'A once-in-a-lifetime thing': Norwell's Jennifer Coolidge wins first Emmy Award

Norwell's Jennifer Coolidge won her first Emmy Award on Monday night, nabbing best supporting actress in a limited series for HBO's “The White Lotus,” a social satire from Mike White (“Enlightened”).

Coolidge, 61, is a versatile character actress well-known for her cougarlicious role as "Stifler's mom" in the bawdy teen comedy "American Pie."  This was the first time she had been nominated for an Emmy.

“I took a lavender bath tonight just before the show, and it made me swell up inside my dress. I’m having a hard time speaking,” Coolidge said, dressed in a sparkling emerald green gown.

As the music played to cue her to wrap up her acceptance speech, she yelled, "Hold on, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I'm full, I'm full!”  As the song picked up tempo, Coolidge didn't miss a beat. She began to dance, drawing laughs and cheers from the audience.

Coolidge was nominated alongside "White Lotus" co-stars Connie Britton, Alexandra Daddario, Natasha Rothwell and Sydney Sweeney.

Coolidge attended Norwell High School. She delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2002, telling graduates, "When something you want more than anything else in life doesn't happen, remember that something more amazing might be waiting."

“The White Lotus” follows a group of affluent vacationers (Daddario, Britton, Sweeney, Jake Lacey, Steve Zahn) at a luxurious Hawaiian resort.

Coolidge starred as Tanya McQuoid, an eccentric socialite who arrives on the island paradise to spread her mother’s ashes.

HBO recently announced the show's second season will premiere in October but has not reported the exact date. The new season is set on a swanky Italian resort in Sicily.

“The White Lotus” was nominated for 20 Emmy Awards and collected five statues, including outstanding limited or anthology series.

Coolidge has appeared in the films “Legally Blonde,” “Best in Show,” “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” “Like a Boss" and "Promising Young Woman" and the TV sitcom “2 Broke Girls.”

She is enjoying a career resurgence after her award-winning turn in “The White Lotus.”  Upcoming are “Shotgun Wedding,” playing the mother-in-law-to-be of Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy, which will stream on Amazon Prime; and two Netflix projects, the movie “We Have a Ghost” and the Ryan Murphy series “The Watcher.” She’ll also  reprise her role as Reese Witherspoon’s BFF, Paulette, in “Legally Blonde 3.”

Other local Emmy nominees were Milton's Jen Statsky, who was vying for her second Emmy in the writing and producing categories for the hit HBO comedy "Hacks." Canton's Bill Burr was nominated for outstanding actor in a short-form comedy or drama category for his work on "Immoral Compass," an anthology series on the Roku channel.

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Reach Dana Barbuto at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com. 

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Norwell's Jennifer Coolidge wins first Emmy Award for 'White Lotus'