Michael Imperioli loves Tanya as much as the rest of us (and wishes he could have acted more with Jennifer Coolidge)
Michael Imperioli says he "would’ve loved to have done a scene" with Jennifer Coolidge... and wouldn't have been mad at some face time with Laura Dern, either
Aux News Michael Imperioli
HBO’s The White Lotus has one of the most enviable TV ensembles out there right now; if the onscreen chemistry weren’t enough, the dreamy behind-the-scenes photo of the cast’s adventures filming in Sicily confirms it. But in a large cast of intersecting characters, not everyone gets to perform together, and the would’ve-could’ve-should’ves start to pile up.
For Michael Imperioli, who plays sex-addicted father Dominic di Grasso, the “would’ve” is an easy question: Imperioli says that he “would’ve loved to have done a scene” with Jennifer Coolidge. Although the pair share a brief moment together during an ensemble dinner scene, Dominic and Tanya never quite go toe to toe. But unlike his character, who meets Tanya for the first time at the resort, Imperioli was a fan of Coolidge’s season 1 portrayal of the childlike and glamorous icon. Long story short, Imperioli is more than familiar with—and fond of—that unforgettable “wee-hee! ”
“Watching the first season, I just really fell for that character,” Imperioli tells The A.V. Club’s Saloni Gajjar of Tanya in a new interview. “I thought it was such a full-blown portrayal of this, you know—it’s just so real and big. Big meaning like just, it’s just so juicy and fun.”
Another scene-stealer Imperioli wishes he could have had more face-time with? Laura Dern, who (via a disembodied voice over the phone) plays Dominic’s more-than-disgruntled ex-wife. Imperioli says he didn’t know it would be Dern on the other end of the line until “much later” in the production process—during filming, his friend and assistant to the producer Ilia Bronktine stepped in to do the chastising. (Per Imperioli: “she let me have it from the other side.”)
“I’ve never met Laura Dern, but I think she’s phenomenal and I loved what she did in that,” Imperioli says. Perhaps he should get in touch with Stephen Spielberg on that front: we hear Spielberg owes Dern a favorable introduction.
24 Comments
Aah yes…stephen spielberg
Tanya was always fun to watch, but she was the worst.
Watching Tanya has not been my definition of “fun”, but that really seems to be the whole point of The White Lotus anyhow.
Love, love, love Jennifer Coolidge and she delivered a great & lived-in performance as Tanya…but have been a bit baffled by all the Tanya love, as the chartacter as-written is an absolute monster of privelage. While she ultinatelty ends up the victim of S2, she was villain numero-uno of S1 for me, albeit a compelling and nuanced one (yes, i’m aware of Shane) I’m still stuck on how she left things with poor Belinda (though i blame Greg for that too. Fuckin’ Greg!!!)
She had some great lines, but the constant whiny/squinty demeanor was really grating.
Jennifer Coolidge is coming back for season 3, just wait and see. I have a sneaking suspicion they are going to be pulling the never-before-mentioned twin sister card, who will be either 1.) be out for revenge on Tonya’s husband 2.) Be the actual person Greg was saying “I love you” to on the phone and it was her plan to kill her to get the money.
My prediction is this:Season 3 is at some sort of spiritual retreat in Asia(Mike White’s already confirmed this), this resort is run by Belinda(who got the job by keeping quiet about the events of season 1). Also there, Dom’s wife(officially played by Laura Dern, who is there after her divorce, with a few girlfriends, her daughter and her son’s girlfriend(Portia).Somehow, Belinda and Portia figure out they both know Tanya, and that somehow brings up a lot of guilt for Portia and she basically starts hallucinating Tanya. I don’t know, that crap probably won’t happen exactly like that but White also said we will learn more about what happens next with Tanya, Greg and Portia in season 3….More than anything, I jsut want Laura Dern to be in season 3….Actually know I just want Tanya’s ghost to be traveling between White Lotus resorts, just so Coolidge and Dern can interact
I like the connective possibilities by bringing back Portia and that leading to Belinda via Albie. Also I’m stoned so that’s all.
If they’re following up on the insane Greg/Quentin/Tanya murder plot, which they kind of have to because they left Greg’s fate completely up in the air, then they have to bring back Portia at a White Lotus resort. And the way to explain how she’s able to afford the stay is, Albie is paying for it (well, via Dom’s generosity).There are a lot of dramatic possibilities there because Portia’s role in the murder plot would eat away at her forever, and she suffered her own trauma by basically being kidnapped and possibly having been targeted for death.But my issue with this angle for Season 3 is that I thought Albie and Portia made for an incredibly awkward couple — which was the point — and I’m not sure I want to see any more of them interacting on screen.
they are going to be pulling the never-before-mentioned twin sister cardThis is such a gloriously stupid idea. I love it.
There are a number of things I would love to do with Jennifer Coolidge.
Help her figure out how to get the messages from her phone to her computer?
Organize her baseball cards?
Teach her how to bake a pie?
Tanya was annoying AF.
They could always do a prequel…
Without any further context in the headline, and having never watched the show being referenced, I wound up checking out the article on the off-chance Imperioli was talking about Tanya Tucker. Ah well, my bad.
She had some ridiculous moments but LOVED watching Coolidge portray Tonya and really was rooting for her to get out of the situation so she could delete her shitbird husband and that unfortunate marriage. Portia and her lack of conviction and duty should bear some guilt and scars… Hoping Greg got zilch after an investigation. I would like season 3 to have at least one returning cast member continuing the journey.
I wouldn’t have pegged Michael Imperioli for this site’s spiritual follow-up to Don’t Worry Darling. Excited for tomorrow’s story about him.
Has he been spending an inordinate amount of time in Harry Styles’ trailer?
If I wanted to hear this much of Michael Imperioli’s thoughts, he should pay $8.00 a month to verify them on Twitter.
And I guess I’d have to subscribe to that Twitter that I keep hearing about.
This is my chance so I’ve gotta plug This Fool on Hulu. Michael Imperioli is at prime grumpiness, hotness, and funniness.
I’ve never seen a show that hammered me this hard with the whole “Everything is awful for everyone all of the time” angle. It felt like if Uncut Gems were 9 hours long. Shoulda been a movie.
I don’t get it. The woman is unwatchable with her completely plastic face incapable of expressing any emotion. Any actor who had major facial plastic surgery (out of vanity, not for legitimate medical reasons, naturally) should be banned from acting for life.