Jennifer Coolidge Almost Bowed Out of White Lotus For The Most Tanya Reason Possible
There is no way the show would work without her.
The White Lotus is known for many things, from its kinda spooky plot, the unexpected twists and turns and story development. The show really keeps you glued to the screen wondering what is going to happen next.
But of course the heart of the show is its cast. With Sydney Sweeney and Alexandra Daddario from season 1, and Aubrey Plaza and Michael Imperioli (the beloved Chrissy from The Sopranos ).
The only actress who has appeared in both seasons of the show is Jennifer Coolidge. And that's the best part!
Coolidge played a charming yet bizarre and eccentric character named Tanya. And frankly, we think the storylines involving her were the best and most intriguing to follow.
The first season showed her as a very naive and insecure person who struggled with relationships with men and people in general. She befriended a masseuse and promised to invest in a business the woman wanted to start.
Of course, knowing how shallow she is, it was obvious that there wouldn't be any investment.
Season 2 made her character even more iconic. Chic clothes, naive expressions, and even more adventures. But as it turns out, we might have missed all that if she had turned down the offer. And she wanted to!
As the actress revealed in a roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, at the time show creator Mike White reached out to her, she wasn't quite in the right place emotionally and not really... physically.
The thing is, that all happened in the time of COVID quarantine. And it seems like Coolidge was a bit too relaxed. She said she was eating 6 pizzas a day and wasn't actually expecting any job offers.
"We were in COVID, no one knew I'd be getting a call going, 'Hey Jennifer, my show got greenlit, let's go do it. And it's all going to be on a beach in bathing suits! ' So, I was just like, 'No, I'm not doing this,' but I didn't tell Mike I wasn't doing it. I just said, 'Oh, that's so nice, Mike", the actress shared.
But eventually White offered her to join the show again. And this time it seemed serious. But that only made her afraid to get involved.
Apparently, we have to thank her friend, who actually talked her into doing it and made Tanya happen in the portrayal of Coolidge.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter