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5 minute read

If you spend any time on the internet, and I spend far too much time on the internet, you will of course have seen photos from the filming of the Sex and the City reboot. There were some official-ish ones that Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis shared where all three looked glossy and gorgeous. I gathered that behind the camera of these shots was a bright light the size of a 747-engine glaring it’s youth enhancing powers directly at the stars much in the way every digital creator you follow has a ring light permanently aimed at their face. So I was keen to see other photos, ones less professionally taken to see a more truthful portrayal from the set.

Gradually they started appearing online. Shots of the women on the city streets taken by nosy New Yorkers who stumbled across filming, and I was rewarded with the images I had wanted to see. Without the professional cameras and studio lights one thing was clear - the three stars of one of the most iconic show on TV were older. They had aged and people seemed shocked and, in some cases, horrified by this very logical fact.

It’s so strange, isn’t it? People’s reaction to actresses getting older is often one of shock. Wow, people say, look at her, her hair is grey, she has wrinkles, she doesn’t look 30, they remark of an actress they haven’t seen in 20 years. Is it because we so rarely see actresses age? We marvel at how JLo and Kate Beckinsale so look so amazing for women in their late 40s and 50s without ever thinking that even if it wasn’t their full-time job to work out, diet and look phenomenal, they had already won the genetic lottery.

As an aside, if you ever hear a young woman speak with sadness or jealousy about how great models look do remind them that looking like that is their actual job. It sometimes helps put some perspective on things.

Sex and the City first aired in 1998. That’s 23 years ago and Sarah Jessica Parker was just 33 when it started. She was 39 when Big rescued her in Paris. She was 43 when she was jilted at the altar and 45 when she stupidly freaked out about kissing Aidan in Abu Dhabi. She is 56 years old now. And you know what? She looks 56, albeit still clad in fabulous fashion and flanked by two glamourous friends, but 56 nonetheless. And I for one am here for it.

She doesn’t look pillowy with filler, her lips aren’t taut and plumped, her brows aren’t tattooed into a cartoon frown. She also isn’t in sensible slacks or have an easy to manage haircut. She looks like a glamourous woman who has lived life in the 11 years since we have last seen her.

And it isn’t just her. Her co-stars look different too.

People have been lamenting Miranda’s lack of red hair and wondering why she is now blonde. But when I saw it I was nodding to myself thinking, good move love, going blonde as you grey is so much easier to manage.

But then I checked to see what people were saying about Charlotte/Kristin and that’s when I wanted to burn the internet. There is much discourse about what she has had done. It’s clear there’s work there, but so what? If that’s what makes her happy I don’t understand the problem. If you colour your hair, pluck your eyebrows, use retinol, have a bit of laser to remove that redness or those sunspots who are you to decide where the line is? I’ve heard so many people say that they love micro-needling but would never get Botox. Or use a medical-grade retinol but think fillers are wrong. Why? What’s the difference? Is there one?

But what really made me angry about the commentary about Kristin’s tweakments was the opposite commentary about Sarah Jessica Parker’s lack of them.

Here is a very clear representation of you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

SJP looks old, why hasn’t she dyed her hair or had anything done while Kristin looks ridiculous, why has she had so much work? It’s a duality that exists in so much of women’s lives. She works too hard or not enough. She makes no effort or is over the top. She lacks confidence or is shrill. How do you win? I’ll tell you how. By doing whatever makes you happy.

It’s entirely possible that the Sex And The City reboot is going to be awful, after all, with hindsight we can see that Carrie was a pretty terrible person and the two movies are best left unmentioned, but now that I’ve seen the photos from production I’m looking forward to watching. Having binged every season of the Bold Type I’m ready to see three women in their mid-50s, who look like they’re in their mid-50s, wearing great clothes, talking about menopause, and eating in fancy New York restaurants. Obviously, if Carrie is still writing one column a month or simpering to a difficult husband or living a very champagne life off the back of some mediocre books I’ll throw a shoe at the TV.

Jennifer Stevens, July 2021