Sarah Jessica Parker knows Carrie Bradshaw has always sparked strong opinions—and she’s okay with that. The “Sex and the City” star, who’s spent decades bringing the beloved character to life, recently got candid with HuffPost U.K. about the backlash Carrie still gets.
Whether it’s on the original series or in the “And Just Like That” reboot, fans continue to dissect every choice she makes, but Parker believes there’s a clear double standard: when male characters misbehave, they’re forgiven—even celebrated. For women? Not so much.
Sarah Jessica Parker Calls Out Double Standards in How Women Characters Are Judged
“It’s always interesting to me that [Carrie is] so condemned, but a male lead on a show can be a murderer, and people love him,” Parker said. “If a woman has an affair, or behaves poorly, or spends money foolishly […] there’s a kind of punitive response to it.”
Her point is clear: women on screen are often held to a much stricter standard than men, especially when they behave imperfectly.
Even Negative Critique Can Be a Win, Says Sarah Jessica Parker
Even with the criticism, Parker finds meaning in the passionate responses to Carrie’s journey.“But I ultimately think that all those feelings are pretty fantastic,” she said.
“That kind of connection and those kinds of strong feelings, both positive and negative, are pretty wonderful. People are kind of captive in those moments to something, and I think that’s perfectly fine.”
Carrie Bradshaw Is Human—And That’s the Point
Parker believes the backlash against Carrie often overlooks the central point of her story: that even intelligent, decent people can make mistakes. “That smart people make bad decisions sometimes [and] are foolish in judgement,” she explained.
(Photo By Getty Images)Despite Carrie’s romantic missteps, Parker sees her as a genuinely good person.“I think, fundamentally, Carrie is an extraordinarily decent and good person—an extremely devoted friend. She’s generous of spirit and time, in all she has to offer,” she said. Of course, Carrie has “made mistakes” or “not been mature in love,” she added, “but that’s only human.”
Sarah Jessica Parker is back as Carrie Bradshaw in season three of “And Just Like That”, continuing the character’s journey with new twists and familiar heart. New episodes drop every Thursday on Max.
