The incredible Cynthia Nixon joins Kristin this week for a conversation filled with memories, lots of laughs and unexpected revelations. Cynthia Nixon almost wasn’t Miranda. She was moments from not being a part of this cast. And, the secret to Miranda’s short red hair that surprises even Kristin.Plus, friendship, the future, and of course fashion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1: How did Cynthia Nixon almost miss being Miranda?
I think not really.
Thank you, Cynthia, for being here. Thank you for having me. It's beyond exciting. It is, it is. So, okay, what we want to do, I mean, there's a lot, right? There's like kind of endless amounts of things to talk about, but... What I want to do with you because I have you here. And for me, once I started rewatching, which you remember, I never rewatched.
Like I watched at the time, but I find it like uncomfortable. But at this point, looking back, it's not so uncomfortable for me. It's more like archaeological or, you know, like what is going on, you know? So I really, once we started the podcast, I really felt like I need to have us here.
on to talk about the beginnings right because all of us had different experiences and all of us were coming from different places right you know right and that's what's kind of so interesting about it i think in a way like we were all so um different in terms of of the careers we were having and then we all came together for this and magic happened and here we are almost 30 years later he he he
Which, you know, crazy, insane to think about. So tell us a little bit about I mean, should I intro a little like, you know, you were this incredible Broadway actress. I mean, I had seen Cynthia not knowing Cynthia in when when I saw the other one, the real thing, the real thing. which I love so much. Yes, so beautiful.
So she was in two Broadway plays across the street from each other at the same time.
Right.
She'd done Juliet and Shakespeare in the Park. You'd been in Amadeus. I mean, just, you'd been in the movie.
I'd worked with Robert Altman a bunch. And Sarah Jessica and I, of course, really knew each other. Which was amazing. Because we were child actors in New York.
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Chapter 2: What was the casting process like for Sex and the City?
We did a bunch of things together.
Vanessa Redgrave.
We played sisters in a TV movie with Vanessa Redgrave. Unbelievable. And Jack Albertson, yes.
Unbelievable. So when did you hear about Sex and the City? When did you get the script? What did you think?
So, okay. So again... as I think you've talked a tiny bit about. So when the show first started, the premise was that we were going to really as a launch, you know, come from her column and the people she was writing about would be kind of like the first episode starts with the main characters. Like we're not anywhere in sight, right? It's the woman she's talking about, right?
This horrible thing happened to her. So when I first read the script, they asked me to read for Carrie, as I think they asked you to read for Carrie. I did not know this. Yes, they asked me to read for Carrie. Right. And then I did. And they were like, yeah, not so much. But I did not tend to be very proactive about these things. But for me, because I was like. 31, I want to say.
And I had been acting literally for 20 years at that point and a lot of success and a lot of, but, but I was, you know, when I first started acting, I was a child and I was in school. So I was very like, I only work in New York. Right. So this show in New York was like, Unheard of. Unheard of, right? Totally, yeah. We had Cosby. I think we had Kate and Allie for a while. Law and Order.
We had Law and Order. We used to have The Equalizer. Like we had, but, you know. Right, but it was slim. Yes. And not all those shows were on at the same time. Those were like the things that we had. So I did call my manager, and I guess she was my agent at the time. Emily. Emily. And I said, okay, they don't want me for Carrie. No one's really surprised here, but...
There's like seven women on that show. Yeah. Couldn't I get one of them? Yeah. Because it didn't seem like there were four. That's true. Because these other characters, at least in the pilot, were like central. Coming and going. And then we had all those testimony from women on the street. Right. It seemed like a larger group of women. That's true.
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Chapter 3: Why did Cynthia Nixon dye her hair red for the role of Miranda?
You know, but you don't get it, you know. Yeah. Like, don't think about, like, I didn't get it, I didn't get it. Like, you're close. No, she's right. That's so good. Anyway, months and months and months went by. And it was like, you know, and every day Emily would call. Not every day, but she would call and they would say, we still haven't found anyone we like better. Oh, my gosh. Okay.
So then there was a pilot presentation. Yeah. Do you know what that is? Yes. Right. So a pilot presentation is not like a real pilot. Right. It's like they do it live. It's very bare bones. Right. And they had some pilot presentation they were doing that shot in LA. There were some okay people in it. I can't remember now. And they had a part for me and it was an okay part.
It wasn't a great part, but they were like, we just want her. And if she'll just come and test us, We'll just go right into production. Like there's no one else is auditioning. Okay. So I wasn't really that interested, but I was like, it's money. And I actually did need some money at that point. Sure, sure. So, but it was Passover week. Okay.
And I was, my boyfriend Danny and I, the father of my first two kids, we were throwing a Seder for his family. Which I've been to. Right, right. Yes, yes. And so it was like a big, you know, and we've been planning it for a while. And so I think Passover was like on a Wednesday that year. And I was like, but I don't want to miss the Seder.
Oh, so I so they let me fly out the idea of going to fly out Friday morning or Thursday night. I was going to test and we were going to go right into the first read through whatever. Wow. And I was like adamant that I want to do this thing. So then it was like Passover. And Emily, my manager, spent my agent then like called them, I think, all like every hour. Oh, what?
And she would give them a count. She would be like. You're going to lose, because I think the next morning, maybe I got on the flight, whatever. Maybe it was Thursday. Right. And she said, you're going to lose her in 22 hours. Wow. You're going to lose her in 17 hours. Wow. You're going to lose her in 10 hours. Oh, my gosh. Right? Because as soon as I get on that plane. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
They have me under contract. You're doing a different job. Right? Yeah. And at one point, she actually apparently broke down and cried on the phone with them. Emily. Like, what are you doing? This is the perfect person for the part. You love her. You've looked for months. You haven't found anybody better. Come on. Yeah. Pull the trigger. Good job, Emily. I know.
And at like, and like literally, literally during the Seder at like nine o'clock at night, my phone rings and Emily is like, I got it. That's amazing. I had never heard this story. And it was, and it was, but it was literally from the time I tested. I mean, it was months. Wow. It was months.
Wow. I didn't know this. It's amazing. And so in your, in your like gut or your heart or whatever, did you feel connected? Like, yes, I want to do this. Like, this is amazing. Or did you just feel like, ah, I felt like it's feel felt like the Holy grail.
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Chapter 4: How did the cast navigate the early challenges of Sex and the City?
Like, all the things that Miranda has no, at least at the time, had no patience for. Right, right, right. Those were, like, my bread and butter.
She wants to eat her thing out of the garbage. Exactly. Right, right, right. So when you took it on, like, remember, I mean, you have these kind of aggressive power suits and whatnot in the beginning, you know? Like, what did you think? Right.
I mean, I thought I have these really good jokes, which is great. And I have a really strong character, right? She's like, I understood who she was. Clearly. And I was really, you know, or Pat Field, who, you know, does the clothes. I was really concerned with trying to look like one of those women would really look like. Which was not Pat's... Yeah, we really tortured Pat in the beginning.
Which was not Pat's favorite. But we reached a, you know... You did. It's good. And also, you know, I mean, do you remember how in the very beginning, because we would have all those coffee shop scenes, right? Yes. And we tried so hard to make them... And we're constantly not just eating, but like reaching for things and like, right. And so I was looking away. I'm like constantly. Yes. Right.
Like just trying to have as much. Yes. So I was really kind of focused on that, like have as much sort of real behavior and the clothes and the sort of like the Miranda armor of like the like the jewelry was very like.
silver and spiky and like it is like armor definitely definitely definitely i mean yeah i think that when i watch myself too i mean i think a lot of things but one of the things i do think because i had come from melrose where you had to like hold still because they were going to do the super close-up right and just stare at the other person right and i'm always like i'm you barely see my face for like the first couple episodes or whatever because i'm just working so hard to be present and be real and
you know, follow your lead and follow Sarah Jessica and Kim and, you know, Kim's doing her own thing. And, you know, it's like super interesting to look back on. And I do remember thinking, you know, like this is different, you know, like this is its own animal.
Right. And, you know, I knew Sarah. Sarah and I knew each other quite well. We'd worked together a bunch of times, and we were always auditioning for the same parts and stuff when we were kids. And Kim, I knew a little bit. I'd seen her in a few things, but also I think we had auditioned for a production of Miss Julie. I think she got it and ended up doing it. Wow.
And I feel like she came to see me in something, and I met her backstage. So I had some sense of— I did not know this either. I had some sense of Kim. And I didn't know who you were, but I looked at the way you spelled your first name with an I, which is unusual. Yes. Two I's. Yes. And I basically, I decided you were Kristen Scott Thomas. Wow. Well, thank you.
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Chapter 5: What were the initial fashion choices for the characters?
That's nice. This is what I remember. You had like a notebook with your script in it because you know you're very professional. And on the front of the notebook was a little baby picture of Sam. And I was like, oh, is that your baby? You're like, yeah. And I was like, aren't you worried to, you know, not be at work? You know, not to not be home. And you're like, no.
And I was like, oh, I was just very impressed. Very impressed. You're like, it'll be fine. It's like, oh, my gosh. Amazing. But I didn't remember the bigger picture. Sarah Winter remembers the bigger picture of the read through. Oh, really? Yeah. Because apparently there was a Kennedy there. Can't remember his first name. He's going to play that part again. Which part?
Her guy, Sarah Winters' guy in the beginning who ghosts her. And then I guess something happened. He got cold feet. Who knows? Who knows? Lawford. Lawford was his name.
Peter Lawford?
Yes. Yes. I know. Super fascinating. Don't remember that. I kind of remember that.
Okay. Okay.
Okay. I had not remembered. She remembers Darren coming in and me talking to Darren because I knew him from LA. I didn't really know the rest of you. You know, I had just seen all of you.
You know what I mean? Barry. Barry, right? Barry Jocelyn, right?
Whose name? I keep saying, I'm like, oh my God, where is Barry?
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Chapter 6: How did the setting of New York City contribute to the show's atmosphere?
Yeah, kind of.
And it was kind of not the cleanest. I don't want to say anything bad.
Right, right, right.
We were like, ooh.
It was a very interesting tile on the walls.
Very. I mean, ugly would be a word. Ugly would be a word. Yeah, that didn't last long. It didn't last long at all. But the other thing I think when I look back on these early episodes is to me, New York looks so different. it looks like it's the 80s. You know what I mean?
Like, it's like, and the cars, and like, in this particular, in the episode 20-something guys, or Valley of the 20-something guys, you know, we go to these bars. Right. Like, downstairs, and they're just like, nothing. They're just like, a dark room in the basement. Right. It's so 80s, you know?
Right.
Super interesting to me. I don't really remember it. Like, I don't know where we are. I have no idea.
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