It’s been decades. Seriously. Since 1998, the cast in sex and the city has been less of a television ensemble and more of a cultural permanent fixture. You know these women. Or you think you do. We watched them navigate the grime and glamour of a pre-9/11 Manhattan, survived two movies—one arguably better than the other—and now we’re knee-deep in the divisive era of And Just Like That.... But if you look past the Manolo Blahniks and the infinite supply of Cosmopolitans, the actual history of the actors behind these icons is a lot messier than a scripted breakup on a Post-it note.
Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't even sure she wanted to do the pilot. Think about that for a second. The woman who became the face of New York fashion almost walked away because she didn't want to be tied down to a series. She was a "movie person." Darren Star had to practically beg. Once she signed on, the chemistry with Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon became the kind of lightning in a bottle that networks spend billions trying to replicate. It worked. It worked so well that we’re still talking about it in 2026.
The Core Four and the Chemistry Myth
Everyone wants to believe the cast in sex and the city were best friends in real life. They weren't. They were coworkers. Sometimes they were friendly coworkers; other times, the set of the North Fork or the streets of the Upper East Side felt like a battlefield.
Kim Cattrall’s Samantha Jones was the soul of the show's "sex" component. Without her, it was just "City." Cattrall was already a seasoned pro when she joined, having done Big Trouble in Little China and Mannequin. She brought a grounded, theatrical confidence that balanced Parker’s neuroses. But the pay gap was real. By the later seasons, SJP was an executive producer. She was making significantly more. That’s where the cracks started. You can’t have a show about four "equal" friends when the paycheck says otherwise.
Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon were the anchors. Davis, as Charlotte York, played the "Park Avenue Princess" with a sincerity that prevented the character from becoming a caricature. Nixon, meanwhile, was a literal child star from New York theater who transformed Miranda Hobbes into the blueprint for the modern working woman. Miranda was the one we all hated at twenty and realized we were at thirty.
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The Men Who Survived the Carousel
Chris Noth wasn't supposed to be "The One." John James Preston, aka Mr. Big, was intended to be a recurring obstacle, not the endgame. But Noth had this specific, rumpled charm. He felt like old New York. When you talk about the cast in sex and the city, you have to talk about how the men were essentially accessories who eventually became essential.
Then there’s John Corbett. Aidan Shaw. The furniture maker with the dog and the country house. Corbett brought a rustic, "granola" energy that clashed perfectly with Carrie's high-maintenance lifestyle. The fan base is still split. Team Big vs. Team Aidan isn't just a meme; it’s a personality test.
David Eigenberg (Steve) and Willie Garson (Stanford) provided the emotional connective tissue. Eigenberg’s portrayal of Steve Brady—the bartender with the heart of gold and a slightly annoying voice—gave Miranda the humanity she often tried to suppress. And Willie Garson? He was the heartbeat of the show. His passing in 2021 during the filming of the reboot was a massive blow to the production and the fans. He wasn't just "the gay best friend." He was the one person who could call Carrie out on her nonsense without losing her loyalty.
Why the Kim Cattrall Absence Changed Everything
Let's be honest. The elephant in the room regarding the cast in sex and the city is the gaping hole left by Samantha Jones. When And Just Like That... launched, the absence was jarring. The show tried to explain it through a falling out over a business arrangement, which felt a little too close to the real-life rumors of feuds between Cattrall and Parker.
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Cattrall has been incredibly vocal. She’s done. She moved on to How I Met Your Father and Glamorous. She made it clear that she didn't feel the environment was healthy. In 2023, she finally made a brief, digital cameo that reportedly didn't involve her interacting with the other three women at all. It was a 70-second phone call. Fans lost their minds. It proves that the brand is bigger than the drama, but the drama is what keeps the brand human.
New Faces in a Modern Manhattan
The reboot didn't just bring back the old guard; it tried to fix the original show’s biggest flaw: its overwhelming whiteness. Enter Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, and Karen Pittman.
Choudhury as Seema Patel is arguably the best thing to happen to the franchise in a decade. She’s the only one who captures that "Samantha" energy—unapologetic, wealthy, and sexually liberated—without actually trying to be Samantha. She’s a powerhouse. If the original cast in sex and the city represented a specific 90s aspiration, the new additions represent the reality of a global, diverse New York.
Sara Ramirez's Che Diaz was... polarizing. To say the least. The character became a lightning rod for internet discourse. Whether you loved or hated the "non-binary podcast host who ruins marriages," you were talking about the show. That’s the goal of any ensemble cast. Engagement. Outrage. Discussion.
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The Production Reality: High Stakes and High Heels
Behind the scenes, the cast in sex and the city worked grueling hours. Michael Patrick King, the showrunner who took over from Darren Star, is known for being a perfectionist.
- Costumes: Patricia Field wasn't just a stylist; she was a narrator.
- Locations: The city was the fifth character, but the logistics of filming at Magnolia Bakery or the Meatpacking District meant the actors were often swarmed by thousands of fans.
- Scripting: The "punny" humor of the early seasons gave way to more dramatic, long-form storytelling in the later years.
The transition from a 30-minute sitcom to a 60-minute "prestige" dramedy wasn't easy. The actors had to age with their characters in front of a world that is notoriously cruel to women over forty. SJP, Davis, and Nixon have all spoken about the "misogynistic" chatter regarding their looks in the reboot. They’re in their fifties. They look like women in their fifties. And honestly? It’s refreshing.
Practical Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of the cast in sex and the city, don't just stick to the HBO Max (now Max) episodes.
- Read the Original Columns: Candace Bushnell’s book is much darker and more cynical than the show. The "characters" were often based on real-life socialites who weren't always happy about their portrayal.
- Check Out "Origins": James Andrew Miller’s podcast series on the show's history features candid interviews with the cast and crew. It’s the closest you’ll get to the "unfiltered" truth about the salary negotiations and the creative friction.
- The Costume Archives: Many of the iconic pieces worn by the cast are now in private collections or museums. If you’re ever in New York, the Museum of the City of New York often has exhibits featuring the show's impact on fashion.
- Follow the New Projects: To understand the actors’ range, watch Cynthia Nixon in The Gilded Age or SJP in Divorce. It helps separate the actor from the icon.
The legacy of the cast in sex and the city isn't just about the clothes or the dating tips. It’s about the fact that four women, for better or worse, redefined what it meant to be single and female on television. They weren't perfect. They were often selfish, neurotic, and wildly out of touch. But they were there. For each other, and for us. And just like that, they became a part of television history that refuses to go out of style.
To get the most out of your rewatch, pay attention to the background characters—many of whom, like Bradley Cooper or Justin Theroux, went on to become massive stars. Track the evolution of Miranda’s hair or Charlotte’s escalating anxiety. The show is a time capsule of a New York that doesn't really exist anymore, held together by a cast that, despite the off-screen noise, delivered some of the most memorable moments in TV history.