And Just Like That... with Nicole Ari Parker

Summary

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Episode Summary: "And Just Like That... with Nicole Ari Parker"

Main Theme & Purpose

In this heartfelt episode of "Are You A Charlotte?", host Kristin Davis (who played Charlotte York on Sex and the City and its reboot And Just Like That) sits down with co-star Nicole Ari Parker. The conversation covers the emotional end of the show, behind-the-scenes stories, the evolution of their characters and friendships, and the cultural impact of the series. The tone is intimate, reflective, and peppered with laughter, nostalgia, and candid insights into both professional and personal journeys.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Reactions to the Show's Ending

• Both Kristin and Nicole reflect on the impending end of And Just Like That, admitting to complex feelings: sadness, disbelief, and gratitude.
• Kristin reveals the difficulty she felt when trying to contact Nicole to process the news, leading to a (thankfully undelivered) tearful voicemail.
  • “It was literally like an ugly cry, sobbing situation because, you know, the feelings aren’t really together yet.” — Kristin (04:37)
• Nicole shares, “I got very attached to you and to the show, and we were just getting started, you and I… at the same time grateful and sad… grateful I got to be a part of it and get to know you.” (04:50)

Memorable Behind-the-Scenes Stories

• Kristin and Nicole trade stories of first days on set post-COVID, the nerves of group scenes, and the challenge of physically demanding costumes and shoes.
• Nicole recounts her awe on her first group scene at the Whitney Museum, describing the excitement of fans recognizing the cast through the glass.
  • “And the people outside slowly realize through the glass what’s happening… today is today. Welcome to the world of Sex in the City.” — Nicole (08:37)
• Kristin describes the pressures of delivering lengthy monologues and the exhaustion of 4:30am call times.
• Both reminisce about the comedic mishaps of navigating high heels, pencil skirts, and elaborate costumes—particularly Nicole wearing a “full crate” Valentino headpiece (29:53).

Growth, Character Development & Fan Perceptions

• Kristin discusses fan criticism over Charlotte’s evolution and how some don’t accept character growth, referencing an article about “The Erasure of Charlotte York.”
  • “Why wouldn’t there be some growth in Charlotte that she would be less judgmental than she might have been 30 years ago?” (37:51)
• Nicole commends the writing for allowing nuanced, supportive portrayals of friendship:
  • “I thought that was, like, the most wholesome thing you could say to your friend and bring all of that fire down in your friend and don’t ruin your marriage. And don’t overblow it.” — Nicole (38:29)
• Both discuss the positive and negative sides of fan engagement, projections, and parasocial relationships on social media.
  • “There’s interesting thoughts and ideas about the parasocial relationship that people have with actors… and kind of losing the limits…” — Kristin (34:37)

Inclusivity, Representation, and New Cast Members

• Nicole expresses pride in how her character and family were written with authenticity and depth, not as “cookie-cutter.”
  • “They really fleshed out everything… you guys made Karen Pittman’s character real and my character real in a way that I was just… proud to be a part of.” (22:33)
• Both agree that joining such an established show as a new cast member is intimidating, but the set was made to feel welcoming and collaborative.
• Nicole reflects on her own journey, feeling both professional and “fangirl” joining the legendary group, even as a seasoned actress:
  • “The first couple of episodes, just a little starstruck, you know, and I’m a grown up, seasoned actor. And I was still a little like, oh, my God.” (28:58)

Personal Life & New York City

• Nicole details her move from LA/Atlanta back to her hometown roots in New York, sharing about her family’s adjustment and her husband Boris’ comfort with living “city adjacent” near the Hudson River.
• The joy of being back in the city, both for her soul and for the work, shines in her anecdotes.
  • “I just wanted this chapter of my life to be in the city… it’s feeding my soul.” — Nicole (16:31, 17:04)

The Real Women Behind the Characters

• Nicole is often asked about what the main SATC ladies are "really like." She describes them as sincere, grounded, and aware of the world beyond Hollywood:
  • “These are real women. They have full lives. They don’t have their head in the sand. They know what’s going on in the world. They are humans to the fullest.” — Nicole (25:51)
• Kristin and Nicole reflect on the benefit of being “grown” on set—enjoying real conversations about family, life, and the world.
• Both point out that for all the glamor, the work is physically and emotionally demanding, requiring a balance of resilience and support.

Work Culture, Table Reads, and Tradition

• The importance and intensity of table reads is discussed, including how they were once a major determinant of which storylines stayed:
  • “If jokes didn’t hit, they would get cut… if you went to that read through and didn’t give it your all, you were probably on the chopping block.” — Kristin (23:41, 24:52)
• Nicole humorously recalls barely resisting taking leftover sandwiches home from the post-read spread.

Cultural Impact & Representation

• Nicole shares the audience’s profound reaction to a quiet, vulnerable scene in the pool:
  • “People saw our race in that scene and that how simple two women can be friends and that all the differences in them don’t matter when friends are friends.” — Nicole (40:18)
• Both celebrate the show’s ability to foster honest conversations about friendship, womanhood, sexuality, and growth over decades.

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "I feel like you’re my person, you know, and I was worried… and then I just—I couldn’t talk, so I was like—"
  — Kristin Davis, sharing the struggle to process the end of the show (03:38)
• “I just feel at the same time grateful and sad because you’re legendary and the show is legendary.”
  — Nicole Ari Parker (04:50)
• “Welcome to the world of Sex in the City.”
  — Nicole Ari Parker, on her first day at the Whitney (08:37)
• “You guys are Lucy and Ethel right now in the show, and that is what was written, and that is what you’re supposed to do, and you cannot do Lucy and Ethel without leaning into it.”
  — Cynthia Nixon’s advice, quoted by Kristin (14:23)
• “They really fleshed out everything… you guys made Karen Pittman’s character real and my character real in a way that I was just… proud to be a part of.”
  — Nicole Ari Parker (22:33)
• “It was like Silence of the Lambs under there.”
  — Nicole on her extravagant Valentino headpiece (30:07)
• “I think it took, like, 50 years for me to be who I was when I was, like, a little girl.”
  — Nicole (30:38)
• “Why wouldn’t there be some growth in Charlotte that she would be less judgmental than she might have been 30 years ago?”
  — Kristin Davis (37:51)
• “People saw our race in that scene and that how simple two women can be friends and that all the differences… don’t matter when friends are friends.”
  — Nicole (40:18)
• “Lifing is happening.”
  — Nicole (27:03)
• “You just feel like you’re supposed to be all put together at all times, no matter what, you know, and that it’s OK not to be.”
  — Kristin (34:09)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• 03:01 – 04:50: Processing emotions after announcement of the show’s ending; Kristin’s “ugly cry” voicemail story.
• 05:24 – 08:37: First days on set, post-pandemic, and the experience of Nicole joining the established crew.
• 10:37 – 11:09: The challenges of keeping up with show demands—costumes, monologues, and exhaustion.
• 13:06 – 14:32: Discussion of fan criticism, Lucy & Ethel dynamic, and the long-view of character development.
• 15:02 – 17:14: Nicole’s move to NYC and how it impacted her family and soul.
• 22:05 – 23:16: Portraying an authentic Black family on the show and the power of diverse representation.
• 24:52 – 25:20: The high-stakes drama and camaraderie of table reads.
• 34:36 – 38:29: Media criticism, parasocial relationships, and evolving character arcs.
• 40:10 – 41:12: The significance of the pool scene and what it said about real friendship.

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Summary Takeaways

This episode is a rich, emotional conversation between Kristin Davis and Nicole Ari Parker, providing fans with genuine reflections about series endings, character growth, set life, and real female friendship. It's a love letter to the unique mixture of spectacle, grit, glam, and humanity that defines Sex and the City—and by extension, its legacy through And Just Like That. Both women highlight not only the show's enduring relevance but also the deep bonds and personal transformations it has fostered—onscreen, offscreen, and in its audience.

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Transcript

[Kristin Davis]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Nicole Ari Parker]

Retirement options and free training.

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[Kristin Davis]

Hi, I'm Kristen Davis, and I want to know, are you a Charlotte? This is a very, very, very exciting time, you guys, because today we have the incredible Nicole art with us here at Are youe in Charlotte?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

And we may cry. Okay. Just gonna tell you right now. There's a mic cry.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

Because what happened was this. I was at camp with my kids last week in Oregon, and I did know that our announcement was coming. We had a little bit. A little bit of notice.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

And we hadn't all talked about it, and I was in Oregon, and I thought, I need to call Nicole because I feel like you're my. You're my person, you know, And I was worried. We had already scheduled this, and I didn't know if you would want to come talk, if it would be too soon. You know, I just wanted to think about your feelings. And so I tried to call you, and I thought I was okay. So I went to the car to call Nicole because I was at this camp full of people, and I was, you know, not. I don't know these people. Right. So I went to the camp, the car, and I called her, but I couldn't talk. I thought I was fine. And then I just. I couldn't talk, so I was like. And so either the voicemail didn't record, which is what I'm hoping, or a different Nicole from my past might have a sobbing, sobbing phone call. I'm not sure which, because when I saw Nicole today, I said, I'm so sorry I left you that message because then I felt.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

What message?

[Kristin Davis]

Terrible. And she said, what message? So she didn't get it, you guys.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I didn't get one single message.

[Kristin Davis]

But I'm really glad because it was literally like an ugly cry, sobbing situation because, you know, the feelings aren't really together yet. I don't know how you're feeling.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Well, you know, I got very attached to you and to the show, and we were just getting started, you and I and everything, and I just feel at the same time grateful and sad because you're legendary and the show is legendary. And I just grateful I got to be a part of it and get to know you.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah. I mean, you for me were like the bright light that came. I mean, all of us have been together for so long as, you know, most of us. And then we got you and Sarita. And do you remember our first day of work?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I Do.

[Kristin Davis]

Cause it was the first day being back, Nicole had to come into Charlotte's apartment. I was the first one up. When we came back after Covid obviously hadn't been together, though. The thing that is the silver lining to this whole thing is that as much as the show is ending, they say, I'm trying to believe them. I can't. I don't feel it in my gut, but this is what they tell me. So I'm trying to get with it. As you guys know, this is. Obviously, I never think it's over. Right. This is just who I am. But I'm trying. I'm trying. I'm trying to believe it. But we're all still in each other's lives. So as much as it's an ending, like sometimes people say, oh, what was it like to be all back together? Well, it's, of course, unique when you're on a set, you know, it's a different situation on a set. But it's not like I hadn't seen everybody, you know, of course I see everybody in different ways, in different places. Not all together, probably. You know what I mean? Or not for 18 hours.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

You know, and heels. Right. In very high heels. But it. And of course, the thing that I'm mostly. I mean, I don't even know what I'm mostly sad about, but the newness of having you and Sarita join us and other people too, obviously, but like, substantially, you and Sarita brought so much. And you just. As an actress, I mean, I have so many different memories, you know, of you having to do really hard things. Like, remember that time we went down to that crazy place downtown and you have to tell me that you might be pregnant and you might not, and you don't know, and you've got your documentary. Do you remember?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

In the aisles of the high end grocery items. Oh, my.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

That's right.

[Kristin Davis]

That was hard, man.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

That was so hard.

[Kristin Davis]

And you nailed it. But you never think you nail it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I know. Such a glorious job because, you know, I need to tell the viewers that the show that you love, that I was blessed enough to be a part of that writing is pure drama that has to turn on a dime. And I'm like, well, I. I can do stuff, but this is a whole other beast.

[Kristin Davis]

It's hard.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It's hard.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And you guys have nailed it and cemented that lovely frequency in stone. And so, I mean, I remember the first scene I shot that was kind of our. But it was the group scene, the lunch.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

That was My first day of. My first.

[Kristin Davis]

I felt for you. I felt for you.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I was always a fan of the show, and I knew the scope of your, you know, the show's global phenomenon, you know. And I'm standing and I'm getting touched up, and I'm getting my wardrobe fidgeted with and secured. I'm wearing clothes. I don't even know how to say the names of the designers I'm wearing. And we were shooting at the Whitney.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, yes, the Whitney.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

We were shooting at the Whitney with all the glass, you know, clear glass windows. And I'm standing kind of away, but you three are at the table. And the people outside slowly realize through the glass what's happening. So I turn around after getting makeup touched, and there's masses, massive amounts of people freaking. And I'm like, today is today. Welcome to the world of Sex in the City.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, that's a lot.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

They were so excited to see you guys.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, that was sweet. That was a good day. The thing that I remember the most about that day, I had forgotten that day for your part.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I had to ask you guys if I. In the scene, I had to ask if I could have a French fry.

[Kristin Davis]

It was to eat. I know.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was like, this can't be happening.

[Kristin Davis]

I know, I know. And my scene was that monologue about you. Because I'm basically telling the girls who you are before you enter. And it's very long. It's like your credentials, basically, Right? And they film Sin and Sarah first over my shoulder. So I've been doing this very, very lengthy monologue for maybe four hours. And then they turn around on me, and Michael Patrick says, you know, I need more energy. And I'm like, oh, my God. Because also, like, it's of kind. Kind of like you're building your legs back up, like. Cause this particular job is so hard in terms of the dialogue, in terms of the shoes, in terms of the stamina. Yes. And then just like that, we often go to work at 4:30 in the morning for whatever reason, because we're in daylight. So you're tired, you know, And I've got that long monologue. And Michael Patrick's like, I need more energy. And I'm like, okay. You know, and I'm trying to do more energy. And then he's like, I don't see it in your eyes. I'm like, well, Michael Patrick, you might have seen it in my eyes like six hours ago, but of course, because it was you. And I wanted. I wanted. I mean, I'm introducing the viewer to you as well as Carrie Miranda.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

So I wanted it to be. And I hope I pulled it off. Thank you so much.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

She nailed it.

[Kristin Davis]

But I do remember you in those outfits, and they were, like, so, like out of the box, you know, like nothing else.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I had to be. I had to act like, oh, this is normal.

[Kristin Davis]

And how did you feel about that?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Well, I was. I'm naturally a bit dramatic, so I can handle a caftan.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, man, can you ever.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Giant necklace and two purses at the same time. Because Molly would always give me a second bag.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. Cause she could never. She had too much. It was like an abundance of riches.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I know. And so I felt great in the clothes. It was more about you guys that I just was so starstruck, you could say.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Even as a grown up, I was.

[Kristin Davis]

Like, oh, my God. For me, one of my other really funny memories, which was more recent when we went back to do this third season, our day in the park, where we go to the baseball. I don't know if that. I feel like that was my first day in the park. And you have the longest, most beautiful legs ever created on a human being, and I really, really do not. And I'm wearing a pencil skirt, of course, with some kind of lunatic high shoes. And we're trying to get over those rickety bleachers. And you reach back to take my. Which was so sweet. But you're moving at gazelle speed and I'm moving at, like, I don't know, Chihuahua speed or something. I don't know. But I'm not capable of keeping up with you. Oh, my God, the stress, the stress. I was like, I'm gonna rip this skirt in ways that are not gonna be attractive.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You killed it.

[Kristin Davis]

You're so sweet. But this is how you feel the whole job, whether you've been doing it the one month or 30 years.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I really loved our scenes at the kids school.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God, yes. Arbor. The arbor school.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes. And I just felt like. And we had insane props. Bags and.

[Kristin Davis]

Big bags.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Big bags. And always some drama.

[Kristin Davis]

Always some drama.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

I think I had to call Cynthia at one point this season. I think I've talked about it on the podcast because we sometimes collaborate posts on Instagram, but she has different followers than I have. You know, her fans, my fans, whatever. And her fans at one point took me apart from one of our early episodes that I was over the top and wacky. And I think it might have been the one we're talking about the college Prep episode.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes. Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

And I had to call Cynthia because I was like, I don't understand what's happening, what's happening. And, I mean, this is how I feel a lot in today's world. And she said, first of all, you were absolutely doing the part that you were written. You guys are Lucy and Ethel, and you are supposed to be. You were supposed to lean into that, because we know where your storyline's going for both of you. And this was a setup for that because that's how Michael Patrick thinks. That's how all of our writers think. They have a long game. And not every episode, it's gonna be clear what that long game is. You were gonna go to a deeper place. I was gonna go to a deeper place from my place. A lot of it was rethinking what's important. And Charlotte's always been the type of character where I get sucked into the details. You know, the. How do things look? How do things seem? Are we doing everything we could possibly do? You know, like, that's a very Charlotte core kind of an idea. And so in those episodes, you know, I'm stressing over, you know, will Lily go to college? Will it be the best college? This is a very real and relatable. You have grown kids. You've probably been through this.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah, right? 18 and 20.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah. Yeah. It's incredible that you do that, but that you're there, it's, like, amazing. We'll get to that in a second. But anyway, I had to call Cindy and get a little pep talk to say, no. You guys are Lucy and Ethel right now in the show, and that is what was written, and that is what you're supposed to do, and you cannot do Lucy and Ethel without leaning into it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

That's right.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And I just want to thank you for being there with me. You were just the best partner I could have.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It was so much fun.

[Kristin Davis]

I know.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And it's hard. Some days are easier, but for the most part, it's hard.

[Kristin Davis]

It is hard.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And, you know, most people are like, what are you doing next? I'm like, can I just process this for a minute?

[Kristin Davis]

100%. So it's a lot. And Nicole just moved to New York.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

With her beautiful husband Boris, who we must talk about.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

So, like, how are you? How are you feeling? How is Boris feeling? How's the family?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Well, I was. I'm from Baltimore, and I went to NYU. I lived here for 13 years. Then I got Soul food, where I met Boris in 2000, and we moved to LA. And we were in Atlanta for a minute, and then we moved to la. But I was always a New Yorker. I was always an east coast girl. I'm a city kid. And so it was so obvious. Like, my family was so exhausted by me, they would be like, we know, Mommy. You want to live in New York and go see theater. And we were friends and be a pedestrian in la, you gotta drive. Like, they gave me the monologue almost like every week.

[Kristin Davis]

Wow.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And then one day this year, Boris came in the bathroom. I was brushing my teeth or something, and he goes, you want to move? It's time.

[Kristin Davis]

Wow.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

But I had to act very cool because I didn't know if my excitement was going to, like, make him backspace, backpedal. I don't know. So I was like, are you sure?

[Kristin Davis]

Wow. Really?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was very gentle.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

But we put our house on the market and I just, you know, yes, the show shoots here and I had an apartment here, but I was doing it for my soul, really. Just not even work. Like, I just wanted this chapter of my life to be in the city and. Or in New York.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I mean, we found a house. I had to compromise because I like the concrete jungle. But Boris is from the Black Forest. He's from the woods. And so if we were gonna move to the east coast, he needed city adjacent. Yeah, yeah. He needed trees.

[Kristin Davis]

I'm with Boris.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah. We're right on the Hudson River.

[Kristin Davis]

Beautiful trees.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It's beautiful.

[Kristin Davis]

And the dogs are thrilled.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

The dogs are like, finally. We're dogs. Like chasing squirrels.

[Kristin Davis]

Love it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Love it, love it, love it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

So we're very happy.

[Kristin Davis]

So it is feeding your soul in the way that you like it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It's feeding my soul. Although, like Chris Jackson, who lives up there too, I would have made the 45 minute trek to work every day.

[Kristin Davis]

Wow.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

To be with you guys. Yeah.

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[Kristin Davis]

Now let's just talk about Chris Jackson for a second. I'm gonna have to find a way to have him on the podcast. Even though he was never in Sex and City. But neither were you. But I can do whatever I want, right? It's my podcast. Chris Jackson played Nicole's husband, as I hope you guys know, on. And just like that. And he's an incredible actor. He was the original George Washington in Hamilton, which my kids are, like, fully obsessed with him now.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Everyone is obsessed with him.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. And they. But they didn't know when they first came to set, they hadn't had their Hamilton discovery moment. And now they're just in disbelief like, mommy, you got to work with him. I'm like, yeah, I'm pretty sure you guys met him. But he wasn't dressed as Jordan. Right, right. They just didn't realize Jordan. So it's all very funny now. But, you know, what a dream team, you guys. I mean, in my mind, I'm just gonna say this. I don't know if it can happen. I guess it probably can't. But, like, I wanna see your show. Oh, wouldn't it be amazing? I don't know how to make that happen, but your whole family's existence, I love so much.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Wow.

[Kristin Davis]

Everything about it, all of your children, when you guys get dressed to go to the funeral of your father's character, just. It's a whole world that I want to be in.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was just talking about this and that. The show, the writers, MPK really did a great job in that. You know, they didn't slap spaghetti on the wall. They didn't make the Black family cookie cutter.

[Kristin Davis]

No.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

They really fleshed out everything. Like, you know, the art on the walls, the coffee cups I drank out of. We went hard on that art. And, you know, you guys made Karen Pittman's character real and my character real in a way that I was just. I was proud to be a part of.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank you.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You know, and so, yeah, I don't know. You never know.

[Kristin Davis]

You never know anything. Right? You never know anything.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

But then I have Billy Dee Williams play my father.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, what a dream.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And Jennifer Lewis.

[Kristin Davis]

Jennifer Lewis.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It was incredible.

[Kristin Davis]

It's incredible.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Casting did their thing. Yeah, didn't they? Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

But also, that was Susan. You know, that was Susan Felis Hill, who really had those inspirations and basically wrote that part for Jennifer Lewis and made it happen. You know, she's the engine behind.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Do you remember the table read?

[Kristin Davis]

Yes.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Oh, my God. She threw down. Like, the whole house was like, what oh, it was incredible at the table.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. To have.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I wish people could see them.

[Kristin Davis]

I agree. Because they are a very old school thing that we still do that. Michael comes from that, you know, old, old school sitcom world where the table read was very important and if. If jokes didn't hit, they would get cut.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

Which I kept trying to explain to my pretend children, like, please act at.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

The table read because I want your stay.

[Kristin Davis]

But they're kids and they don't. They're trying to be real or whatever or quiet. I don't know what they were trying to do.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Subtle.

[Kristin Davis]

But my mommy self was like, you guys, louder. You know, hit it, hit it. But because back in the olden days, as is kind of obvious when you watch the old episodes, mostly I am just wowed by the old episodes because I never rewatch till now, which is part of the fun of the podcast. I would watch once when it would. Right before it would air, they would give us a vhs and then I hadn't watched in many years. There's a storyline, B storyline, c storyline, d storyline, d storyline. You probably don't get much because there's just not time there. 22 minutes. Right, right. So if you went to that read through and didn't give it your all, you were probably on the chopping block.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Or maybe they filmed it and then it might get cut if it wasn't strong enough. But most of the time they would not. At the end, they would gauge it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

From the table read. Does this work? Is it not landing all that right? I remember the table reads being so powerful that I cried.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, me too.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I would cry at the table read while eating my little finger sandwich. It was rough sometimes. Yeah, yeah. With such good actors.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. And also the funny thing is that in the olden days, we were in a room like this size. But do you remember how big our.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Table got really lovely finger sandwiches.

[Kristin Davis]

60 people.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was like, can I take some of this home?

[Kristin Davis]

Definitely. But also, like, you're like at a theater. It's like a theater performance in a weird way. In a circle.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Circular theater performance. I know it's crazy to think about.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And everyone always asks me, what is.

[Kristin Davis]

Kristen like for real?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

What is sj? What is Cynthia?

[Kristin Davis]

What do you say?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I'm like, she is everything. She's so beautiful inside and out. So funny, so sincere. And like, one of the through lines of the things I would really feel about you three was that these are real women. They have full lives. They don't have their head in the sand. They know what's going on in the world. They are humans to the fullest.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank you.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I was just. I just fell in love even more.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank you. I mean, I do think that's true. It's like, when you have had this kind of weird level of success, which, of course, we're so thankful for, but people really do think that we're our characters and we're really not, you know? Do you think that?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah, I know it.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, we kind of are, but we kind of aren't.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Like, I mean, the essence of the characters, you know, of your real persons are there, but the facts of your real life are so grounded and human and actual. Like, lifing is happening.

[Kristin Davis]

100%. Lifing is happening. And that you fit right in, obviously, which is such a joy. But the funny thing, too, is, like, I had been on other sets back in the day before we started, and it's not that those people weren't real or weren't grounded, but, like, the things that they would talk about at work would be like, shopping or golf or, you know what I'm trying to say, Working out, like, very active, driven.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

But like you said, we had to become a family really fast.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And just what I loved about, you know, people talk about being a grown up. It's like, I love that we're grown.

[Kristin Davis]

Me too.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You know, like, maybe when I was 20, I would have talked to you about what eyeshadow you were wearing, but, like, and we kind of do still talk about what you're wearing.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, we might have that moment of the day, right?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

We might have it today.

[Kristin Davis]

Totally.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Because you are killing it with this show.

[Kristin Davis]

And you are killing it, baby.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

So I was like, you don't understand. We have real conversations about what's going on in the world. Our kids, our life, you know, and it was very fulfilling on screen and off.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, that makes me so happy. And that's the thing. Like, your post that you posted was so sweet, and so many, like Alexandra Bello, like, so, so many people have posted. And it is so deeply satisfying to know that we did create a place where people felt happy and welcome, because that is so important to us and so important to us when we were reconvening because we knew we wanted to expand the show, and we knew that we needed to make it a safe place for people to be who were new. And we knew that was intimidating and weird to come into a show that you've already watched. You know, like, where would you rank that in terms of, like, on your mind when you came? Do you know what I'm saying? Like, it was a different show, obviously, but yet kind of similar.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was excited.

[Kristin Davis]

Got it.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You know, it was half professional, half fangirl. That's good. That's good. You know, like, I wanted to come do my best.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. Thank you.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I felt lucky and honored to be a part of it, but I was also, the first couple of episodes, just a little starstruck, you know, and I'm a grown up, seasoned actor. And I was still a little like, oh, my God.

[Kristin Davis]

Seem it. You didn't seem it at all. You were fun. You were fun right away, you know, as was Sarita. The two of you are, like, so chill. You know what I mean? You really are. Like, I felt like it was just seamless. Wow. I did. I really did. I mean, I did. I did. You know, obviously, the whole. Whole costume situation, I was like, wow. Whoa. What on earth? Oh, my gosh. She can pull this off. And, whoa. It's incredible. But you were just like a breeze, you know, like the Valentino moment. I mean, like, they showed me when the headpiece arrived at costume.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I remember that day.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, they showed me, and I was like.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was like, people in the back. It was a full crate.

[Kristin Davis]

A full crate of this incredible. I'm sure you guys have seen the image, but if not, we'll put it on the social media. It's an incredible headpiece that covered her face. Okay. I was like, what?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It was like Silence of the Lambs under there. Yeah, like, full. The Philip Treacy made. It was on the, you know, in Rome. The fashion show in Rome. It just premiered.

[Kristin Davis]

Right. I was so scared. I was like, don't make Nicole wear this. But did you not only wear it, you, like, run down Fifth Avenue in that thing? I mean, it was incredible. It was so we could not have cast you better ever in our wildest dreams. You're just a dream, Nicole.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Thank you.

[Kristin Davis]

You really are.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I think it took, like, 50 years for me to be who I was when I was, like, a little girl. You know, my mom had bracelets and scarves in the 70s and Diana Ross in mahogany outfits, and so I would play in those clothes. But I also went to a private school, so I wore uniforms my whole life, like, second to 12th grade. And so here I was as an adult. And so I played lawyers, and I was very pulled together, and I was like, finally. Oh, you know, I love it.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, there's no better place to play than our world. Yeah, that's the other sad thing, and.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You know, the wardrobe, also, Molly and Danny, they did a lot of kind of feeling research, like, what they wanted to feel like. So the funeral scene, for example, you know, it was Coretta Scott King and Jackie O at their husband's funeral, Dr. King's funeral. And they really knew the historic power in a lot of the clothes that I was wearing.

[Kristin Davis]

Absolutely.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I were very intentional about that.

[Kristin Davis]

Absolutely.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And that just made me even more comfortable. So when she handed me two bags, I was like, I trust you, girl. I know. Cleopatra must have done this.

[Kristin Davis]

Absolutely. Absolutely. And, yes, you should play Cleopatra. Oh, my God, what a great idea. Or never. I know. The creativity just starts to bubble. I know. I love it. All right. Is there anything else you want to talk about before we move on?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

No.

[Kristin Davis]

Okay, let's do it. It's fun. It's so much fun. You're just so easy and joyful. I feel like you have just so much joy in everything you do.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Thank you.

[Kristin Davis]

I really do. Remember when we were running around doing that press, you just had so much joy. It's so nice. I'm serious.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I was exhausted, like you were. It was. People don't realize. It was, like, 47 interviews in one day in executives, like, every four minutes. Every four minutes.

[Kristin Davis]

Four minutes. It's hard.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And in heels and lashes. And I would look over at you and just be like, she's amazing.

[Kristin Davis]

And that's what I thought about you. You're amazing. And so incredibly chic. Oh, my God.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Thank you. And for people who don't know, like, it takes a lot of. For Kristin to say, that's enough. And this girl would be, like, beat down, cannot even say another word before she would say, can I just get a glass of water? Just give me a minute.

[Kristin Davis]

That's true, too. Every once in a while, I do have to remind myself that it's okay to ask for a break.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

You know? Cause I think we're both really good girls as much as we're also grown women.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

And I love that about you. And I feel like that also was, like, kind of a really special meeting place for LTW and Charlotte. You know, like, we had that kind of similar DNA, but at same time, we have to be there for each other. Like, it's okay to say it's hard to climb these rafters or whatever the heck. Do you know what I mean? It's okay to say that when you're getting up in your extremely structured couture skirt at the funeral after sitting on it for five Hours or whatever it was that. Can we have a moment to fix ourselves?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

You know what I mean?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And you would just get a little bite of a sandwich, and they'd be.

[Kristin Davis]

Like, we need you.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

You would get your lash fixed. You'd be like, okay, now I'm ready.

[Kristin Davis]

It's so true. It's so true. It's such an interesting thing. And I think it's an interesting thing about being a woman where you just feel like you're supposed to be all put together at all times, no matter what, you know, and that it's okay not to be, you know?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And I also think this. I saw this other thing, and I wanted to ask you your thoughts on it. I was looking at the press about the end of the show, which is quite interesting. I know, right?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

So interesting.

[Kristin Davis]

So interesting. And I'm collecting some ideas of how to talk about it on the podcast. Maybe some have some experts on. Someone wrote in the Atlantic a really interesting article about the lack of true dialogue in our. In our social media kind of world that is more just like shouting at each other and not actually deeply looking at something, which is interesting. And also, there's interesting thoughts and ideas about the parasocial relationship that people have with actors and celebrities and the projections and the amount of projection and kind of losing the limits of, you know.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And the safety of being able to project and have no reciprocation. Like, I can just throw, right. Tomato sauce on these people.

[Kristin Davis]

Right? Wherever. Whatever I'm feeling that day, Right? Because it literally took hours of us saying that the show was ending for people to be writing love letters to it. The people who had previously been very angry at whatever perceived misstep we had made in their mind or whatever. It was really amazing. So when I'm looking through the list of all the different articles, I see this one, and it says, the Erasure of Charlotte York. And I'm like, wait, wait, wait. Who. Who erased me? What? What? What? What? And I read the article, and it was by kind of a fashion magazine or digital magazine, I think. And it basically said, number one, that when I started. This is almost 30 years ago, when I started, I had frills in my clothing, and where were they? Okay, that's 30 years ago. Do we not want to change and grow a little bit? Like, Charlotte has stayed pretty true to her fashion sense. But it's 30 years later. I don't really think I need any more frills than I already have. People.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I have traversed the frill landscape thoroughly. Right.

[Kristin Davis]

And if I were wearing frills, I think they'd be complaining about that. And then the second thing they complained about in this article involves you. Which is why I wanted to get your thoughts on it. Remember the scene where we're walking? It was one of the last ones we filmed. We're walking and talking about your flirtation at work. You're flirting, and you're kind of telling me about it. Because you can't really talk about it. You're feeling a lot of guilt, even though you've done nothing with your flirtation at work. But you're feeling bad because you have a great marriage.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Right?

[Kristin Davis]

And obviously your marriage is incredibly important to you. And so you're talking to your friend about your. You know, I feel so uncomfortable about these thoughts and dreams that I had. I think you had a dream. Right? So. And I say something to you like, you know, you have a connection at work, and isn't this what we want? You're in a creative job, and you have a creative connection at work. So the person writing this article was all upset. You know, Charlotte York would never say that. Charlotte York would look down on that. Charlotte York would not be supporting that. That's not Charlotte York. Right. Like, very adamant. And to me, I think that's insane. Because why wouldn't there be some growth in Charlotte that she would be less judgmental than she might have been 30 years ago? And also, you're coming to me for, you know, like, reassurance and compassion and empathy, not judgment. Why would I judge you? You're not gonna do anything, and I know you're not gonna do anything. So I'm trying to make you feel better about your own thoughts. Cause you already feel so bad.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah. Well, I thought that that was such good writing because it showed that, like, exactly what you said, that these two women are actual friends in the sense that they really care about the choices they're about to make. And then for you to see, say, that was kind of like honoring the morality of Charlotte by putting this attraction in perspective. Like, this is just a creative space that gets the feelings going, but it's just a creative space. I thought that was, like, the most wholesome thing you could say to your friend and bring all of that fire down in your friend and don't ruin your marriage.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And don't overblow it. Right. And I just.

[Kristin Davis]

Isn't that crazy?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It's crazy, but I think when I hear that, you know, I think it was more about the writer. Right. That.

[Kristin Davis]

Right. It doesn't seem like that when you see at the time that clickbait headline, the Erasure of Charlotte Yorke, and then you actually read it, and you're like, what? I don't agree with anything this person's saying. No offense to you, whoever you are. I don't remember your name. But it just goes to show that, like, I feel like we're in a crazy time. I know. Behave myself. Behave. Kristin. It's a crazy time. It's really just what I want to say where, like, it's like the forest or loss for the trees or whatever that phrase is.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

Can't see the forest for the trees.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Can't see the forest for the trees. Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

I feel like it's like that. Do you know what I mean?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Like the nitpicking, nitpicking, nitpicking, where you don't even know the whole what's coming.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It reminds me of all of the family in a way.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Archie Bunker was representing a voice, and they let him say those things on the show. And when the Jeffersons were their neighbors before they had their spin off. And every now and then, Archie Bunker would have a moment of kindness or clarity or open to thoughts. And I read somewhere that people would get outraged that he still wasn't like, bam, bam, bam. And. But as a kid watching that, I was like. I was warmed by those moments, the complexities and the complexity of. Even if my young brain couldn't process it, I was like, oh, right. That's the right thing to say, you know, in my childlike mind. And that's how I felt about that scene.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And you know, what a wonderful thing, though, that people responded to, that we didn't even realize was our scene in the pool.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I got hundreds and hundreds of comments about every aspect of that scene. The silence between us, the fact. I mean, people saw our race in that scene and that how simple two women can be friends and that all the differences in them.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Don't matter when friends are friends.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

I got just exposes on it.

[Kristin Davis]

Amazing.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And it was just a small scene that we both were like, don't feel my butt.

[Kristin Davis]

Totally.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

And I'm in a bathing suit.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank God we're in the water, because.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

It'S 100 up to our neck.

[Kristin Davis]

Exactly. You know, that's beautiful. Well, that's the power. That's the power of. Of film, I think.

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

You know, and sometimes we forget about the power in the little things. That's really well put. And I'm glad that you got that. And I also. It just gives me faith in the human race, you know, that they can see good things, you know? Right?

[Nicole Ari Parker]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

You guys, this is so much fun that we are going to have to have a part two. So join us later in the week on Rus. Charlotte.

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[Kristin Davis]

This is an iHeart podcast.