no, can't reference itself, add pipenv_venv to inventory vars

group_vars/aws_node_local.yml

@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 #
 #    https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_variables.html
 
-ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ pipenv_venv | default('/usr/bin/python') }}"
+pipenv_venv: /usr/bin/python  # this will get overridden by the wrapper scripts, but should allow molecule to run
+ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ pipenv_venv }}"
 
 java_major_version: "8"
 postgres_version: "9.6"

roles/linux_common/tasks/main.yml

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       - unzip
       - fontconfig
   vars:
-    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ '/usr/bin/python2' if ((ansible_distribution | lower == 'amazon') and (ansible_distribution_version == '2')) else ansible_python_interpreter }}"
+    ansible_python_interpreter: "{{ '/usr/bin/python2' if ((ansible_distribution | lower == 'amazon') and (ansible_distribution_version == '2')) else pipenv_venv }}"
 
 - name: Create product group
   ansible.builtin.group: