Jennifer Coolidge Opens Up About Sleeping With 200 People After ‘American Pie’ Fame

American Pie came out in 1999 and quickly became one of those movies people never forget. Even if someone never watched it when it first aired, most still know the characters and the wild moments.

The film helped define a whole era of teen comedies and introduced audiences to Stifler, the awkward apple pie scene, and one character that stole the spotlight more than anyone else: Stifler’s mom.

That role turned out to be a life-changing moment for Jennifer Coolidge. Playing Jeanine Stifler made her a breakout star almost overnight. She was 38 at the time and suddenly became known as the ultimate “MILF”, a label that followed her everywhere after the movie’s release.

Years later, Coolidge openly spoke about how much that role changed her personal life. In a 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, the actress admitted the attention was intense and very real. “I got a lot of play being a MILF and I got a lot of s***** action from American Pie,” she said. “There were so many benefits to doing that movie.” She then added, “I mean, there would be like 200 people that I would never have slept with.”

American Pie didn’t just give her fame. It gave her a character she would return to again and again. Coolidge played Stifler’s mom in four films across the franchise, including American Pie 2, American Wedding, and American Reunion. The role became iconic, but it also had a downside.

In the same interview, Coolidge explained that Hollywood started to see her only one way. After playing similar characters in films like Legally Blonde, she felt stuck. “The saddest thing about life is that you just make decisions about yourself,” she said. “If I’m not getting great roles, I come to the conclusion that people think I’m incapable of that.” She added, “And then I make the decision that I am incapable of that.”

That changed when director Mike White cast her in The White Lotus. The HBO series gave Coolidge a serious role and reminded people what she could really do as an actor. The performance earned her massive praise and finally led to her first Emmy nomination and win.

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