Jennifer Coolidge has revealed why she prefers the label 'MILF' over 'cougar', despite dating younger men for 10 to 15 years following her breakout role in American Pie.
The White Lotus star, who played the unforgettable Stifler's Mom in the 1999 comedy, believes the term 'cougar' makes women sound as though they deliberately seek out younger partners. Instead, she prefers it when younger men make the first move, insisting that it is more appealing when the attention is their idea.
Coolidge explained her preference during a September 2013 interview, discussing how her famous film character influenced her romantic life. While the actress acknowledged that the role brought her attention from younger men, she distinguished between being pursued and actively seeking out younger partners. She also recalled how the film's success changed the way men approached her in public.
Why Jennifer Coolidge Prefers 'MILF' Over 'Cougar'
'I like "milf" better than "cougar",' Coolidge told in an interview, explaining that she found the latter term less appealing because of its associations with women pursuing younger men.
'I feel like "cougar" just sounds more predatory, it sounds more like someone really seeking out young men and I just like it more when it's their idea. Because with "milf" it was really the kid's idea, you know?' she added.
Her distinction centred on who makes the first move rather than simply the age difference between romantic partners. For Coolidge, 'cougar' suggests a woman deliberately pursuing younger men, whereas 'MILF' reflects the dynamic of her character in American Pie, whose younger admirer was the one making advances.
The actress also recalled how younger men continued approaching her in public after the comedy became a hit. She told the newspaper that young men would regularly approach her at airports to request photographs, sometimes appearing nervous when standing beside her. 'I don't know if they think I'm going to rip their clothes off or something,' she joked.
How American Pie Changed Her Dating Life
Coolidge's role as Jeanine Stifler, the mother of Seann William Scott's character Steve Stifler, became one of the film's most memorable performances. Released in 1999, American Pie helped bring the MILF label into mainstream popular culture and turned Coolidge into an unlikely sex symbol, introducing her to a much younger audience. She later acknowledged that the attention extended beyond the screen and influenced her romantic experiences.
'I did date younger men after that movie. I really dated younger men for the next 10, 15 years,' she said.
The actress also revealed that she had been dating someone for approximately a year and a half at the time of the 2013 interview, describing him as smart, funny and handsome. Her comments reinforced how openly she discussed the impact of her famous role on her dating life. She did not, however, suggest that she deliberately set out to pursue younger partners.
Years later, Coolidge revisited the subject during a 2022 interview with Ariana Grande. She clarified that her previous claim about sleeping with 200 men after American Pie was an exaggeration rather than a literal account. Nevertheless, she maintained that the film had introduced her to 'a much broader group of handsome men – and younger men'.
The conversation also brought up an amusing anecdote about a younger partner who contacted his mother with Coolidge to ask for a recommendation for somewhere she could get a blow-dry. His mother eventually suggested a local shopping centre, making for an unexpected moment in their relationship.
Coolidge later introduced herself to a new generation of viewers through her award-winning performance as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus. Her portrayal earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in 2022, further cementing her status as one of Hollywood's most recognisable comedic performers.
