Jennifer Coolidge’s Golden Globes speech moved The White Lotus-creator Mike White to tears

At the 80th annual Golden Globes in Los Angeles, Jennifer Coolidge was just being herself. Completely.

She was casually funny and glamorous, while also kind of adorably ditzy and wholly capable. Though when she presented the winner for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series she mistakenly declared “And the Oscar goes to…” before hilariously correcting herself.

Yet the 61-year-old’s best Golden Globes moment was still to come. Later that night, Coolidge was victorious in winning the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Limited Series.

Her performance as the now iconic Tanya McQuoid in the HBO original ensemble comedy The White Lotus was another prestige feather in her cap. It was a great addition to her win at last year’s Emmy Awards, for which she also won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in the same HBO series.

Tanya was a role that Coolidge reprised from the show’s first season and the only character to make it to season 2. With the Golden Globes plum she’d beat fellow nominees Claire Danes (Fleishman Is in Trouble), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Under the Banner of Heaven), and Niecy Nash-Betts (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story).

How The White Lotus changed Jennifer Coolidge’s life.

Surprisingly, her White Lotus co-star, Aubrey Plaza was also in the same category. Basically, Tanya also beat Harper Spiller!

It was Coolidge’s victory speech that moved many though, especially The White Lotus creator Mike White, who ended up with tears flowing down his cheeks because of his star’s heartfelt words.

“[Mike White] you sort of changed my life in a million different ways. My neighbors are speaking to me, things like that. I mean it! None of those people, I was never invited to one party on my hill, and now everyone’s inviting me.”

Coolidge was previously best known only for bit-parts in movie comedies like American Pie, Legally Blonde, and a recurring role in the comedy series Two Broke Girls. With her critically acclaimed performance as Tanya verified by award-giving bodies in Hollywood, her speech that night was cause for a standing ovation from the audience at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

“[Mike White] really is one of the greatest people I’ve ever met,” Coolidge continued. “And he gives me so much excitement, you make people want to live longer, and I didn’t, so anyway, I just want to say… Mike, I love you to death.”

The White Lotus also won for Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at that same award ceremony, beating out Black Bird, Pam & Tommy, The Dropout and Dahmer.

What did you think of Coolidge’s performance and the character’s end in the HBO series? Share your thoughts in the comments below!