Cynthia Nixon refused SATC reboot unless it had more diversity

Cynthia Nixon has taken a swipe at the original Sex And The City series, claiming it was ‘tone deaf’ on race and gender issues – despite the spin-off receiving criticism for being ‘woke and dull.’ 

The actress, 55, who confirmed her own daughter was transgender in 2018, has reprised her role as Miranda Hobbes for new spin-off series …And Just Like That.

And Cynthia, happily married education activist Christine Marinoni since 2012, said she was reluctant to return for the new reboot unless the creators made it more diverse.

In an interview with News Corp published by the Herald Sun, she said: ‘But the more I talked to Sarah Jessica [Parker], [writer-creator] Michael Patrick King, and Kristin [Davis], about the things that I couldn’t go back without – a real sea change in terms of the lack of diversity in the original series, they were on board,’ she said.

She added: ‘I’m very proud of the original series – despite it being occasionally tone deaf on race and gender.’

In a previous interview with Elle UK last week, Nixon gushed about And Just Like That’s ‘breath-taking’ new cast of non-white and gender diverse characters.

‘It’s part of the reason we wanted to do the show – to go back and [undo] the things that we really got wrong,’ she told the magazine.

The actress has also discussed her relationship with son Samuel, 23, who she revealed was transgender in June 2018.

Speaking to Alan Cumming and Chris Sweeney on the Homo Sapiens podcast, she said: ‘Before I ever had an inkling my kid might be trans I read a really extensive article… [about] all of these parents of pre-pubescent kids who were really struggling with this.

‘There was one dad who said “At a certain point, the decision seemed to me I could have a dead son or a live daughter” and it’s like, after you say that, what more is there to say?  

‘You can make all the arguments that you want… but the fact is, as a parent, as a human, you should listen to what people tell you about themselves.

Samuel was born Samantha Mozes in November 1996 to Cynthia and her then-partner and college sweetheart Danny Mozes. 

Touching on sexuality, the star, who is married to Christine Marinoni and is a advocate for LGBTQ rights, Cynthia said: ‘It’s different but it’s the same as when you think about 30/40 years ago and more, the arguments given to gay people that “This is just a phase,” “You’re gonna grow out of this.”’ 

The new characters include Lisa Todd Wexley (played by Nicole Ari Parker), who is a a documentarian married to a successful hedge fund manager (played by Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson) and Dr. Nya Wallace (played by Karen Pittman), a Columbia Law professor. 

There’s also powerful real estate agent Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), and nonbinary podcaster and comedian Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez).

Nixon also admitted that the problematic nature of the original series concerned her going into the revival, but that she was relieved once she spoke to Michael Patrick King about giving the series a ‘sea change’. 

‘As wonderful as SATC is, to do that show right now would be incredibly tone-deaf. So I was really worried that the transformation wouldn’t be big enough, and my fears are very allayed,’ she said.

The 10-episode reboot began airing earlier this month after obstacles including filming during the pandemic, and the absence of series regular Kim Cattrall, 65, from the show after she fell out with Parker. 

However, reviews of the revival branded the reboot a ‘misfire’ as it struggled to find its place in ‘woke’ times, something the show has been heavily criticised for over the years – due to its largely white cast and claims of gender and racial stereotyping and sex-shaming.

Episodes of the reboot have seen many nods to political correctness and sensitivity – with the characters discussing racial microaggressions, gender identity and sexuality. 

Recent episodes have seen Miranda accidentally deliver a slew of racial microaggressions in a conversation with her black professor Dr. Nya Wallace, while Charlotte’s daughter Lily has revealed she believes she is transgender.

Discussing the reboot’s new take, Kristin Davis recently explained: ‘We had this idea to come back in this way we’ve come back with a new kind of broader world.’

Referring to the new characters, she added: ‘They’re so brilliantly cast and they have such an interesting point of view.’

Nixon added: ‘Michael Patrick [King, the series director] really focused on the heart of each of these characters and also their connection to each other. He’s so funny but also he goes for the gut punch every time.’

Meanwhile, Sarah Jessica Parker noted: ‘We’re back because we want to be. Nobody dragged us back, this is a hard fought choice.

‘We want to be here to tell this story in this way and invite all these new people.’