While Diane loathes Adam for stealing away her love she, at the same time, sympathizes with his mother Coco who was showing interest and expressing comfort at the dinner party. Thus in her dream Diane breaks the relation between Adam and Coco by casting the latter into the role of the helpful but still demanding landlady at Aunt Ruth's apartment complex.
Coco's last name (in the first part) is Lenoix. In French le noix means "the nut" — a reference to the dinner scene where she is eating walnuts. Also: Coco Lenoix = Coconut. She is literally picking Diane's brains.
Coco takes charge of everyone in this apartment complex which is associated with Betty/Diane's Hollywood aspirations, much the same way the real Coco appeared to take charge of everything at Adam's party with his Hollywood insiders. There is dog excrement in the middle of the courtyard, and Coco tells a story of how a kangaroo at one point made even a bigger mess. In telling the story Coco mentions the word "kangaroo" and court in the same sentence, and we begin to realize that the powerful ones in Hollywood run the place like it's a kangaroo court. Thus, we can surmise that talent is not always the determining factor in Hollywood. — Alan Shaw
CO-COnspirator theory
- Coco's not too happy with her son marrying Camilla. She demonstrates a lot of (passive-aggressive) animosity toward Camilla at the party, with all the eye-rolling, pursed lips, and the lack of any direct communication.
- Diane's not too happy with Adam marrying Camilla.
- Coco shows interest in Diane's story. Coco pats Diane's hand with a hint of sympathy.
- Then Adam announces the marriage. Diane looks devastated and teary. The camera switches to Coco. Coco's and Diane's reactions are the only ones that DL shows us.
- Coco says to Betty: "If there is trouble — GET RID OF IT"
- Coco gives a KEY to Betty.
→ Could Coco and Diane have got together after the party to plan a hit?
I'd like to think that maybe Coco is the main conspirator and that she drags a reluctant Diane into the plot. Diane is devastated and so is easily manipulated. That's probably why the guilt overwhelms her and ultimately leads to suicide. — eel
Coco and the Cowboy
- They both seem like characters out of a forties B-grade movie. Everyone else is up to date.
- In the first lesbian scene between Rita & Betty right before Rita takes off her towel, she takes off her wig then "fixes" her hair. Above the mirror, Aunt Ruth has a collection of hats — one of which is a cowboy hat.
- Coco talks similar to the Cowboy when saying "horse pucky" at one stage. The Cowboy is mentioning a "buggy".
Richard Green (The Magician) on Ann Miller's performance
You realize on a second or third viewing how funny and arch someone like Ann Miller is. I was at the Cannes premiere, and when I saw Ann Miller I thought, "Oh my god! This is too over the top. It doesn't play. It's not real." But then you go back, and you see her in the final sequence where she's mean and a realistic Hollywood matron, and you start to see some humorous things that Lynch has buried in the dream sequence that are pretty extraordinary. — Wrapped in Plastic #57
Trivia: Ann Miller was very fond of her dog. The dog's name was Koko. → coincidental facts about Ann Miller