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THEN AND NOW: 'Sex and the City' Cast, 27 Years Later - Business Insider

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the cast of and just like that

The cast of "And Just Like That." Marc Piasecki/WireImage/Getty Images

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It's been 27 years since the first episode of "Sex and the City" aired, changing television forever with its frank discussions about dating and relationships from the female perspective.

After six seasons, two hugely successful (if flawed) feature films, and now three seasons of the revival "And Just Like That," the show and its four main characters have been cemented in pop-culture history.

For example, if you're sitting with a group of four people (usually women), it's only a matter of time before the question comes up: Are you a Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, or Miranda? The show also brought the phrase "He's just not that into you" into the cultural lexicon, and for that, we'll always be grateful.

As the iconic TV show, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon, celebrates another anniversary, let's take a look at where its actors are now.

Sarah Jessica Parker. HBO; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

After leaving Carrie Bradshaw behind (the first time), Parker focused on her movie career, starring in films such as "The Family Stone" and "Failure to Launch." She also returned to the stage (where she got her start), starring in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" alongside her future husband, Matthew Broderick.

Parker, 60, also capitalized on her status as a fashion icon by creating a clothing line named BITTEN for Steve & Barry's, and a shoe collection for Nordstrom's called the SJP Collection. SJP was shut down in 2024.

Even though she told The New York Times that she'd never do a television show again, she returned to TV for a guest spot on the fourth season of "Glee" in 2012. Five years later, Parker announced that she was starring in a new HBO comedy called "Divorce." The show ended in 2019 after three seasons.

Parker and Broderick are one of Hollywood's longest-lasting marriages, and co-starred in the Neil Simon play "Plaza Suite" on Broadway until the show closed during the summer of 2022. The couple has three children: their son, James, and twins Marion and Tabitha.

Kim Cattrall. HBO; Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images

Cattrall's sexually confident Samantha Jones was the show's breakout character — the role won her a Golden Globe and five Emmy nominations. But since the show ended, Cattrall, 68, has distanced herself from the spotlight.

She's starred in multiple Canadian TV shows and BBC shows, but nothing has come close to the success she had with "Sex and the City." Ironically, she was considered the most famous cast member going into season one.

In 2020, Cattrall starred on the Fox series "Filthy Rich," which she also executive-produced. It was canceled after one season.

She also played the narrator of "How I Met Your Father," aka the future version of Hilary Duff's character, which was canceled after two seasons.

Her feud with former costar Parker has put her in the headlines, along with the tragic death of her brother Christopher.

In the first season of the revival, Samantha was written off by having her character move to London — Carrie and Samantha reunited off-screen in Paris during the season finale.

In the second season of "And Just Like That," Cattrall made a brief cameo, reprising her role as Samantha. According to Variety, she filmed the single scene for the show's season without interacting with her three former co-stars or the showrunner. She is not in the third season.

Kristin Davis. HBO; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Davis, 60, also won critical acclaim for her portrayal as Charlotte York, the most old-fashioned member of the bunch. She was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.

While "Sex and the City" was airing, Davis appeared on two other extremely popular TV shows at the time: "Friends" and "Will and Grace." But after that, she didn't appear on another show until 2014's "Bad Teacher." She did, however, appear in a few feature films, including "Deck the Halls" alongside costar Parker's husband, Matthew Broderick.

In 2019, she starred in a Netflix rom-com opposite Rob Lowe, "Holiday in the Wild." She hosted the reality dating series "Labor of Love" in 2020. In March 2021, she once again starred in a Netflix film — this time, a psychological thriller called "Deadly Illusions."

And, of course, she's been playing Charlotte once again on "And Just Like That."

She's also an Oxfam ambassador (Oxfam is a collection of international charities focused on ending global poverty), won the Humane Society's 2010 Wyler Award (an award given to a celebrity who has made news on behalf of animals), and is a patron of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Personally, Davis adopted a baby girl, Gemma, in 2011, and a boy, Wilson, in 2018.

Cynthia Nixon. HBO; Cindy Ord/WireImage/Getty Images

The role of Miranda Hobbes was hugely popular during the original series, but many fans were disappointed by the beloved character's storyline in "And Just Like That." By season three, though, the writers have turned it around.

In real life, Nixon is an outspoken figure regarding LGBTQ+ rights (she came out as bisexual and has been married to her wife, Christine Marinoni, since 2012) and breast cancer (she beat the disease in 2006, per ABC). She was named an ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in 2008.

Nixon, 59, announced her candidacy for governor of New York in 2018. Though she lost the Democratic primary, she earned a respectable 35% of the vote.

Besides her political life, Nixon has starred in Broadway shows, indie films, and long-running classic shows like "Law and Order." She won an Emmy for her guest-starring role in a 2008 episode of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" in which she played a woman pretending to have dissociative identity disorder.

In 2020, she appeared in the Netflix series "Ratched" and is currently starring in "The Gilded Age," an HBO series created by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.

Nixon shares two children, Charles and Seph, with her ex-husband, Danny Mozes. She and Marinoni welcomed son Max in 2011.

David Eigenberg. HBO; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Since his time as Steve Brady, Miranda's main love interest, first ended, Eigenberg, 61, has been working steadily in the world of TV.

He has appeared in multiple one-off episodes of popular shows such as "Without a Trace," "Everwood," "NCIS," and "Castle," among others.

He joined the cast of "Chicago Fire" in 2012 and has appeared on its sister shows, "Chicago PD," "Chicago Med," and "Chicago Justice," as well. He welcomed his first son in 2009 with his wife, Chrysti. They had a daughter in 2014.

Fans are still hoping for a redemption of Steve in the show's third season, as many felt his character was done dirty in the revival.

Evan Handler. HBO; Kristina Bumphrey/Variety/Getty Images

Harry, who was played by Handler, and Charlotte's relationship was probably the most heartwarming one on the entire show. It taught Charlotte to look past appearances, and even led to her conversion to Judaism. The two also dealt with realistic fertility issues, a departure from the show's generally more comedic tone.

After "Sex and the City" ended, Handler joined the cast of "Californication," playing the main character's best friend, Charlie.

After "Californication" ended, Handler stayed on TV, most recently appearing in "The Astronaut Wives Club," "American Crime Story," and "The Breaks." He starred in the sixth and final season of "Power."

Handler, 64, has reprised his role as Harry in the revival.

Handler and his wife Elisa's daughter, Sofia, was born in 2007.

Mario Cantone. HBO; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Cantone's character Anthony was a super flamboyant gay stereotype. He was happily single throughout the show's entire run, though he confusingly got married to Stanford in "Sex and the City 2." He has now essentially taken over Stanford's role in the group in "And Just Like That," after Willie Garson's death.

Cantone's one-man show was the first Broadway production to be recorded and aired on Showtime as a comedy special. He's also appeared on multiple Comedy Central roasts, and was on "The President Show" as former press secretary Anthony Scaramucci. He competed on "The Masked Singer" in 2022.

In 2011, Cantone, 65, married Jerry Dixon, a musical theater director, and his partner of 20 years.

John Corbett. HBO; Kristina Bumphrey/Variety/Getty Images

Aidan, as played by Corbett, was the only man who came close to actually being a lifelong partner for Carrie, besides Big. The debate still rages on as to which one was the best for her.

During the show, Corbett, 64, established himself as a box-office draw by starring in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" in 2002. He also starred in heartwarming movies such as "Raising Helen" and "Raise Your Voice," and had recurring TV roles on "United States of Tara" and "Parenthood."

He's now known to a whole new generation as the hot dad in the "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" films. In 2021, he starred alongside Katey Sagal in "Rebel," an ABC series based on the life of Erin Brockovich. It was canceled in May 2021.

Corbett's a multi-talented man — he has also released two country albums.

Since 2002, he's been in a relationship with actress/model Bo Derek. They tied the knot in 2020.

Although Aidan's story seemed pretty tied up at the end of "Sex and the City 2," he returned in season two of "And Just Like That," and is now Carrie's … future boyfriend? They've agreed to reunite in five years when Aiden's sons are grown up (we know, this makes no sense to us, either).

Jason Lewis. HBO; Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images

Though Smith was young, he was perfect for Samantha, and eventually became the most important relationship that she had in the show (and subsequent movies). He stood by her through her commitment issues, infidelity, and breast cancer.

On the show, Smith was a model-turned-actor: in real life, Lewis, 54, followed the same trajectory. Before his time on "Sex and the City," he was a successful model for brands like Guess and Hugo Boss, among others.

After the show ended, Lewis appeared on "Charmed" as the short-lived husband of Phoebe, an episode of "How I Met Your Mother," and most recently starred on "Midnight, Texas" as a fallen angel named Joe Strong from 2017 to 2018.

In 2022, he appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" as a contestant and finished in last place.

He did not reprise his role in the revival.

Kyle MacLachlan. HBO; Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images

Trey, played by MacLachlan, and Charlotte had a whirlwind romance, engagement, and wedding — which led Charlotte to overlook some red flags, like his vaguely unhealthy relationship with his mother. The two eventually got divorced, leading Charlotte to her next husband, Harry.

MacLachlan is particularly adept at playing sinister characters, like the obsessive Orson Hodge in "Desperate Housewives" and the mysterious Captain in "How I Met Your Mother." He reprised his role in "How I Met Your Father."

He even dabbled in the Marvel Universe by playing Calvin Zabo, aka The Doctor, in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

He also played Harold Baskin in the Peacock series "Joe vs. Carole" in 2021. He appeared in the 2022 "Fletch" reboot with Jon Hamm. Now, he can be seen on the Prime Video series "Fallout."

His most famous role, though, is Agent Dale Cooper in "Twin Peaks," which aired in the '90s. He reprised his role as Cooper in "Twin Peaks: The Return" in 2017.

MacLachlan, 66, also co-owns the wine label Pursued by Bear, based in Washington.

He married his wife, Desirée Gruber, in 2002, and the couple had son Callum in 2008.

James Remar. HBO; Kristina Bumphrey/Variety/Getty Images

Remar's character Richard was one of the few relationships in Samantha's arc on the show that had a lasting impact. She was devastated when she caught him cheating on her, and he re-appeared later on in the show just to prove that Samantha was actually really into Smith.

Remar, 71, received a Saturn Award nomination for his role as Harry Morgan, Dexter's father in "Dexter." He also played the patriarch of the Salvatore family in "The Vampire Diaries." Most recently, he had a starring role in The CW superhero show "Black Lightning."

However, he's found the most success doing voiceover work. Remar has lent his voice to "Justice League Unlimited," "The Batman," "The Spectacular Spider-Man," "Ben 10: Alien Force," and "Young Justice," to name a few.

He also had a small role in the 2023 best picture winner, "Oppenheimer," as the Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson.

In the future, he's set to appear in two high-profile shows: "Dexter: Resurrection" and "It: Welcome to Derry."

Ron Livingston. HBO; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

"I'm sorry. I can't. Don't hate me."

Those seven words led Jack Berger (Livingston) to go down in history as the guy who used a Post-it note to break up with Carrie. He also delivered the line that might be the most lasting contribution to pop culture in all six seasons of "Sex and the City:" "He's just not that into you."

After writing the Post-it and disappearing into the night, Livingston has had continued success in Hollywood. He's appeared in huge movies such as "The Conjuring" and "The Time Traveler's Wife," as well as critically acclaimed indie comedy "Drinking Buddies."

Livingston, 57, replaced Billy Crudup as Henry Allen in "The Flash" in 2023.

However, he has mostly stuck to TV, with roles on "Boardwalk Empire," "Search Party," "Loudermilk," and "A Million Little Things."

Livingston married his costar Rosemarie DeWitt in 2009, and the couple adopted two daughters, Gracie and Esperanza.

Mikhail Baryshnikov. HBO; Valerie Terranova/Getty Images

Carrie's friends disliked "the Russian," aka Aleksandr Petrovsky (Baryshnikov), so much that they supported Big in flying to Paris to win her back in the series finale (even though they never liked him very much either).

Before turning to acting, Baryshnikov, 77, was known as one of the best ballet dancers in history.

Since the show ended, he has appeared in just three things: a TV movie called "Place," an uncredited role in "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," and a recurring role as himself on "Doll & Em" in 2015.

Baryshnikov told Larry King in 2002 that he didn't believe in marriage, but he later married his longtime partner Lisa Rinehart (a fellow ballerina) in 2006. Their daughter, Anna, has followed in her father's (acting) footsteps and starred in Apple TV+'s "Dickinson," and is set to star in the upcoming comedy film "Idiotka."

Lynn Cohen. HBO; Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

Some of the funniest moments of the show were the result of housekeeper Magda, as played by Cohen, butting heads with Miranda about sexuality, motherhood, and working women, like the time Magda bought Miranda a rolling pin, implying that a woman should stay home and bake, rather than pursue a career.

Cohen appeared in multiple films and shows after "Sex and the City" ended, but she gained mainstream exposure from her role as Mags in the second "Hunger Games" film, "Catching Fire." Her last role was in an episode of "God Friended Me."

She died in 2020.

Willie Garson. HBO; James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images

Stanford, played by Garson, was the perennially single ride-or-die friend of Carrie's, supporting her through numerous relationships and other misadventures, until he finally found his own boyfriend, Marcus, who mysteriously disappeared in the movies. He ended up marrying Charlotte's friend Anthony in "Sex and the City 2."

Garson followed "Sex and the City" with a starring role in "White Collar," and guest spots on "Girl Meets World" and "Wizards of Waverly Place." He also had a recurring role on "Supergirl."

He adopted a 7-year-old boy in 2010.

Garson, 57, died while he was filming episodes of "And Just Like That," and his character was written off.

Chris Noth. HBO; Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

Noth, 70, has a penchant for playing polarizing characters. Besides Mr. Big, who swung between being Carrie's perfect partner and being terrified of commitment, he also played Peter Florrick, a disgraced former state attorney, on "The Good Wife." He also played a cop on "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" from 1990 to 1995, and reprised his role from 2005 to 2008.

Noth starred on NBC's FBI procedural "Gone" until 2018, and he also appeared in the Discovery Channel's miniseries about the true story of the Unabomber, called "Manhunt: Unabomber." He most recently starred in "The Equalizer," a reimagining of the '80s show of the same name.

Spoiler: In the premiere of "And Just Like That," Big dies from a heart attack after riding a Peleton exercise bike. His death hit Carrie and fans of the show hard, and even inspired Peloton to create its own ad referencing the character's death.

In December 2021, Noth was accused of sexual assault by two women, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The women, who do not know each other, said they spoke up because promotions of the reboot had "stirred painful memories of incidents" for them, the THR article said. In a statement to Business Insider that month, Noth denied the allegations.

In December 2022, a year since the reports first emerged, Page Six reported that Noth had not been charged in connection with any of the allegations, and no civil actions had been brought.

Since then, Noth has been accused by three more women — he's called the accusations "categorically false" — and was written off "The Equalizer" and the first season finale of "And Just Like That," and dropped by his talent agency.

After a few years away from the industry, Noth is back. He's set to costar in a thriller called "The Block," per Deadline. He also found new representation.

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