Jennifer Coolidge is best known for her comedic turns on screen—but there was nothing funny about the extraordinary lengths she went to to transform her historic New Orleans mansion into a spooky oasis, where she hosted a group of lucky guests for a spectacular Halloween soiree.
The 64-year-old “Legally Blonde” star infused her home with horrifying details for the eerie affair, which she hosts every year, leaving no corner of the property without some form of sinister decor.
However, Coolidge has previously revealed that decorations aren’t the only terrifying thing on display inside her historic abode, which was originally built in 1860.
“My house in New Orleans is 150 years old. Some say it’s haunted,” she told Us Weekly in 2023.
Although the actress didn’t fully explain the paranormal sightings that have led her guests to believe her home is haunted, other stars who have visited her abode have reported seeing a “bouncing ball” on the stairs and a “sea captain;” however, the star dismissed these stories.
She noted that many believe her home is “scary” at night, but she doesn’t pay any mind to the spooky mentions of her dwelling.
However, when it came to her annual Halloween gathering, which this year was centered on the theme of “something we can’t erase from our minds,” according to one of her lucky guests, Coolidge happily leaned in to the horrifying holiday.
Images taken in and around the home—which is spread across two adjacent plots in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District—reveal that Coolidge went all out to bring her theme to life, with some photos showing the decor littering the backyard, including cobwebs, skeletons, and terrifying zombie dolls.
Among the costumes on display were a group who dressed as the “death of democracy,” wearing judges’ outfits along with tombstones on their heads that mourned the death of “Roe v. Wade,” “Free Speech,” “Education,” and “Due Process.”
Burlesque performers were also seen entertaining attendees in the enormous backyard space, which was lit up with colored lights to add to the eerie feel.
Inside, Coolidge set up a lengthy dining table in the entry way of her home, where guests were able to enjoy a delicious candlelit spread before heading outside to continue the raucous affair.
The space was filled with works of art, flowers, candles, and other eerie pieces of decor, while Coolidge herself embraced a floral theme with an enormous purple bloom atop her head.
In one Instagram video, comedian Juno Birch showcased her look in what appeared to be a bathroom, which was adorned with floral wallpaper and orange doors.
The artist then showed off the sprawling backyard, which is where most guests lingered.
The video revealed that the multistory home came complete with exterior columns that added to its historic aesthetic.
Another angle showed off the chic dining room, which boasted a large table, which seated plenty of Coolidge’s guests and several chandeliers.
The property features multiple balconies from which guests could admire the Halloween decorations.
Coolidge’s home comes complete with seven bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The property, which the actress snapped up in 2005, was built in 1850 and sprawls across 7,800 square feet.
The dwelling comes complete with a music room and parlor.
The actress also holds the keys to several other abodes, including properties in Boston, Hollywood, and New York.
However, she revealed in a 2022 interview with Condé Nast Traveler that New Orleans is where her heart truly lies, having first fallen in love with the city during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Having left a spectacular dinner, Coolidge recalled bumping into a man who gave her and a friend huge bouquets of silver balloons that they then attached to their bikes before riding home.
“We tied them to the handlebars of our bicycles and found ourselves, at two in the morning, riding down a street in the Garden District—past grand historic mansions with ornate iron railings and extraordinary gardens—with these giant bunches of balloons bobbing in the wind,” she shared.
“It was a completely unplanned experience that felt like a scene in a movie: a moment of bliss that I wish everyone could have.
“And that’s what New Orleans is all about, which is why I ended up buying a home there—you can not have a plan and end up doing something really interesting and fun. I’ve had nights where a wedding party took over the bar I was at during a rainstorm and we all ended up dancing, soaking wet and among strangers, into the night together. Or where a random man started playing the piano at a lounge and another lady started singing and it wound up being some of the best music I’ve ever heard.
“I mean, look—I don’t know a lot of cities where I would rather be out on my bike on New Year’s Eve than at a fabulous party.”