Jennifer Coolidge is wanting to give a special thanks to the “evil Gays” after winning the Emmy for drama actress during Monday night’s 2023 Emmys.
The actress was nominated alongside Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus), Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus), J. Smith-Cameron (Succession) and Simona Tabasco (The White Lotus).
After taking the stage, Coolidge was quick to quip that she doesn’t “have the strength” to hold the award so she had to put it down next to her prior to giving her acceptance speech.
After thanking The White Lotus creator Mike White, Coolidge couldn’t help but joke of her character’s fate: “He [White] says I’m definitely dead so I’m going along with it.”
She then further alluded to her character Tanya McQuoid’s storyline, who died in the finale after discovering her yacht excursion may have been a trip to her death — she even warned the captain, “These gays, they’re trying to murder me!”
Onstage Coolidge quipped, “I want to thank all the evil gays.”
Host Anthony Anderson’s mom, who is helping monitor time spent on speeches, then held up a sign with a clock warning Coolidge that her time was running out.
Sharing her final thoughts, Coolidge encouraged aspiring actors to follow their dreams: “I had a little dream in my little town, and everyone said it wasn’t practical and it was far fetched. It did happen after all, so don’t give up on your dream.”
The 2023 Emmys aired live from L.A.’s Peacock Theater on Fox. Anthony Anderson hosted.