We may not understand Severance, but Adam Scott KNOWS Sex and the City!

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "We may not understand Severance, but Adam Scott KNOWS Sex and the City!"

Podcast: Are You A Charlotte?
Host: Kristin Davis (with guest Adam Scott)
Date: October 20, 2025
Episode Overview: This episode features a heartfelt and insightful conversation between Kristin Davis (Charlotte York from Sex and the City) and actor Adam Scott (Severance, Parks and Recreation). The two discuss the enduring cultural impact of Sex and the City, behind-the-scenes stories, the complexities of their most iconic roles, generational changes in entertainment, and the relatable anxieties and joys of show business. Adam Scott proves himself a true fan and critic of Sex and the City, reflecting on its importance both personally and for society.

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Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. Podcasting, Video Media, & Audience (03:00–04:36)

• Podcast Approach: Adam Scott explains how his recap podcast for Severance was created in a hurry due to the need to re-engage fans after a three-year hiatus. The show is audio-only, despite the trend towards video podcasts.

• Production Shoutouts: Adam credits his wife, Naomi (who produced their podcast), and Pineapple Studios for making it sound professional and organized.

  “We put ours together in such a hurry ... Naomi was producing ... and Pineapple Studios is so great.”
  — Adam Scott (04:36)

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2. Adam Scott’s Relationship with Sex and the City (04:47–07:23, 22:29–23:55)

• Rewatching the Series: Adam Scott confesses to rewatching the entire series of Sex and the City multiple times—including during the pandemic when he had COVID, for comfort.

• Emotional Impact: The show became a source of solace and deep connection for him, especially when isolated and ill in New York.

• Legacy for New Generations: Adam finds meaning in the idea that his teenage daughter can access the show as a source of empowerment and representation.

  “Sex and the City was like the thing that I really connected to ... these people are here for me.”
  — Adam Scott (06:30)

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3. The Show’s Cultural Impact & Evolving Reception (07:23–13:22, 42:34–48:18)

• First Impressions & Criticism: Kristin shares early 2000s reviews full of misogyny and ageism, including critics focusing on the actresses’ appearances rather than the show's content.

• Fighting Off Stereotypes: She describes phases where Charlotte was seen as the “boring” or “prudish” character, and how the writing gradually deepened with time.

• Shifts Over Time: Both agree the show broke new ground for TV, discussed topics never spoken aloud before, and resonated so deeply it's now part of pop culture’s personality taxonomy (the "Are you a Charlotte/Miranda/Samantha/Carrie?" quiz).

• The Movie & Industry Struggles: Kristin discusses the behind-the-scenes negotiations for the first Sex and the City movie, including uncertain contracts and the project's eventual success against all odds.

  “For so long ... I was the boring one. I was the prude ... but we were allowed to develop over time, which is amazing and rare.”
  — Kristin Davis (08:28)

  “You guys were really zeroing in on something that had never been spoken out loud before.”
  — Adam Scott (10:11)

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4. Female Ambition, Social Media, & Changing Generational Attitudes (16:13–17:26)

• Ambition as a Dirty Word: Adam and Kristin reminisce about Gen X’s allergy to “selling out” or showing ambition—especially for women.

• Social Media Discomfort: Kristin grapples with the need to participate in social media as an actor, even feeling discomfort being filmed in her kitchen for content.

• Evolving Business Models: They discuss how acting careers have shifted, the commoditization of self, and learning to advocate for oneself.

  “When we started, there wasn’t social media ... that Gen X ethos of ... the last thing I want to do is appear like I’m selling out or reaching for something.”
  — Adam Scott (16:30)

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5. The Meaning of Success, Longevity, and Legacy (21:51–23:32, 47:04–48:18)

• Comfort TV & Cultural Longevity: Both reflect on how Parks and Rec and Sex and the City have become "comfort watches" for many.

• Changing with the Times: They recognize how shows grow, change, and take on new meanings as viewers and culture evolve.

• Surprised by Success: The cast never anticipated the extent of the show's impact or Emmy recognition.

  “You never know how something’s going to land or ... last, too.”
  — Adam Scott (22:22)

  “It never entered my mind ... We used to joke that Darren and I would joke we’d get a cable ACE award one day.”
  — Kristin Davis (47:13)

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6. Behind the Scenes: Writing, Character Development, and Creative Collaboration (38:41–46:22)

• Evolution of Charlotte: Kristin reveals that Charlotte was initially underwritten, not strongly present in Candace Bushnell’s columns, leaving space for collaborative creation.

• Writers’ Process: Showrunner Michael Patrick King developed the character by getting to know Kristin and worked closely with the actors; the team grew to include more women writers over time.

• Production Challenges: Early Sex and the City was a collaborative, often scrappy experience, with long hours and cross-purposed locations.

• Ownership & Respect: Kristin describes feeling heard and validated when advocating for Charlotte’s integrity and storyline—sometimes more so than by directors.

• Pressure to "Be Funny" and "Be Sexy": The show’s creators (esp. Darren Star) alternately pressured the cast to push for more comedy or more sex appeal.

  “At a certain point, you are the character better than any director that made.”
  — Adam Scott (09:53)

  “I knew the note I was supposed to play in the foursome ... but then I was trying to fill out the back ... the stuff that we do in acting class.”
  — Kristin Davis (38:56)

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7. The Guest Star Experience & Early Careers (23:55–27:20)

• ER Stories: Both recall their early days as guest stars on ER, sharing amusing stories of trying to stand out and the intimidating energy of an established hit show.

• Breaking In: They highlight the anxiety and creative hustle needed as a guest performer in established casts.

  “That being a guest star is hard ... everyone has a secret handshake ... you just want to make a mark somehow.”
  — Adam Scott (25:57)

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8. Meta Reflection: Severance and the Actor’s Double Life (27:52–30:30)

• Work-Life Duality: Kristin draws parallels between the Severance concept (personalities split between work and home) and the actor’s life—transforming into characters, spending long days in costume, and juggling private/public selves.

• Looney Tunes Metaphor: Adam recalls old cartoons where enemies would punch in at work and battle all day, then clock out as friends—mirroring the surreal world of acting and Severance.

  “You go in and you go down the elevator and you become your innie ... that’s like the hair and makeup trailer.”
  — Kristin Davis (28:17)

  “That’s why I liked it so much ... it felt like ... you get into your wardrobe ... and then you’re just in this different world for 12 hours.”
  — Adam Scott (30:07)

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9. Craft & Transformation: Hair, Makeup, and Key Collaborators (34:45–36:53)

• Appearance as Character: Kristin and Adam discuss the specificity of “innie” and “outie” hair in Severance. They praise legendary makeup artist Judy Chin for her technical and creative brilliance.

• Memorable Episodes: Adam references particular Sex and the City episodes (e.g., Charlotte in drag, Alanis Morissette’s cameo) and how Charlotte constantly contradicts expectations.

  “She did a beard on me in season two, and beards are hard. ... She did eyebrows on me when I had to be a man.”
  — Adam Scott (35:49, 36:01)

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10. Charlotte York: Growth, Depth, and Breaking the Mold (36:29–38:49)

• Not Just the Prude: Adam pushes back on the idea of Charlotte as a “boring” character, celebrating her complexity and arc.

• Character’s Journey: Kristin and Adam agree Charlotte’s relationships (especially with Kyle MacLachlan and later Harry) let her grow; she “isn’t that one thing at all.”

• Longevity: Kristin finds joy in playing a character for decades because Charlotte keeps evolving.

  “Charlotte really is ... constantly contradicting herself and breaking that mold ... she isn’t that one thing at all ... and is constantly surprising herself.”
  — Adam Scott (36:30)

  “When people say: ‘aren't you tired of playing the same character over 30 years?’ I'm like, no, no it’s not ... she grows and changes.”
  — Kristin Davis (36:56)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Comfort TV:

  “When people say to you ... that is comfort ... there’s no greater compliment.”
  — Kristin Davis (22:16)

• On Early Critical Reception:

  “At the time it was still like newspapers had ... older white men. They’d be like, ‘who do these women think they are?’ ... One was like, ‘I wouldn’t date any of these women. Except that brown haired one. She seems nice.’”
  — Kristin Davis (12:16)

• On Aging and Double Standards:

  “To see Noah [Wyle] aging and deepening ... no one complains about that. Right? But yet they complain about our faces ... it’s annoying.”
  — Kristin Davis (27:17)

• On Taking Risks in Creative Careers:

  "You get a creative idea, you get charged up, you get excited ... we didn’t necessarily think about all the people who aren’t our age ... But whatever, we did it. And I stand by it."
  — Kristin Davis (11:45)

• On Showrunner Pressure:

  “Whenever [Darren Star] got panicked ... ‘You’ve got to be funny, okay? You’ve got to be funny.’ ... The next week, he’d come down: ‘You guys, you have to be sexy.’”
  — Kristin Davis (43:00)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:00] — Kristin welcomes Adam Scott
• [04:35] — Adam discusses why their Severance podcast is audio-only
• [06:30] — Adam opens up about his deep connection to Sex and the City
• [08:28] — Kristin on the long process of Charlotte’s character growth
• [10:11] — Adam comments on how the show broke taboos
• [12:16] — Kristin shares stories of early critical hostility
• [16:30] — Adam and Kristin on Gen X, ambition, and social media
• [22:16] — Discussing the joy of being a comfort watch
• [25:57] — Adam and Kristin recall guest star struggles
• [27:52] — Kristin’s “Severance is like acting” analogy
• [34:45] — Hair, makeup, and appreciation for Judy Chin
• [36:53–38:49] — Charlotte’s complexity and growth
• [43:00] — On the frantic and fun early days, showrunner pressure
• [47:13] — Recognition from the industry, cable Ace award joke

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Overall Tone & Takeaway

Playful, affectionate, and candid, the conversation blends nostalgia with sharp commentary on media, celebrity, and creative risk. Adam Scott’s fandom brings a fresh outside perspective, and Kristin’s honesty about her journey as Charlotte York humanizes an icon. The episode is a treat for Sex and the City devotees and a thoughtful reflection for anyone curious about the evolution of TV, the lives of working actors, and the invisible labor behind cultural phenomena.

Transcript

[Kristin Davis]

This is an iHeart podcast. AG's new Fall 2025 collection, from Canvas to Cloth, is inspired by artists and their studios. As someone who plays a character deeply rooted in the art world, it truly feels like something Charlotte would love. The collection blends creativity with wearability, from soft knits and suedes to new denim silhouettes like the Boyfriend Fit for women. It's relaxed, effortless and so chic. And it's not just for women. AG has great pieces for men, too, perfect for dressing the whole family. The Fall 2025 collection is available now at agjeans.com and use code KRISTIN15 for 15% off your next order. I'm going to be using my own discount, you guys. I'm so excited.

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[Adam Scott]

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[Kristin Davis]

Hi, I'm Kristen Davis, and I want to know, are you a Charlotte? You guys, I do have Adam Scott here.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Yes, you do.

[Kristin Davis]

I'll just say it out loud, just on the air, because there's also the weird YouTube of it all now.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, right. That. You. You guys on YouTube. We do, yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Do you guys.

[Adam Scott]

No, because we don't film it.

[Kristin Davis]

Really interesting. When I first came to I Heart, they didn't film it, but I listened to the Town.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And on the Town, they said that video is the new audience.

[Adam Scott]

So I was like, oh, it really is.

[Kristin Davis]

Gotta catch up.

[Adam Scott]

I know. We just. We just didn't. We. You know what? We put ours together in such a hurry. Oh. Because we were. It was like, the show's coming out in. In January, and I guess it was around November. Ben and I, in particular, were worried about the people who watched season one Right. Coming back first because it had been three years.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God. Three.

[Adam Scott]

Three years.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Scott]

Calendar years.

[Kristin Davis]

And also, it's so dense in plot.

[Adam Scott]

Yes. So we were. We. We didn't know if people would watch. All we wanted was those who saw the first season to come back. And so my wife Naomi was like, you guys should do a podcast. Yes. And so we did, like, a recap podcast of the first season and then did it for season two. So it was kind of in a hurry. So we. As far as video. Video and stuff, we just didn't have the wherewithal or time.

[Kristin Davis]

Well, it doesn't seem in a hurry. It seems very organized.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, thanks. Well, that's because Naomi was producing Naomi. Okay. And also, Pineapple Studios is so great. And they made it too.

[Kristin Davis]

Got it. Got it. Well, I love it.

[Adam Scott]

Thanks.

[Kristin Davis]

I also love the show Severance, obviously. But also I really, really love Parks and Rec.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, thanks.

[Kristin Davis]

So when you were on Amy's podcast.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

I was like, adam's on Amy's podcast.

[Adam Scott]

That's where I talked about Sex in.

[Kristin Davis]

The City, which really made my day. I was so excited. It was so funny.

[Adam Scott]

That was great. When you reached out after that. That was a big deal.

[Kristin Davis]

I'm so glad. It's adorable. I mean, also, it was so funny because, you know, she does that thing where at the end of her podcast, she says, what's making you laugh these days? And you said, Sex and City. And she was like, really?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

I was like, amy, it's not that crazy. You know, Maybe.

[Adam Scott]

Maybe. Yeah. I. I think it. I think I also presented it as a thing Like, I'm not gonna. Because usually you talk about something that's. That's like on right now.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And Sex in the City is something that I watched while it was on.

[Kristin Davis]

Okay.

[Adam Scott]

I rewatched it again during the pandemic. Wow. And then when we recorded the. The podcast, I was in the midst of another rewatch in Ireland or whatever.

[Kristin Davis]

When you were away.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Got it.

[Adam Scott]

And. And so it's just a show that I don't. Do you want to talk about? Yeah, okay. Okay.

[Kristin Davis]

I totally did.

[Adam Scott]

It's so important. And I think the importance of it really hit me the. The second time. The second time I watch it through during the pandemic.

[Kristin Davis]

It.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. I started it when I had Covid. Pre vaccine.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

So we were shooting the show and had to shut down because I had it.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, no.

[Adam Scott]

And it was pre vaccine. If you got Covid. It was hardcore, man. Like you're down for two weeks and you're very sick. Yeah. And you're by yourself because no one. And I was out in New York by myself anyway.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

So anyway, Sex in the City was like the thing that I really connected to. And you know, when you're watching a show on a loop and you have a fever, you're like, these people are here for me. And so I had this. I had this real connection to it. Oh, I love it. And had watched it while it was on, but at this time I was really zeroing in on it for how excellent it was as a show. Just really breaking the form and doing something new with it. And these characters are just so fascinating. But then the next time I went through it this year, I think I was really zeroing in on how important the show is. I mean, really. And also being the father of a teenage daughter and something like this, being out in the world there for her whenever she wants, it is really cool.

[Kristin Davis]

I was wondering, has she watched.

[Adam Scott]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

Okay. And what. How old is.

[Adam Scott]

She's watching it right now. 17.

[Kristin Davis]

Got it. Oh, that's good. I have a 14 year old girl and I haven't really let her or watch it yet, though some of her friends have. Right. Who are maybe a little bit more, you know, less sheltered or whatever. And also. Cause it's me. It's weird, I would imagine, you know, it's strange. So I can't decide the right. Because people keep saying, like, you should just let Gemma watch it. And I mean, kind of, I feel like, yes. You know, because it is. It's got so much stuff in there that is. You're not really gonna hear other places. And it's done without shame. You know, the whole idea.

[Adam Scott]

That's key.

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Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

So I like that. And I like her having access in a way where, you know, the ethos is correct.

[Adam Scott]

Yes. You know, but also, I think it would be great for her to watch it whenever you're ready for her to watch it. Because Charlotte is so complicated.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank you.

[Adam Scott]

And so contradictory.

[Kristin Davis]

Adam, thank you so much.

[Adam Scott]

Don't you think?

[Kristin Davis]

Definitely. I think. Definitely.

[Adam Scott]

I think in really interesting ways.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank you. Thank you. I mean, it's really nice that you especially would feel that way. Cause obviously, I admire your work and you've been around a long time, and I think you're really smart. But also, in general, it's been interesting because it's been almost 30 years that before we, you know, filmed the pilot, there's been so many phases. And for so long, like, I would say a good decade. I was the boring one. I was the prude.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. No, but.

[Kristin Davis]

Right, right. But it's so interesting to watch. Like, first of all, we were allowed to develop over time, which is amazing and rare. And we had incredible writers that, you know, deepened and deepened and deepened and deepened that we knew so well. So they were really, like, bespoke writing.

[Adam Scott]

You know, for me, writing for you.

[Kristin Davis]

Which is, like, the greatest gift. It's the best an actor could ever have.

[Adam Scott]

And that was really great writing.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, it's beyond. Like, when I look back, I mean, I knew at the time. We all knew at the time because they were also right there. Like, in television, you know, you have the joy of really having a collaborative experience with your writers. So they were always with us. And Michael Patrick was always available. Like, there were a few times early on where, you know, they might go home at 4am or whatever it was. Do you mean. And if a director, you know, didn't get, like. Because sometimes they wouldn't really get Charlotte. And they would try to tell me, like, you need to do this. I'd be like, no, no, you don't understand, Charlotte. I'd call Michael up, I'd wake him up. Help. Help. Can you call?

[Adam Scott]

At a certain point, you are no. The character better than any director that made.

[Kristin Davis]

And Michael supported that. You know, so even though we didn't have a producing credit in the beginning at all, so Jessica did, but the rest of us didn't. We were very included and respected and collaborated with and all of those things that make for great.

[Adam Scott]

Well, that shows. Right.

[Kristin Davis]

You know, this is what you need.

[Adam Scott]

Because it is interesting how, like the name of the podcast. Are you a Charlotte? Are you a Miranda? Are you that. That is a. An incredible marketing tool and also shows just how much it was resonating culturally at the time, because it really is. I mean, you guys were really zeroing in on something that had never been spoken out loud before.

[Kristin Davis]

It's true.

[Adam Scott]

Like, truly.

[Kristin Davis]

I know.

[Adam Scott]

And, and, and watching the show, thinking about all of this stuff that you guys were doing and saying, thinking about those things being said for the first time.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

That really drives home how important the show is.

[Kristin Davis]

True. It's true.

[Adam Scott]

Or a lot of it not.

[Kristin Davis]

And also, I mean, like, we were trying to be funny too, right?

[Adam Scott]

I know. That's the thing.

[Kristin Davis]

And that's the thing that was great about it. And I think we knew, like, there was a lot of, like, we had to wade through a lot of negative at the beginning because people were like, who do they think they are? You know, Which I think that, that. That we had a new version of that within. Just like that. Because now we're older. Right. So people are. Have a lot of feelings about that.

[Adam Scott]

Interesting. About what?

[Kristin Davis]

It's a different show, which I also think we knew that we were trying to make a different show, but that's a weird thing to do, to take the same characters and make a different show with a different tone and adding new characters.

[Adam Scott]

And was it like, how dare these women who are in their 50s do and say that? Interesting.

[Kristin Davis]

And also we don't, because we weren't obviously, still. We had different subject matter that you were dealing with in your 40s, right? Yeah, yeah. Like death and cancer.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

It's funny to say it out loud because we were still trying to be funny. So it was a big. It was a big ask.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Right. And I think we were. I at least was a little naive about. About that. Like, we just thought, like, yeah, let's do it. You know, because you get a creative idea, you get charged up, you get excited. And we didn't necessarily think about all the people who aren't our age and that they would feel feelings about that. You know what I'm saying? But whatever, we did it. And I stand by it, you know what I'm saying? Because that's what you have to do when you do creative things. Right, Right.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. You never know how it's going to be received.

[Kristin Davis]

You have to choose, and you can't control it. You can't control it. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

At all.

[Kristin Davis]

But the thing in the beginning was that, like, I would say at Least the first two years. A lot of the. At the time it was still like, you know, newspapers had like reviewers and they were older white men.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

They'd be like, who do these women think they. You know. And then one was like, I wouldn't date any of these women. Except for that brown haired one. She seems nice. I mean, like the most insane.

[Adam Scott]

Jesus.

[Kristin Davis]

You know? And then I remember when we did the first film. Even I don't know how much I should say, but a big deal reviewer that we would all be looking to like, what is this newspaper going to say? The entire first paragraph was about whether the four of us had Botox or not.

[Adam Scott]

Wow.

[Kristin Davis]

Like, what the.

[Adam Scott]

Like a big reviewer or is.

[Kristin Davis]

There's a woman.

[Adam Scott]

A woman. Jesus.

[Kristin Davis]

Can you believe? Like. And you're just like, what? Wait, what?

[Adam Scott]

What?

[Kristin Davis]

What?

[Adam Scott]

Well, I do remember culturally when the first movie came out, everybody being like, this is adorable. They're gonna put a. A sex in the right. As if anyone really wants this or needs this.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

And then it was huge.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

Against all odds, I went opening weekend with my wife.

[IBM AI Announcer]

You did?

[Adam Scott]

Oh, of course.

[Kristin Davis]

That's adorable.

[Adam Scott]

Of course. And it was packed at the arc light.

[Kristin Davis]

With the arc light.

[Adam Scott]

How magical. Having a blast in their outfits. I'm sure, I'm sure. I just, I. I wasn't like.

[Kristin Davis]

You weren't thinking about. I understand.

[Adam Scott]

But it felt like a cultural moment and was like, holy. Yeah. Sex in the City. Because it had only been off the air for a few years at that point.

[Kristin Davis]

Right. Well, more years than we had planned. Because we wanted to do it. Right. And when I had Chris Albrecht on, which was really fun. Cause he was in charge of HBO original and then HBO and then he is the one. They kind of had an idea together. Michael Patrick's there, Jessica and he. But it was HBO within the Time Warner umbrella. No one knew who was going to finance it or distribute it.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, I see.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[IBM AI Announcer]

Okay.

[Kristin Davis]

So he commissioned the script from Michael Patrick. He had all of us on hold and it was part of our bigger contract. You know how as you go along in the show, your contract gets more.

[Adam Scott]

And more complicated as they pay you.

[Kristin Davis]

More, as you're trying to get more money. You have to give more things.

[Adam Scott]

That's right.

[Kristin Davis]

So we had. That had been part of what we'd had to give to. I'm just gonna get specific for everyone. I hope it's okay to get a point. So the rest of us didn't have.

[Adam Scott]

An option for a movie.

[Kristin Davis]

Exactly, exactly. Which of course, I. I mean, I Was like, you. You could pay me nothing, and I would do the movie, you know, like, my God, of course I do the movie. But I'm not gonna be stupid either, right? So they were gonna pay us what I thought was a fine amount, and they paid us just a little bit to hold us, But I still was like, call me when the movie's ready, and I'll be there wherever it is, you know?

[Adam Scott]

So did it end up being like three years?

[Kristin Davis]

So then it didn't. They let the hold expire.

[Adam Scott]

Oh.

[Kristin Davis]

Because they couldn't figure out.

[Adam Scott]

Fantastic.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, yes and no. You know what I'm saying?

[Adam Scott]

Well, but you can renegotiate.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. Yes. But was dicey. Let me put it that way, okay. It was for me, that this thing.

[Adam Scott]

Might never get made.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. Yes, definitely. And also, like, because I really felt like we should get to do that and how amazing that we would get to make a movie. And this is not normal. That a TV show that no one ever thought was gonna succeed. Like we did about women at the time over 30, which was like, right. We would then get to make a movie. I mean, I was like, this is a blessing. An insane, like, amazing situation. Let's just do it for free. You know, that's me. Right.

[Adam Scott]

But don't do it for free.

[Kristin Davis]

And I didn't, obviously. Obviously I didn't. And are people around me to protect.

[Adam Scott]

Me from those impulses, but those also as actors. And I know that you started out doing guest spots and then Melrose Place, and. And we always have this mentality. And I still do.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Which is something that I have to fight against, too. Which is. Yeah, whatever you want. You know, it's hard. You really. It is something you have to.

[Kristin Davis]

You have to work hard at, because it's not like. And I think it's so different now. The business is so different now. And not also changing as we speak. Right. But, like, you have to think in a different way about, like, you're a commodity. And that's not how we started. That's not what we wanted. We were never thinking that.

[Adam Scott]

No.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

When we started, there wasn't social media and that Gen X ethos of I. The last thing I want to do is appear like I'm selling out or reaching for something.

[Kristin Davis]

Totally.

[Adam Scott]

Which I still fight.

[Kristin Davis]

It's hard.

[Adam Scott]

It is.

[Kristin Davis]

It is hard.

[Adam Scott]

Because, you know, even the generation behind us was like, yeah, I don't care if anyone sees me reaching for something or sees my. Or upfront with ambition.

[Kristin Davis]

It was.

[Adam Scott]

It was sort of a dirty word. When we were.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And it's even more complicated for women too.

[Kristin Davis]

100. Oh yeah. If you said ambition.

[Adam Scott]

Far more complicated.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes, it's. I knew what you meant if you said ambition. I mean, people just like, I know. Shut down in the weirdest, weirdest way. Yes. But now, I mean, and there's a lot I have to push through a lot of that. Like, I have younger people who help me with my social media and they're like, we're gonna film you in the kitchen. And part of me is like, no.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Kristin Davis]

You're still like, ah. And you're like, I gotta.

[Adam Scott]

I gotta breathe with it.

[Kristin Davis]

I gotta breathe with it. But yeah, it's very, very different. As someone who's played a gallerist and spent years walking through the art world in Heels, AG's new fall collection, From Canvas to Cloth honestly feels like something Charlotte York would live in. It's inspired by artists and their studios think rich textures, beautiful craftsmanship, and pieces that feel both refined and expressive. Very. Gallery opening in Chelsea, meets weekend in the Hamptons. The new Boyfriend Fit jeans are my absolute favorite. They're slouchy in just the right way, but flattering but relaxed and go with everything. And the collection includes soft corduroys, my favorite suede, and luxury knits that feel so timeless. AG also leads the way in lower impact denim production, which makes me feel even better about investing in these pieces because style and sustainability should go hand in hand. The From Canvas to Cloth collection is out now@ag jeans.com use code KRISTIN15 to take an exclusive 15% off your next order, even if you've already purchased from the site before. You guys, this means I can use my own code and I'm also wearing the Boyfriend jeans right now. Love them so much.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this fall, take care of the little ones in the family with Baby Club Savings now through November 4, spend $25 on select Baby Club products and save $5. Shop for items like Pedias Shore bottles, Pedialyte powder packs, Huggies baby wipes, Huggies diapers, Gerber puffs, and Gerber pouches, and save $5 when you buy $25 or more on participating products. Offer ends November 4th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[LifeLock / PayPal Announcer]

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a reminder that your digital life is always at risk. Every day, hackers steal identity, drain bank accounts and open fraudulent accounts. LifeLock is here with Tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim Use strong passwords, set up Multi factor authentication on your accounts, report scams and update the software on your devices. And for peace of mind, get LifeLock. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, LifeLock plans include the million dollar protection package, meaning LifeLock will reimburse you to your plan's limits if you lose money due to identity theft. Stay smart, stay safe and stay protected. Get comprehensive identity protection with a 30 day free trial at lifelock.com, use promo code NEWS that's lifelock.com promo code NEWS for 30 days. Free terms apply.

[IBM AI Announcer]

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[Adam Scott]

In the.

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[Ryan Seacrest]

Carrie Bradshaw ended up on her own. But you don't have to. Not if you listen to I Do Part 2. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kristin Davis]

I love that you know, those of us who are lucky enough to still be in it and working that we're, you know, that we're still here. Right. And that, you know, like for instance, severance. I mean like if you were to look at Parks and Rec, which is one of my all time favorite shows in the world and like you and Amy talked about, you know when people say to you, which also is how we feel about Sex and City, that is comfort. Like a comfort watch. There's no greater compliment.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And we weren't ever thinking like that back then. You never know. No, you know, you never know.

[Adam Scott]

You never know how something's going to land or if. If. Or how something will last too.

[Kristin Davis]

Right? Right. And over time it changes and shifts, which is so amazing. And I had no idea you that you'd watch the show three Times. I thought you were just watching it because you were talking about the freshness of it.

[Adam Scott]

Like, it was my first time.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Scott]

No, but I was rediscovering certain things about it going entire thing again. And it's tough to start the show and not work your way through the.

[Kristin Davis]

Whole thing, which is so nice.

[Adam Scott]

It is.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Especially since the first season and a half just form. It's just so different.

[Kristin Davis]

So different.

[Adam Scott]

Because you have the talking heads and.

[Kristin Davis]

People on the street.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. And we're breaking the fourth wall, which was very hard to do.

[Adam Scott]

But then when you guys found it and settled into what it was.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes.

[Adam Scott]

Than it really. But it still worked in that other form. It was just not. You know, every show has to find itself.

[Kristin Davis]

Absolutely, absolutely. But let me just say quickly about severance. I don't want to go down a severance thing, because I feel like you just talked about severance for so many months. But, like, with the lead up to the Emmys, I was like, poor Adam. Oh, my God. Like, you talked to everyone.

[Adam Scott]

I know.

[Kristin Davis]

I was impressed. Okay. I was impressed. And I also just want to say, side note that I wasn't watching the Emmys because with my kids and we don't watch stuff like that, but I had my alerts on because I was really pulling for you. Like, in my mind, you are the winner. I love Noah as well, but, I mean, he's great. I mean, he's incredible, and it's so wonderful to see him back, obviously. But I also really, really wanted you to win. I just want to see.

[Adam Scott]

You know, one of my very first jobs ever was ER and the first season of ER. YouTube. First season here, too.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. It was such a big deal.

[Adam Scott]

Crazy.

[Kristin Davis]

Who did you play? What did you do?

[Adam Scott]

I played a someone. I had, like, three lines. I got in a car accident or something.

[Kristin Davis]

Me as well. I had a sick child, I want to say. And I went to season one. Oh, my God. There you are. Look at. Oh, my God. You have a whole neck brace on.

[Adam Scott]

Yep.

[Kristin Davis]

Wasn't it fun to be on that set?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. I remember I forgot I took the thing out of my nose between takes and forgot to put it in.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, no.

[Adam Scott]

And they got pissed off that I had forgotten.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, no. Did they do, like, many, many, many takes?

[Adam Scott]

I don't remember, but I remember it was a lot of, like, one or like, it was on me from being rolled into the hospital.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, yeah. Those were the big takes. Those were the big takes. I went and, like, kind of hung out because I was so into it. And you could feel the energy, that it was a hit. Yeah. Right away.

[Adam Scott]

I think when I remember when I did my episode, it was. George Clooney was on the COVID of TV Guide.

[Kristin Davis]

Wow.

[Adam Scott]

The week I was there, and that was the first time he had been on the COVID And everyone was like, holy, George is on the COVID of TV Guide. What the is going on? And so it was right when it was starting to pop. Sorry, what we're saying.

[Kristin Davis]

My scenes were with George. So, you know, it was really fun. Yeah. And I had to flirt with him. And my big challenge in my mind was, how do I get this guy, like, off his game? Because he was so, like, he'd been working for so long, and he was so ready, and he was so in charge. Jeremias. And they were really little scenes. Right. But I was like, I gotta get his attention somehow. So I was like, mess with his foot, like, under the camera lens. And you know what I mean? I. He was just like, what are you doing? You know what? I did get his attention.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, yeah, you did.

[Kristin Davis]

And it was fun. Yes, I did. Yes, it did.

[Adam Scott]

Great.

[Kristin Davis]

And that, you know, that was when you were a guest star, you kind of had to, you know, be creative. Right. About how to make it work.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, I, I. That being a guest star is hard.

[Kristin Davis]

Very hard.

[Adam Scott]

Particularly when it's just hard because, you know, everyone has a secret handshake and they're all friends and they're tired and. And you're. Particularly when you're starting out and you just wanna.

[Kristin Davis]

You're so excited.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, you're so excited. You just want to, like, make a mark somehow and do something special or interesting. Yeah, yeah. They were very nice, but I'm glad. Yeah.

[Lenovo Announcer]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Noah's a big thing. And I remember one day I went and Noah was there. And of course, he was so young, you know, when he and George were doing tricks in the wheelchair, like wheelies and whatever. And I was like, this is a trip and a. And they did, like, 36 takes of one of those really complicated oners where literally the entire cast is there crossing through and doing all that super creative stuff, which was really fun to watch and so different. And I feel like sometimes. Sometimes that was a procedural medical show, but yet it broke the mold.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, it was a brand new thing.

[Kristin Davis]

It was a brand new vibe and visuals and all of that. And that's just partly why it hit. And the pit, I think, for Noah and also, I think, like, to see Noah aging and deepening, and it's one of Those things where I'm like, see, like, no one complains about that. Right? But yet they complain about our faces. Like, it's annoying.

[Adam Scott]

Ridiculous.

[Kristin Davis]

Right? But like, no, it's like, it's gorgeous.

[IBM AI Announcer]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

He's very handsome man.

[Kristin Davis]

He was always so handsome.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

But now he's like a man. Like a man. And like the soulness, soulfulness in his just standing there, you know, is so incredible. But I still wanted you to win. And I was really like. I was. I was like, oh, no, you guys. I said to my kids, and they were like, what? And my daughter has not watched Severance, though she knows about it because her. Her friends talk about it and I talk about it. But. But I was like, Adam didn't win, but the. A lot of the other cast won, which was great.

[Adam Scott]

Yes. Yeah. Brit and Trammel, which is great.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, they're incredible. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

I do have this weird actor theory. And I don't know if it's already out there, but when I watch the show, the thing that I think about, you know, when you're working, like, first of all, whenever they show that parking lot outside the building, it's so sad, you know? And sometimes when you're shooting on a lot, not. Not Warner Brothers or not even this weird deserted Disney lot, but like, you know, you go sometimes to some weird places, Right. That are desolate, kind of like. Right.

[Adam Scott]

Like weird locations.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, weird locations. And then when you go in and you go down the elevator and you become your innie. I'm like, that's like the hair and makeup trailer.

[Adam Scott]

Totally.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And then you're like one person during the day, meaning you're kidding. Character at work. But also you're with a whole bunch of different people, but it's very intense. And then some people. Not you or I, of course, but some people have affairs on sets.

[Adam Scott]

That's right.

[Kristin Davis]

And then you have to choose.

[Adam Scott]

That's right. Between your outside world and the inside.

[Kristin Davis]

World and the inside world and which one's more powerful. That's what I think about when I watch it.

[Adam Scott]

So funny.

[Kristin Davis]

But it leaves out so many levels. Of course, the corporate world and, you know, it leaves out a lot.

[Adam Scott]

You know what I loved when I was a kid? I was the. One of the. Remember when, like the Looney Tunes cartoons would have. There was like Bugs Bunny and stuff, but then they would also have these like, one offs.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Like characters.

[Kristin Davis]

Like a bottle episode.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, it was like bottle episodes, but there were. Or I guess it was a recurring thing where every once in a While they would have a. Two animals, I think it was like, I don't know, for sake of argument, a. A coyote and a rabbit.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

And they would walk to work together and chit chat and they were buddies. They would put their lunch in their locker and they're chit chatting the whole time. They would punch in. Oh, and then they would chase each other all day.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Scott]

And they were enemies. Like.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, it's just like that.

[Adam Scott]

Pushing, you know, anvils on each other and stuff.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God. Pictures. Amazing. It's a.

[Adam Scott]

She's a dog and the coyote. And then at the end of the day, they would punch out and then they would chit chat and walk home together.

[Kristin Davis]

Love it.

[Adam Scott]

And that was fascinating. As a little kid, for whatever reason, that struck a chord with me, and that's always what I thought about with severance too, was like, it's also like acting.

[Kristin Davis]

It is like, you know, you walk your. And then you, you know, shoot guns at people.

[Adam Scott]

That's why I liked it so much, is because it felt like.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And I. When I was a little kid, I think I knew that I wanted to be in movies or TV shows or whatever, and maybe that just kind of fit in, that sort of.

[Kristin Davis]

I think it definitely does.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Yeah, probably.

[Kristin Davis]

It definitely does. And I mean, I know there's a lot more to severance. I don't mean to say.

[Adam Scott]

No, no, no.

[Kristin Davis]

Not at all.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

Like that also, that's when you know something works, is when your own things on it.

[Adam Scott]

But it is. It's like going and getting into your wardrobe and hair and makeup and then you're just in this different world for 12 hours.

[Kristin Davis]

Exactly. As someone who's played a gallerist and spent years walking through the art world in Heels, AG's new fall collection, From Canvas to Cloth, honestly, feels like something Charlotte York would live in. It's inspired by artists and their studios think rich textures, beautiful craftsmanship, and pieces that feel both refined and expressive.

[Adam Scott]

Very.

[Kristin Davis]

Gallery opening in Chelsea meets weekend in the Hamptons. The new boyfriend Fit jeans are my absolute favorite. They're slouchy in just the right way, flattering, but relaxed and go with everything. And the collection includes soft corduroys, my favorite suede, and luxury knits that feel so timeless. AG also leads the way in lower impact denim production, which makes me feel even better about investing in these pieces because style and sustainability should go hand in hand. The From Canvas to Cloth collection is out [e-mail] use code KRISTEN15 to take an exclusive 15% off your next order, even if you've already purchased from the site before. You guys, this means I can use my own code and I'm also wearing the boyfriend jeans right now. Love them so much.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway this fall. Take care of the little ones in the family with Baby Club Savings now through November 4th. Spend $25 on select Baby Club products and save $5. Shop for items like Pediasure bottles, Pedialyte Powder, Pac Huggies, baby wipes, Huggies diapers, Gerber Puffs and Gerber pouches, and save $5 when you buy $25 or more on participating products. Offer ends November 4th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[LifeLock / PayPal Announcer]

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a reminder that your digital life is always at risk. Every day, hackers steal identities, drain bank accounts, and open fraudulent accounts. LifeLock is here with tips to help prevent you from becoming a victim. Use strong passwords, set up Multi Factor Authentication on your accounts, report scams and update the software on your devices. And for peace of mind, get LifeLock. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, lifelong LifeLock plans include the million dollar protection package, meaning LifeLock will reimburse you to your plan's limits if you lose money due to identity theft. Stay smart, stay safe and stay protected. Get comprehensive identity protection with a 30 day free trial at lifelock.com use promo code news that's lifelock.com promo code news for 30 days. Free terms.

[IBM AI Announcer]

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[Adam Scott]

In the.

[Lenovo Announcer]

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[Kristin Davis]

The thing that also makes me think about it is your hair. Yes, because when you're an innie, that hair is placed very specifically. Man I mean, how much work goes into that?

[Adam Scott]

A lot.

[Kristin Davis]

It really makes me laugh. I can see it when I'm watching it. But then you have the contrast of you being your outie and your hair's all a mess all over the place, which is adorable. But also, does Judy Chin do your show?

[Adam Scott]

She did in season two.

[Kristin Davis]

Love Judy Chin.

[Adam Scott]

Judy's the best so much.

[Kristin Davis]

She did our show for a very long time and I want to have her on the podcast, but we can't find her.

[Adam Scott]

She should.

[Kristin Davis]

Judy, isn't she just the best?

[Adam Scott]

And now has an Academy Award sitting.

[Kristin Davis]

At home, which is incredible.

[Adam Scott]

It's incredible. She won it while we were shooting the show.

[Kristin Davis]

Amazing. Amazing. She, towards the end, was flip flopping Sarah Jessica and I. Because Sarah Jessica worked more hours than I did, so. And she'd already had a child. And also my makeup artist, Nikki Lederman had had a child. So everyone was trying to not have to do Sarah all the time. Sure. Because they were trying to live through, like, their family life.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

So they'd flip us back and forth and they're both incredible. But I think what they do is so amazing and it's fun to talk to them.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

You know?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. And Judy. Judy's one of those people who's just like, she did a beard on me in season two, and beards are hard.

[Kristin Davis]

It's her specialty.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

She did eyebrows on me when I have to be a man.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, I just watched that episode this morning.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Scott]

Yes. With you and Dominic Donovan.

[Kristin Davis]

Donovan Leach.

[Adam Scott]

Donovan Leach, Yes. I just watched that this morning.

[Kristin Davis]

That's funny. What'd you think?

[Adam Scott]

It's great.

[Kristin Davis]

It's weird, isn't it?

[Adam Scott]

I mean, I just watched it like six months ago or whatever.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a weird one. It's funny and weird.

[Adam Scott]

And that's. I remember that was a big deal because Alanis Morissette is in that episode. That was everywhere.

[Kristin Davis]

Can you believe?

[Adam Scott]

I know. But that was such a great Charlotte moment too, because Charlotte really is, like I said, she really. She's constantly contradicting herself and breaking that mold. That was a great sort of general tool for the show. But within the kind of guts of the show. She is not that one thing at all.

[Kristin Davis]

No.

[Adam Scott]

And is constantly surprising herself.

[Kristin Davis]

Thank God.

[Adam Scott]

Right?

[Kristin Davis]

Thank God. That's why she's so fun. Like when people say, like, are you tired of playing the same character over 30 years? I'm like, no, no, it's not.

[Adam Scott]

Because it's.

[Kristin Davis]

She grows and changes totally Everyone does.

[Adam Scott]

But also when she. I think the. The relationship with Kyle MacLachlan.

[Kristin Davis]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

Is where she really grows. Like, I feel like she. She never would have have been able to find Harry without the relationship with Kyle.

[Kristin Davis]

Definitely. Definitely, definitely, definitely.

[Adam Scott]

Like, that is just kind of made her so much stronger.

[Kristin Davis]

Definitely.

[Adam Scott]

Ready to really find the person she loves most.

[Kristin Davis]

Definitely. And, I mean, when I watched this episode that we're going to talk about, because obviously we have other things to talk about that are really fun, but we will talk about the episode when. So would they. Michael Patrick would sit us down before every season. I don't know if you guys do this. Did on Parks and Record, did it on severance or whatever. I mean, you probably know the. Or whatever. He would sit each of us down alone and say, like, this is what I'm thinking. Right? This is your arc. Right. These are the big picture things. And then I knew so early on, Charlotte's very underwritten because she wasn't really so much in Candace's book or column. Like, she was an amalgam of different people, basically. And Michael Patrick had said to me when he, I think, came on the pod, he said, when I got there, which was in season one, Darren started the show, of course, Then he brought Michael Patrick in. Michael Patrick had been a standup, so he knew comedy, which was super helpful. And he said he. I looked at this one, and I knew what to write. I knew it this one, and I knew that. And I looked at you, and I was like, I don't know her. And I was like. I mean, neither did I. We were creating it. Right. And I, of course, was doing all the actor work in my head, you know what I'm trying to say? And just trying to make more in myself.

[Adam Scott]

That's so interesting because thinking about the show and watching it from the beginning, it seemed like you knew exactly who that person was really at the start. Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, that's nice.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, she definitely grew, but it felt very specific from the very good start.

[Kristin Davis]

I tried so hard. I tried so hard. I mean, I think a lot of it. Because in the beginning, when you look at it, it's really the four of them together a lot. Right. Like, it takes a while for us to have decent storylines outside. So I knew how to be. I knew the note I was supposed to play in the foursome, you know what I'm saying? That was like my. I felt very solid about that. Right. And of course, because they were all so distinct and unique, and each actor was so specific and unique and we together 24 7. You know, it did a lot of my work for me, but then I was trying to fill out the back. You know, the stuff that we do in acting class.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Saying I was always trying to do that.

[Adam Scott]

But were you also at the time, coming from Melrose Place? And I don't. I never was. I didn't watch Melrose Place, but I would imagine it was, it was, it was a completely different tone, completely different thing. So when you started Sex in the City, were you like, this is, this is. You know, were you. Because it must have been just so much. The material was so much more interesting.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And, and there was so much more for you to dig into, even though it was kind of a limit. Limited real estate at first.

[IBM AI Announcer]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Were you just trying to not rock the boat and, and, and, and just figure out, like you said, figure out what notes to play within the foursome? I mean, there was not any.

[Kristin Davis]

Not rocking the boat. Right. Because we, at the beginning, we did the whole first 13. Well, we did the pilot, then we had to wait a year. It seemed like forever. Sarah Jessica tells me it wasn't that long, but I felt like it was a year and a half for them to pick us up because HBO was just starting. Right. They didn't really have anything. You know, they'd had Larry Sanders. Exactly. Which was wonderful. Which I got to be on as well, which was great.

[Adam Scott]

That's right. Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah. I love Larry. Great Santa. Oh, my God. It's the best, right, Gary? It was amazing. So it was more like being like, I. When I read that script, they sent it to me for Carrie because Sarah Jessica was in the mix, then got cold feet. And I knew this, right. I was like, I can't. Couldn't possibly. Because also she was written much more like Candace, the actual person. Right. Like she smoked like non stop and swore and a little bit more Samantha ish. I guess I was like, I can't. I can't pull that off. You know, I know myself well enough. Right. But I said to Darren, who I already knew from Melrose, I said, I could play this other one. I need this other one. And I think part of that was because I come from the south, so I was surrounded by women who were just dying to get married and very conventional and, you know, whatnot, even though I'm not personally so much that. So I said, I need to be her. Please can I be her? So then I still had to test and all that, and I still had to wait and all that, which was great. And Then there was some debate, because at the time, first of all, for me, it was so shockingly different from anything. Right. To have four women. Even though Carrie was clearly the lead, there were four strong women characters who were all different. And, like, walking around Manhattan, like, that was like, what? You know, I was like, I need to do that. Like, I'm not that at all, but I want to play that. You know, like, you had feelings.

[Adam Scott]

Like you'd never. Like, this was a brand new thing.

[Kristin Davis]

Yes. Oh, absolutely. And I wanted to be part of it. And I thought it would be a tiny little cult type level, like. Like Larry Sanders was at the time. I think Larry's gotten. Gary. Larry have. Have gotten the respect over time. But it was niche.

[Adam Scott]

But at the time, you didn't even know it was possible for a show on premium cable to resonate with the public.

[Kristin Davis]

No, it was. We had no precedent, Right? We had no precedent. So for. And I was totally fine with that. I was like, let's be a new show and just try to keep it going.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

We were all in that together, you know, and the fact that it was different and the fact that we were pushing the limits and we didn't really know what we were. And Darren would come down because Darren had come from network work.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

And wanted to change. But also, we. HBO very much was like, hands off. Like, they kind of let us find ourselves, you know? But that was also slightly scary. Right. So I remember sometimes Darren would come down at first because then it's on.

[Adam Scott]

You guys if it doesn't work.

[Kristin Davis]

Exactly. Totally. He'd come down, he'd be like, you guys. You guys. Whenever he got panicked, his hands would come up. You've got to be funny. Okay. You've got to be funny.

[Adam Scott]

No pressure.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. And we'd be like.

[Adam Scott]

Like.

[Kristin Davis]

But the script is the same as it was yesterday. Like, what? We're not rewriting, like, a sitcom. Like, what do you mean?

[Adam Scott]

What do you mean?

[Kristin Davis]

You know, and we just be like, okay, Darren, okay. Try to be.

[Adam Scott]

Well, he was getting pressure from someone, said something.

[Kristin Davis]

Right. Or he thought something, or he, you know, whatever, based on yesterday's dailies or whatever. Right. Who knows? Then, like, the next week he'd come down. He'd be like, you guys, you have to be sexy.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, Jesus.

[Kristin Davis]

And I'd be like. Like me. Okay, okay. Like, I have nothing on the. On the page to. To be sexy with. Okay. So it was a little bit like that, but also fun.

[Adam Scott]

So was Michael Patrick King not involved at all at first? He came in eventually.

[Kristin Davis]

Not at first. Like, not the pilot. He came in. I think the first episode, I think he was. For a while, it was him and Darren alone in the writing room. Then they brought in Jenny Bix. That was their first female.

[Adam Scott]

Like three people.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah. And then finally Cindy, which we're seeing. Cindy's work now. Third season shoe pack. Exactly. And then like we added women as we went, basically. But it was just the two of them the whole first season, man, it's like.

[Adam Scott]

I know writing.

[Kristin Davis]

I know. It's amazing. It's amazing.

[Adam Scott]

And also visually, like, there's that episode where it's Carrie's birthday and no one shows up at the restaurant because of a mix up. And then she walked. She gets home and there's a car there and the door opens and balloons pop out. You don't even see Big. He probably wasn't even on set for that shot. Just with the balloons. Right. But we know Big so well. Like, you could watch that show with the sound off and know exactly what's.

[Kristin Davis]

Going on, which is incredible. It's incredible. And that's one of the things that's great about rewatching it because at the time, back in the day, first of all, we're working our asses off, right? Like, it was all the time, you know, so intense.

[Adam Scott]

What did you have, like four or five days to shoot episodes?

[Kristin Davis]

Something like that. I mean, it's hard to remember how fast we had to do, but, like, I know this episode that we're gonna talk about eventually, it was the first episode of season three. The first week of season three was 100 hours.

[Adam Scott]

Jesus.

[Kristin Davis]

So I mean, like, it was. It was a lot. And on top of that, because. Yeah, yeah.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, you guys were. You were on the ferry. You were. I mean, there's a lot to shoot. Dancing.

[Kristin Davis]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, I've forgotten how. Well, we can talk about when we talk about.

[Kristin Davis]

But yeah, I mean, there's so much.

[Adam Scott]

There's a lot for 25 minutes.

[Kristin Davis]

I mean, it's insane how much we could. We could pack in and they would give us. It was more a budget for like a regular half hour. But because we had to. The way that they wrote everyone's storylines, once we get the vibe of that we're all going to have the different pieces of the theme.

[Adam Scott]

Right.

[Kristin Davis]

That she's writing about. Once that started to click, which is third season, it's really come together, right?

[Adam Scott]

Yes.

[Kristin Davis]

Then, you know, her voiceover will say, like. And then Uptown Charlotte. Na na na na. But we don't have that budget. Right. So like we would cross. Cross purpose locations. You know, we remember them having like the big klieg lights and like walking down the street with them, like to the next corner where we'd have. You know what I mean? Like crazy, almost guerilla filmmaker.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Because in order to pull off these stories, you guys had to do that.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Because the like you said season three, the aperture of the show just kind of widens and you guys are taking. It becomes kind of this epic thing. And by that point you guys realize you're representing women.

[Kristin Davis]

Well, this is starting. Right.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, I don't know that we fully realize. Right.

[Kristin Davis]

But we. It's starting to resonate.

[Adam Scott]

When the Alanis Morissette episode, for instance, when that. That happened, that was everywhere. Like the like you guys were. Were settling in to being a phenomenon. Maybe it wasn't like at. It's like it wasn't full fledged yet. I don't remember. But I remember it being a big.

[Kristin Davis]

Three is when it became a big deal. Cuz season three is when we got nominated for the Emmy, which was like the shock of all.

[Adam Scott]

For the first two seasons, we never thought we would. Wow.

[Kristin Davis]

We never entered our mind. It never entered my mind. We used to joke that Darren and I would joke we'd get a cable ACE award one day.

[Adam Scott]

Right, right, right. Do they still have the ACE Awards?

[Kristin Davis]

No, I don't think so. I think they're gone. I think they're gone. But the thing that I think was. Was great was just going through that together.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Kristin Davis]

You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And knowing that you started as this little thing, you must have constantly been looking at each other like, holy.

[Kristin Davis]

We still do. We still do.

[Adam Scott]

I'm sure.

[Kristin Davis]

Because we still feel the same. Right.

[Adam Scott]

27 years later.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And a second series, two movies, like, it's.

[Kristin Davis]

Yeah. It's insane. Right. But I think the thing that is sometimes strange is that when. So we remember what it all felt like. Right. Which is an amazing thing to share. But from the outside it seems like it was always meant to be this big thing or like that we were handed stuff. But no. And that's why then when the show and just like that ended and everybody was all shocked, like, well, what do you mean? We're like, you guys, guys. It's all hard.

[Adam Scott]

It is hard to make anything right. It's so hard.

[Kristin Davis]

I think that's the weird part.

[Adam Scott]

Whether it works or not, it's so hard.

[Kristin Davis]

Okay. Adam, this is so much fun. And. And we could talk all of our industry stuff and all of our shows forever. You guys check back in with us. We're going to be recapping where there's smoke later in the week. Okay by AG's new Fall 2025 collection, from Canvas to Cloth, is inspired by artists and their studios. As someone who plays a character deeply rooted in the art world, it truly feels like something Charlotte would love. The collection blends creativity with wearability, from soft knits and suedes to new denim silhouettes like the Boyfriend Fit for women. It's relaxed, effortless, and so Chicago chic. And it's not just for women. AG has great pieces for men, too, perfect for dressing the whole family. The Fall 2025 collection is available now at aggeens.com and use code KRISTIN15 for 15% off your next order. I'm going to be using my own discount, you guys. I'm so excited.

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[Kristin Davis]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Kristin Davis]

This is an I Heart podcast.