When Sex And The City landed on HBO in 1998, it quickly became a TV phenomenon. The show talked about sex and relationships in a way that was unseen before on television, and it gained a horde of fans. The show is still very much relevant today and even has a revival titled And Just Like That... coming up soon on HBO Max.
While some fans of the show are well-versed in the trivia surrounding its six seasons reign, some of the new viewers may not know much about the show's history. It's time to dive in to learn more about some of the show's less-known facts.
Sarah Jessica Parker Had A No-Nudity Contract Clause
Over the six seasons of Sex And The City, Sarah Jessica Parker never appeared on screen wearing less than underwear. This was because, according to InStyle, the actor had a clause in her contract stipulating that she would not do any full nudity. In fact, nude scenes are something that Parker has refused to do throughout her career.
Compared to the other female characters on the show, it was indeed noticeable that Carrie was the only one who was never featured completely naked on screen, and it's something that will not change in the upcoming Sex And The City reboot.
Kristin Davis Refused To Play Carrie
While Charlotte is not a character that was always relatable, fans could hardly imagine anyone other than Kristin Davis playing the part. But some will be surprised to learn that the actor was asked to audition for the role of Carrie Bradshaw and refused.
As Stylist explains, since Sarah Jessica Parker had not agreed to play Carrie yet, the show's creator, Darren Star, asked Davis (who had already secured Charlotte's part) to read for Carrie's role. Davis looked at the character description and did not see herself in the role, so she told Star, "Carrie's fantastic, but I'm Charlotte."
The Cast Could Purchase Their Characters' Clothes
Not only is Sex And The City famous for its outlook on sex and relationships, but it was also well-known for featuring very fashionable characters. In fact, the show's main cast had the opportunity to purchase any items that had been bought after an episode's filming was done, according to Buzzfeed.
While Kim Cattrall didn't really grab anything from Samantha's wardrobe, as it didn't match her own style, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis took advantage of this opportunity to fill their own closets with particularly glamorous pieces of clothing.
It Was The First Cable TV Series To Win An Emmy For Outstanding Comedy Series
According to CheatSheet, Sex And The City made history in 2001 by becoming the first cable TV series to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Back then, the show was in its third season.
However, this was not the first time Sex And The City celebrated a trailblazing victory. In fact, back in 1999, the show became the first cable series to win a Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Comedy, and it went on to win again for the following two years.
Season 5 Is Shorter Because Sarah Jessica Parker Was Pregnant
While Carrie never had a child on Sex And The City, it isn't the case for Sarah Jessica Parker. Parker has had three children with her husband, Matthew Broderick, and one of them was born during the course of Sex And The City.
In fact, according to Marie Claire, the show's fifth season was cut short because Parker was pregnant with her son, James. Therefore, while other seasons average 18 episodes, season 5 only had eight.
Carrie's Tutu In The Opening Credits Only Cost $5
Sometimes the best outfits on Sex and the City came from the most unlikely places. According to Marie Claire, the white tutu that Sarah Jessica Parker wore for the opening credits of Sex And The City only cost $5 and came from a vintage store.
However, it is not the first look that was picked for the credits. In fact, there is an alternate version of the opening credits that features Carrie Bradshaw wearing a blue Marc Jacobs dress that probably cost more than $5.
Kim Cattrall Did Not Want To Play Samantha
Initially, Kim Cattrall did not want to play the part of Samantha Jones because she felt that she was too old to play a "sex bomb," as reported by The Scotsman. The actor actually turned down the part three times before agreeing to shoot the show's pilot.
It took a lot of convincing, but Cattrall finally accepted to give Sex And The City a shot, and the show would have certainly been very different if she had not been the one to play the hilarious Samantha.
Matthew McConaughey's Role Was Meant To Be Played By Alec Baldwin
Many guest stars appeared on Sex And The City and Matthew McConaughey played himself in the show's third season, in an episode titled "Escape from New York." But the part was not written with the actor in mind. According to Marie Claire, it was in fact supposed to be Alec Baldwin, but he declined the part.
The role was then offered to George Clooney and Warren Beatty, but they both passed, so the show's producer landed on Matthew McConaughey at last.
Cynthia Nixon Is Not A Redhead
According to The Talko, Cynthia Nixon almost did not get the part of Miranda Hobbes in Sex And The City because the producers pictured her as a redhead, and Nixon is naturally blonde.
Luckily, the actor agreed to dye her hair and got the part, otherwise, the show would have looked a lot different. The good news is that for the Sex And The City revival, And Just Like That..., Nixon is sporting a ravishing blonde haircut, proving once and for all that there is much more to a character than their hair color.
Mr. Big Was Based On A Real Person
While Mr. Big was not always the best person on Sex And The City, the character was actually based on a real man that author Candace Bushnell used to date, as mentioned on The Things.
Ron Galotti was a publisher who Bushnell dated for about a year after they met at a party in 1995, and just like Carrie talked about Big in her column, Bushnell wrote about Galotti in hers for The New York Observer.