Promising Young Woman has been divisive since it first premiered in early 2020, but no one can deny the tightness of director Emerald Fennell's (Killing Eve) writing or the power of star Carey Mulligan's performance. The rest of the cast provided ample support that fleshed out the life of the magnetic Cassandra, making their mark on the movie and being marked by it in turn.
Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls), who plays Cassandra's mother, was particularly moved by the story as a whole. Straying from her usual comedic flair to portray a mother trying to help her child heal while struggling to understand her antics, the veteran actress found herself as shocked by the end result as the audience was.
During an illuminating talk with Screen Rant, Coolidge opened up about the personal connection she felt to the movie, her first meeting with Mulligan, and her hope of reuniting with the cast of Legally Blonde.
Promising Young Woman is the film I've thought about the most since first watching it. I really feel it's something can connect to different women in different ways, so I was wondering what spoke to you when you first read the script?
Jennifer Coolidge: Certainly, it felt like, "Yeah, I haven't seen this movie." That's for sure.
I just thought I thought it was really cool, I really did. I had that very dark short that Emerald had made for Sundance, Careful How You Go, so I knew that she was really talented. I knew, even reading the script, that the dialogue and everything was [original]. It just didn't remind me of anything I had read.
But truly, I didn't have her vision. I showed up for like a week of filming for that stint that I did and, as great as that script was, I had no idea the movie I was about to see when I went to that first screening of it. I guess what shocked me was the accuracy of the guys and the interactions; the things that some of those guys said growing up, I knew a lot of that sort of stuff.
That really blew me away, in so many ways, because I didn't know that movie was gonna do that to me. I went in there in the winter, and it was one of the first screenings they had in New York City anymore. I went in that theater, saw the movie, and I just couldn't get out of my chair when it ended.
I didn't see it in a theater, but that's exactly how I felt when I finished watching it. I was like, "What am I supposed to do now?"
Jennifer Coolidge: Yeah! The thing that was so incredible to me was that I saw that movie, and then I was out walking in the street in such a state of shock. I'm thinking, "Oh my God. How am I gonna go on with my day?" I know it's a dark comedy, but I felt like I went on some wild roller coaster ride that I wasn't prepared for. And because it was so subtle, it sort of crept up on me and infected me in ways I never thought a movie would.
And then my manager calls, and I tell her it was so unexpected, and I feel so many things. Then she goes, "Really? Because I thought it was really entertaining!" It's so interesting. Especially during these COVID times, I wish I had seen it with some other people. But I like how that movie made my manager feel something completely different. She didn't come out traumatized the way I was.
I know it had very funny moments, and they were very well done. But like you said, I was haunted by that movie. And I knew that story already. That's the genius of Emerald Fennell's [writing] and Carey Mulligan's performance. And Bo Burnham's performance too; the way he played that was so great. He was just so charming, and not a typical guy. His looks aren't typical; he's hilarious, but he's also extremely likable. And now I feel like I've gotta have my mouth shut in case someone hasn't seen it.
But didn't that happen to you, where you were feel like actual moments of your life have been shown onscreen?
I completely agree with you. Promising Young Woman managed to feel both universal but also very specific and personal, although obviously there were a few parts I couldn't relate to.
Jennifer Coolidge: You and I didn't do the ending.
Speaking of the ending, it resonated so much precisely because of the unfinished business left behind - especially Cassandra and her parents. Can you talk about Susan's complicated dynamic with her daughter, as well as your own dynamic with Carey offscreen?
Jennifer Coolidge: I'm a huge fan of Carey's, and I knew her whole career. I'd seen her in her first big break... An Education. She was so brilliant in that. No wonder she has such a good career after that. But when I met Carey, she had on blonde extensions for the movie, and we talked for three or four minutes. I had no idea that was Carey; I thought she was a model visiting the set. And then the costumer came and said we were going to do a fitting, so I said I hadn't met Carey yet, but they said, "You just did."...I had no idea that was Carey Mulligan, but I was thinking she was such a beautiful girl.
But that's kind of who she is - she can just be anything. What a cool person she is; a very cool person to do a job with. And she certainly gives you a lot to play off of. It's one of those experiences you have, where someone is so good that it's almost like they do your acting for you. You're just reacting off their great stuff.
I think you're both great, but they do say that good actors elevate everyone around them.
Jennifer Coolidge: It's such a cool thing, because who would have thought that I would be able to do a job with her? I was very, very impressed with her and with the movie.
It's pretty cool, when you think of all the movies that are out there that I really enjoyed and have never given another thought to. And then there's [Promising Young Woman], which I think is a really good movie for both women and men to see. I took two jobs after that movie came out, so I haven't had any time to discuss it with anyone. But it is the kind of movie you want to talk about with friends.
Just for my own personal edification, Legally Blonde is another movie that doesn't leave me - although of course it gives me a very different feeling. I know that Legally Blonde 3 has been announced. Do you know if we can expect to see Paulette in it?
Jennifer Coolidge: I'm in your boat. They do tell us it's happening, and I know Mindy Kaling and her partner [Dan Goor] are writing. That's what I'm told, but that's all we know. But I would love to do it.
I know Reese Witherspoon always has a million things going on - I just heard about the book she purchased, Where The Crawdads Sing. People are obsessed with the book, and she purchased it to make into a movie. She is an empire.
But there's other people that would like to know about Legally Blonde.
Fingers crossed that things work out and you guys can reunite, because I would love to see that.
Jennifer Coolidge: I would too! I would love to be in it.
Promising Young Woman is currently available to own on Digital, Blu-ray, or DVD, and to rent On Demand.