Lippy lady has the last word

If you’ve seen the films “American Pie,” “Best in Show” and now “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde,” chances are you’ve laughed when Jennifer Coolidge is on screen. Her niche characters -- weird women with trademark large lips and incongruous accents -- make her a perfect “supporting kook,” claims the Boston-born actress.

A Groundling Theatre graduate, Coolidge made her screen debut as Jerry Seinfeld’s uncooperative masseuse girlfriend on “Seinfeld.” Her big break -- as Stifler’s lusty mom in the “American Pie” films -- gets her recognized by young men the world over. Though she happily plays the “older woman,” she won’t reveal her age. Asked, she slides into a Swedish accent and replies: “Let’s just say I went to school with the Gabor sisters.”

Do you fear typecasting with the niche you’ve carved out for yourself?

I think the typecasting’s a good thing. After “American Pie,” these lusty alcoholic-lady parts kept showing up at my door, 50 at a time, and at first I thought, “yuck.” Do I want to play boozer lady and gold-digger parts the rest of my life? But you know what? These are not the boring parts -- they’re kind of cool. I probably could enjoy doing them forever. The only thing I’d like is to be considered for something serious -- I’d love to have a great dramatic part.

How was your experience working with Reese Witherspoon? Any envy playing opposite someone making so much money?

There are people that handle [making money] well and people who don’t, and Reese happens to be one of those people who handles everything well. I don’t know how she does it all, but she’s totally unfazed by her new light. No matter how much pressure she’s under, I’ve never seen her have a scary moment as you see so many people experience in this town. She’s a very levelheaded person. She’s one of those actresses that deserves every penny she gets. If I were a studio head, I’d give her $15 million [a picture].

Did you study comedy, or is it something that comes naturally to you?

That’s what’s so strange about the whole thing. I do not consider myself a funny person, really. I remember a friend told me I just don’t look funny, whatever that means. I started out this acting thing as a dramatic actress, but I couldn’t get it going. The minute I switched to comedy -- all the doors that would never open, one night just seem to fly open.

Is there a particular woman you’ve modeled your strange trophy-wife character on?

It’s my revenge piece. When I first came to town I baby-sat in Beverly Hills for a lot of really wealthy women. Young girls who’d literally arrived overnight being married to some rich guy. They had lots of plastic surgery and treated me badly. They’d say, “Why don’t you come around to the back door?” My best work has been doing people that were mean to me. I just hope someone calls them up and says, “Amber, I just saw you in a movie!”

Does it bother you that today an actress shows up on a red carpet with a frontless dress and the world’s her publicity oyster?

I was at a premiere and a very beautiful actress that wasn’t in the film was there. I’m going down the red carpet and thinking I’m having my little moment and this other actress steps in front of me and the flashbulbs went nuts. At the time I thought, “Move along, you’re not even in the movie!” but the photographers are just thinking of the money selling the photo of this 20-year-old twirling in her tiny little skimpy panties. It’s sexist, but it makes sense. I think the more you know about this business, the more everything makes sense and you’re not bothered by it.

And actors and actresses seem to appear from many backgrounds ....

They’re trying to get these exceptionally good-looking people to replace [the aging actors]. Brilliant notion. It ruins movies. Good-looking people ruin movies! These are people who should have stayed with their Guess? campaigns. But what’s good about it is as a comedienne I don’t worry the way others do. I don’t have the pressure on me. I’m not one of those girls who has a couple pieces of butter lettuce salad and then calls it a day.

Are you bothered by the paparazzi these days?

When you watch that show on E! [“Celebrities Uncensored”], Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston couldn’t get out of Starbucks -- they had to call the police. That’s an invasion, and something I don’t deal with. But they also like to take a shot of you naked, in the middle of the freeway with a gun, and it’s actually a scene out of a movie, but they caption it: “Jennifer Coolidge on a Sunday morning.” That’s what sells.

-- Janet Kinosian