How Jennifer Coolidge Made Suits’ Gina Torres a $14 Foundation Convert

Here lies the power of a good Super Bowl commercial.

gina torres
(Image credit: e.l.f.)

Sports are great and all, but when it comes to the Super Bowl, I will shamelessly own up to the fact that I’m watching for the commercials—not the field goals. Last year, my undivided attention went to Jennifer Coolidge’s e.l.f. Cosmetics promo, in which the White Lotus star single-handedly convinced the world that she’d play a great dolphin—and that the drugstore brand’s Power Grip Primer deserved a shot. (Following the commercial, the brand saw a 64 percent increase in product purchases.) 

The star of Suits reunite for elf commercial.

E.l.f. Cosmetics' 2024 Super Bowl commercial features Judge Judy, the former stars of Suits, and some of the brand's best-selling products.

(Image credit: elf)

One of the brand's post-commercial converts was found in Gina Torres, who just so happened to love the drugstore range so much, she landed in their 2024 commercial spot. “The first time I heard about e.l.f. was through Jennifer Coolidge,” the Suits star, who stars in this year’s ad alongside former co-stars Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman, exclusively tells Marie Claire. “No one asked me to do a dolphin impersonation—but that’s besides the point. They did send me a beautiful box of products with Halo Glow Filter though.” 

The $14 foundation-highlighter hybrid has quickly become the Pearson star’s newest obsession. “It’s so great because it creates these points of light on the planes of your face. The glow factor is so beautiful because it refracts in such a lovely and flattering way that maximizes dimension,” she says. The $8 lip oil and $14 sunscreen were also welcome new additions to Torres’ beauty routine. 

The star of Suits reunite for elf commercial.

Gina Torres, Sarah Rafferty, and Rick Hoffman reunite for e.l.f. Cosmetics' Super Bowl commercial.

(Image credit: elf)

While a revamped makeup routine was certainly a silver lining to come out of her latest gig, the highlight (pun intended) was truly getting back together with some of her old cast members. “Good friends are forever. It was so much fun and the sweetest feeling to all be back together again,” she says. 

To shop Torres’ favorite products, keep scrolling. 

Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.