself for a whopping price tag.

The historic and lavish villa, which dates back to the 16th century, boasts four bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, massive windows, dazzling high ceilings and a swanky double staircase — all for $5,946 (£4,813) per night.

The property also features a swoon-worthy 20-acre manicured garden with citrus groves, a greenhouse and a swimming pool where you can channel your inner Daphne and Harper.

Villa Tasca, located in Palermo, is available for rent on Airbnb.
Villa Tasca, located in Palermo, is available for rent on Airbnb.

Though the series places the manor in the city of Noto, it’s actually located roughly four hours away in Palermo, the capital of the Italian island of Sicily.

The show’s sophomore season was filmed in multiple picturesque destinations across the island of Sicily, including Taormina, Palermo, Noto and the Ionian Sea.

From Castello degli Schiavi, one of ‘The Godfather’ trilogy’s most significant filming locations, to the Greek Theatre of Taormina where gladiator games were hosted during the Roman Empire, the show’s latest season is full of dream getaways to add to your Pinterest board.

And if the views from the Palermo-based villa weren’t enough to make you feel like Italian royalty, the property also comes with butler service from a full staff, a formal dining area that seats 10, a fully furnished terrace, a billiards room, music room and bar to kick back drinks with friends and family.

“All the glories of Italy’s past—stately neoclassical architecture, trompe-l’oeil frescoes, Murano chandeliers, gilt-framed paintings—make for a sumptuous present at this Renaissance villa between Palermo and Monreale,” the Airbnb property’s listing reads.

You can rent the entire estate for you and up to eight of your closest pals for a minimum of three nights — hopefully sans the show’s murderous ending.

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