Golden Girl

The award-winning White Lotus star opens up about heartbreak, fame and finding herself

- JAIME HARKIN

After scoring her first Golden Globe for her scene-stealing turn as a clueless socialite in The White Lotus, Jennifer Coolidge gave a heartfelt and hilarious acceptance speech chronicling her thirty-year Hollywood journey. "I had such big dreams and expectations as a younger person, but what happened is they get sort of fizzled by life," she said in her endearingly frazzled style before thanking the show's creator, Mike White, for jump-starting her career and launching her into superstardom in her 60s. "You've given me a new beginning."

It's been a long time coming for Coolidge, who struggled for years both personally and professionally. Amid constant rejection from casting agents and dead-end gigs, the Shotgun Wedding actress, 61, dealt with the tragic passing of her mother in 1994, as well as the consequences of hard partying. Now she's finally found happiness. "Jennifer is a perfect example of someone who went to the school of hard knocks," says a source. "She picked herself up and is, at long last, reaping the rewards of her hard work. She's gone from the C-list to the A-list in the blink of an eye, and she's still pinching herself. She feels so blessed."

DEARLY YEARS