If you close your eyes and think of Sarah Jessica Parker, you probably see a tutu, a Cosmopolitan, and the brownstone steps of the Upper East Side. It is the Carrie Bradshaw effect. It’s unavoidable. But honestly, before the Manolos and the "I couldn't help but wonder" monologues, there was a roller-skating, pogo-sticking, perpetually twirling force of nature named SanDeE*.
Yes, with a capital E at the end. And a little star.
The Sarah Jessica Parker LA Story connection is one of those weird, shimmering pockets of 90s cinema that feels like a fever dream if you haven't seen it recently. Released in 1991, L.A. Story was Steve Martin’s whimsical, satirical love letter to the absurdity of Los Angeles. Amidst the jokes about freeway shootouts being "polite" and brunch reservations requiring a credit check, SJP appeared as the ultimate personification of Southern California airheadedness.
But here’s the thing: she wasn't just playing a "dumb blonde." She was playing a god.
The Role That Flipped The Script
Before this movie, Hollywood didn't really know what to do with Sarah Jessica Parker. She was the "best friend." She was the "mousy girl." Think Footloose or Girls Just Want to Have Fun. She was talented, sure, but she wasn't the it girl. She definitely wasn't the "sexy" girl.
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SJP has actually said in interviews that L.A. Story changed her entire career trajectory. It was the first time anyone on a casting couch looked at her and saw a romantic lead—or at least, a woman who could be the object of intense, albeit chaotic, desire.
SanDeE* (the asterisk is crucial, she explains it in the film) is a 26-year-old aspiring spokesmodel who works at a clothing store and thinks high-colonic enemas are a casual Saturday hobby. She is vibrant. She is exhausting. She enters rooms through windows.
Why SanDeE* Still Matters
Watching the movie now, you see the DNA of Carrie Bradshaw being formed, but with a drastically different zip code. While Carrie was neurotic and cynical, SanDeE* was pure, unadulterated "yes."
The legendary film critic Pauline Kael, in her final review ever for The New Yorker, famously wrote that SanDeE* was "the spirit of L.A.: she keeps saying yes." It’s a profound observation for a character who spends half her screen time bouncing on a pogo stick.
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- The Look: Big hair, neon colors, and that "20s flapper" aesthetic mixed with 90s valley girl.
- The Energy: She doesn't walk; she prances. She doesn't talk; she chirps.
- The Contrast: She serves as the foil to Victoria Tennant’s Sara, the "intellectual" British journalist Steve Martin’s character is actually in love with.
There is a specific scene where Harris (Steve Martin) is trying to be "intellectual" and SanDeE* just... isn't. She represents the surface-level allure of Los Angeles—the sun, the youth, the lack of baggage—that eventually pales in comparison to real connection. But Parker plays her with such genuine sweetness that you can't even be mad at Harris for falling for the distraction.
The "Sexy" Rebrand
It sounds wild now, but SJP had to fight to be seen as attractive in the industry. She’s mentioned that before L.A. Story, people mostly saw her as a "character actor" type.
Steve Martin, who wrote the script, saw something else. He saw a comedian who could handle physical comedy while looking like a Botticelli painting (literally—the film makes a visual joke comparing her to The Birth of Venus).
This movie was the bridge. Without the bubbly, "sexy-eccentric" energy she honed in Venice Beach for this role, we might never have gotten the sophisticated, fashion-forward SJP of the late 90s. She proved she could hold her own against comedic heavyweights and look like a star while doing it.
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Finding The Real Locations
If you're a die-hard fan of the Sarah Jessica Parker LA Story era, you can actually still visit some of the spots where SanDeE* lived her best life. Her apartment building in the movie is the Venice Beach Cotel, located at 25 Windward Avenue.
The famous mural on the side of the building, "Venice Reconstituted" by Rip Cronk, is still there, though it’s been restored and altered over the years. The "doorway" SanDeE* famously bounced through? That was actually a fake facade added just for the movie.
It’s kind of poetic, right? A movie about the "fake" nature of Los Angeles used a fake door for a character who was the "spirit" of the city.
How to Watch It Today
Honestly, L.A. Story hasn't aged perfectly in terms of its pacing, but as a time capsule, it's gold. If you want to see SJP before she was a global fashion icon, it's a must-watch. It’s usually available to rent on Apple TV or Amazon, and occasionally pops up on streaming services like Paramount+.
Next Steps for the SJP Completist:
- Watch for the physical comedy: Notice how SJP never stops moving. It's a masterclass in using your body to define a character.
- Compare the "vibe": Watch L.A. Story and then watch an early episode of Sex and the City. Look for the shared DNA in her timing and facial expressions.
- Check out the soundtrack: The movie uses Enya in a way that feels incredibly "Peak 90s" and actually helps sell the dreamlike quality of Parker’s character.
Don't just remember her for the Manolos. Remember the asterisk. SanDeE* was the spark that proved Sarah Jessica Parker was more than just a supporting player; she was the girl the weatherman would literally drive through a fountain for.