Jennifer Coolidge Says She Was 'Out of Control' Partying in Her 20s: 'Got Into a Lot of Trouble' (Exclusive)

Jennifer Coolidge is looking back on her career trajectory — and how a certain stage of her life influenced the types of roles she is drawn to.

The actress, 63, admits in a chat with PEOPLE surrounding her new movie Riff Raff that when she was living in New York City in her 20s, "I got into a lot of trouble."

"I was just partying in a way that was very extreme and not buckling down and trying to make anything really important happen, you know, getting a career going or anything," she explains. "I was busy going to the Palladium and stuff like that."

"I remember it was one of those things where I felt like ... I was completely out of control and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop the train," Coolidge continues.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

The experience had a lasting impact on the White Lotus star not only personally, but when it came to her professional life later.

"Somehow I ended up with these roles that are kind of like that," Coolidge tells PEOPLE. "But I know the feeling so well: being on this weird train and incredibly vulnerable in my early 20s. You're so vulnerable, and there's all these kind of weirdos that come out of the woodwork and don't have good intentions."

"And so I feel like I just relived those days in these future jobs I got. How weird is that?" she says.

Coolidge's latest role in Riff Raff sees her as Ruth, the ex of former criminal Vincent (played by Ed Harris) who shows up unexpectedly to Vincent's vacation home, along with their son Rocco (Lewis Pullman) and Rocco's pregnant girlfriend Marina (Emanuela Postacchini).

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Family secrets and skeletons are uncovered over the course of the movie as the dysfunctional brood are thrust into a present-day criminal situation, putting them face to face with gangster Leftie (Bill Murray) and his henchman Lonnie (Pete Davidson).

Gabrielle Union and Miles J. Harvey also star as Vincent's wife Sandy and stepson DJ, respectively, in the Dito Montiel-directed crime comedy, written by John Pollono.

Of casting Coolidge, Montiel, 59, tells PEOPLE he was watching White Lotus when his wife pointed out, " 'That's Stifler's mom,' " from American Pie (1999). "I'm like, 'Wow, she's really good,' " he recalls.

"She's such a trip," Montiel adds of Coolidge, noting that she was the first of the Riff Raff cast to sign on. "She brings a bag of tricks. ... If you just embrace that, I think you're going to be happy with it."

Riff Raff is in theaters now.