Cynthia Nixon Gets Candid on the Flaws of “Sex and The City”: “Some Things Have Not Aged Well”
While “Sex and The City” remains a defining piece of pop culture, Cynthia Nixon believes there’s room for reflection — and revision.
Cynthia Nixon Reflects On “Sex and The City”
In a recent interview with Grazia, published Monday, May 26, the actress — who played the sharp and ambitious Miranda Hobbes — shared her honest thoughts about what she would change about the iconic HBO series, which originally aired from 1998 to 2004.
Looking back on the show’s six-season run, Nixon said, “90% of it is still pretty great,” but acknowledged, “certain things have really not aged well.”
One of the biggest issues, she said, was the show’s lack of diversity. “It was always very difficult being on a show that was so white. I always hated that. When we would raise it, we were told this is Candace Bushnell’s world and it’s a very white world. I’m like, OK…,” Nixon said, referencing the author whose book and newspaper column inspired the series.
She also pointed out that some of the show’s depictions of the LGBTQ+ community have become uncomfortable in hindsight. “Some of the trans stuff, some of the gay stuff was a little cringy to look at,” she said. Still, Nixon emphasized that the show was groundbreaking in many ways and pushed important boundaries, especially for its time.
“It’s a feminist show – it’s always been a feminist show,” she told Grazia.
Kristin Davis on “Sex and The City” And The Central Message
Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte York, echoed that sentiment in the same interview, commenting on how the show challenged societal norms. “What you have to remember is that we were in our thirties and forties. Of course, I look at the show now, we look like babies, but being single at that age, at that time, still had a kind of stigma,” she said.
She continued, “Its central message was unheard of: ‘You can be a woman, you can have a lot of sex with a lot of different people. It didn’t make you a slut and it didn’t mean you were using sex to get something. You were having sex – because you enjoyed having sex!’”
Since the original series ended, the “Sex and the City” universe has expanded to include two feature films and a spinoff series, “And Just Like That…”, which debuted in 2021. The third season of the reboot premieres May 29 and sees Nixon return alongside original cast members Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis.
The new season will introduce several notable newcomers, including Rosie O’Donnell and Patti LuPone, signaling another evolution for the ever-discussed franchise. “And Just Like That…” Season 3 begins streaming on May 29 on HBO Max.
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