Kaitlin Olson reflects on her 'terrifying' 'Coyote Ugly' cameo 26 years later

Kaitlin Olson's Hollywood debut occurred in a wild sequence from the 2000 cult movie Coyote Ugly.

During an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE regarding the High Potential season 2 finale, Olson, age 50, reflected on the audition that secured her entry into acting.

The audition was for Coyote Ugly, and Olson's character was listed as "Bidding Customer." Her character's lack of a name didn't prevent her from creating an iconic scene.

"That was, I believe, the first audition where I landed the role," Olson reminisces. "I didn't even have a character name."

She continues, "It was incredibly nerve-wracking, as I had no prior experience."

In the scene, Kevin (Adam Garcia) performs on the bar to assist Violet (Piper Perabo) in earning $250 by shift's end, so she can reimburse bar owner Lil (Maria Bello) and retain her position.

When Violet reveals that the women's bid is on Kevin, chaos ensues, as many women — including Olson and a relatively unknown Alex Borstein — try to outbid each other for an evening with Kevin.

At that moment, Olson tells PEOPLE she was mastering stage positions amid a "hectic" bar scene in a movie featuring a star-studded cast including Tyra Banks, Bridget Moynahan, Melanie Lynskey, and LeAnn Rimes.

The It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia actress shares, "We were just having a good time. What stands out to me the most is those ladies being so friendly, wonderful, inviting, and amusing."

According to Olson, she initially "had one line," but notes, "I ended up improvising quite a bit and turned it into a small scene."

In that scene, her character raises her bid higher and higher, eventually yelling, "That's it! Do you want to come home with mama?" When she loses, Olson's character humorously exclaims "Darn you!" at the woman who outbid her.

"It was intimidating. It was really daunting. All these well-versed actors surrounded me, and then there was me being a loud, crazy fool. But it turned out well," Olson recalls with a giggle, adding, "It was very hectic, and we were all shouting over each other. But it's something I love doing."

Olson's journey in Hollywood has come a long way from her first role. In addition to starring in ABC's High Potential, she's also gearing up for season 18 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The actress has been nominated twice for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmys for her portrayal of DJ Vance, daughter of Jean Smart's Deborah Vance, on the HBO Max series Hacks, and she's also been recognised with a nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her role in Flipped.