Are You a Charlotte? — "Your Girl is Lovely Hubble... Heather Graham Continues..."

Host: Kristin Davis
Guest: Heather Graham
Episode: S2 E18 "Ex and the City" (Original Airdate: October 15, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of Are You a Charlotte? with Kristin Davis and guest Heather Graham dives into the iconic Sex and the City season 2 finale, "Ex and the City." Kristin and Heather break down the episode's emotional highs and lows, share personal memories from set and their own lives, and explore the enduring themes of friendship, heartbreak, female independence, and moving on. The conversation is equal parts nostalgic, humorous, and heartfelt, enriched by behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflections.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Revisiting "Ex and the City" — Breaking Down the Episode

• Carrie's “And Just Like That” Evolution

  • Kristin and Heather laugh over how familiar Carrie's voice-overs have become and how lines like "and just like that" have become embedded in pop culture.
  • Kristin shares her newfound appreciation for the writing:

    “I was like, yeah, yeah, whatever. And now I’m like, no, it’s incredible. It’s so great, right?” (03:44)

• Miranda and Steve’s Vulnerability

  • The emotional confrontation where Steve admits “you ran from me, that really hurt my feelings”—Kristin emphasizes how rare it was at that time for male characters to be openly vulnerable.

    “That’s so vulnerable and adorable that he says that to her, right? … He has connected with her underneath all of her facade of toughness.” (04:02 - 04:40)

• Charlotte’s Horse Backstory

  • Kristin reflects on Charlotte’s horse-loving childhood and the emotional gut punch of her father selling her beloved horse after an injury.

    “Her dad sold her horse, like, the next day. But I was competing, I think. … I’ve got to look up Charlotte’s backstory. … I do remember that she had a horse named Taddy that she loved.” (06:22 - 07:20)

• The Art of Running—On and Off Camera

  • Kristin recounts reluctantly getting a running coach for Melrose Place and ties Charlotte’s running scenes to the character’s driven, focused persona.

    “I did at one point ... I had to get a running coach ... all of the girls would talk about their workout routines, and I was like, darn. … I was one of those kids where everyone would laugh at me when I ran.” (05:33 - 06:13)

• Casting and Chemistry: Trey and Samantha’s Men

  • Kristin and Heather discuss the (urban legend?) that Kim Cattrall got to pick her love interests—and how in reality casting was often just as much of a surprise for the main cast.
  • The writers originally conceived Trey (Kyle MacLachlan) as a boring husband that everyone hated, but Kyle’s charm forced a pivot:

    “They had to shift real quick ... That was the joy of our writers, is that they would just go with what you guys really were.” (11:17)

Modern Dating, Age Gaps & On-Screen Trends

• Older Women, Younger Men: A Pop Culture Shift

  • Kristin brings up a recent trend in movies of older women pairing with younger men, noting it’s rooted in changing gender norms.

    “Part of the reason it’s a trend is because the younger guys grew up with different expectations ... and are not as held down by stereotypical norms.” (15:35)

  • Heather reflects on how society reacts differently to older women dating younger men compared to the reverse—referencing Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

    “She got flack as well … why should she be getting flack when her male counterparts are not?” (15:56)

• Personal Anecdotes and Dating Apps

  • Heather shares how a friend expanded her dating app settings to younger men and was suddenly “flooded” with interest.

    “She was on there and she wasn’t getting a lot of matches. And then she expanded her profile to include much younger guys. And … she was flooded.” (17:48)

Iconic Moments — The “Big” Breakup and “Hubble” Reference

• The 11 Madison Park Lunch Scene

  • Kristin and Heather analyze the painfully awkward lunch between Carrie and Big, where he reveals his engagement to Natasha.

    “He has to tell her that he and Natasha are engaged. … There’s a horrific long silence. Literally horrific to the point where I’m like, Carrie, get up and run.” (24:35 - 25:20)

  • Kristin passionately calls out Big’s denial about “string[ing her] along”:

    “I just want to kill him, you know? He totally strung her along. He totally. What is he talking about?” (26:05)

• “Your girl is lovely, Hubble.”

  • The group discusses how this reference to The Way We Were became one of the series’ most emotional scenes. Kristin recounts recreating the iconic Plaza moment and its lasting impact.

    “She reaches up and touches his hair and says, ‘Your girl is lovely, Hubble.’ ... And it’s so incredibly good.” (41:45) “The wind blows her hair. Oh, it’s incredible. And he’s in the background and who cares about him? … Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed.” (41:57)

Behind the Scenes & The Realities of Fame

• Experiences with Guest Actors

  • Kristin describes the unusual challenges for men playing love interests on a female-centric show, and how it sometimes made male actors feel like “the girlfriend equivalent” on set.

    “It was hard for the men to come into our show as girlfriends. Basically, they were playing the girlfriend equivalent parts ... we'd kind of try to be friendly ... are you okay? How are you feeling?” (22:22)

  • After certain episodes, actors would get recognized and sometimes even harassed by fans (e.g., “You ruined Carrie’s life!”).

• Wardrobe and Set Trivia

  • Kristin and Heather geek out over the show’s iconic wardrobe (“That white dress is John Galliano for Christian Dior!” (44:45)) and reminisce about the evolving set designs for each character’s apartment.

Thematic Reflections: Women Running Free

• Feminism, Self-Discovery, and Letting Go
  • The episode’s horse motif is explored as a metaphor for women’s independence.

    “Maybe I didn’t break Big. Maybe the problem was he didn’t break me. Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed.” (42:44)

  • Heather and Kristin rejoice in the powerful closing images of Carrie striding past the Plaza and the horses:

    “That was an iconic moment … whether or not I get this guy, I’m fabulous, you know?” (43:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Segment/Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|------------| | “That’s so vulnerable and adorable that he says that to her, right? … I love him so much.” | Kristin Davis | 04:02 | | “Her dad sold her horse, like, the next day. … You see why Charlotte loves her dogs …” | Kristin Davis | 06:22–07:20| | “They had to shift real quick ... That was the joy of our writers, is that they would just go with what you guys really were.” | Kristin Davis | 11:17 | | “Part of the reason it’s a trend is because the younger guys grew up with different expectations...” | Kristin Davis | 15:35 | | “She was on there and she wasn’t getting a lot of matches. … She expanded her profile ... flooded.” | Heather Graham| 17:48 | | “There’s a horrific long silence ... Carrie, get up and run.” | Kristin Davis | 24:38–25:20| | “He totally strung her along. He totally. What is he talking about?” | Kristin Davis | 26:05 | | “Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed.” | Carrie (via Kristin Davis) | 42:44 | | “That was an iconic moment. … Whether or not I get this guy, I’m fabulous, you know?” | Heather Graham | 43:02 | | “I play Charlotte. I am conflicted. Like, I’m not against. I celebrate freedom. But sometimes it’s not your personality, which is adorable.” | Kristin Davis & Heather Graham | 49:04 |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:00 — Miranda and Steve’s emotional honesty
• 06:20 — Charlotte’s horse, Taddy, and her deep-seated emotional wounds
• 10:45 — The original (but changed) character arc for Trey
• 15:35 — Cultural conversation: Older women & younger men in media and real life
• 19:00 — Samantha’s legendary “Mr. Too Big” storyline
• 24:35 — Carrie and Big’s emotional restaurant scene
• 41:45 — The "Your girl is lovely, Hubble" scene at the Plaza
• 42:44 — Carrie's iconic voiceover about not being "tamed"
• 44:45 — Wardrobe nostalgia: the white Galliano dress
• 45:04 — Heather Graham’s filmmaking and “chosen family” themes
• 49:04 — Kristin on her own “Charlotte” side and boundaries

Behind-the-Scenes & Extra Insights

• Kristin admits she sometimes forgets whole scenes she filmed—like Charlotte running around the reservoir or Carrie’s pink dress restaurant scene.
• The hosts discuss how emotionally invested fans still approach the cast and guest actors, sometimes blurring fiction and reality.
• Heather details her own work as a writer/director and how she finds inspiration in female friendship shows like Sex and the City.

Episode Takeaways

• The heartbreak of Ex and the City still resonates as an honest depiction of post-breakup uncertainty and self-worth.
• “Your girl is lovely, Hubble” is not just a quote, but a touchstone for women reclaiming narrative after rejection.
• Behind every classic SATC scene lies careful writing, character chemistry, and off-camera camaraderie.

For those reminiscing, this episode is a delightful, emotionally honest tour through one of SATC’s most complex and beloved storylines—and a loving reminder that, sometimes, it’s best to run free.