Sara Ramírez (Grey’s Anatomy, Madam Secretary) is joining the cast of the highly anticipated Sex and the City sequel series. The series, titled And Just Like That … (although we’re just going to keep calling it SATC), catches up with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate love, friendship, and dating in their 50s. Kim Cattrall will not be reprising her role as the iconic Samantha Jones (cast Christine Baranski, you cowards).
Ramírez plays new character Che Diaz (they/them), “a non-binary, queer stand-up comedian who hosts a podcast on which Carrie Bradshaw is regularly featured. Che is a big presence with a big heart whose outrageous sense of humor and progressive, human overview of gender roles has made them and their podcast very popular.” Ramírez announced their casting via Instagram:
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Ramírez, who came out as non-binary last year and is openly bisexual, will be part of the inclusive ensemble cast of the new series. These series regulars “are dramatically expanding Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte’s social circle with roughly a half dozen new characters. And three of those newbies will be full-fledged series regulars and women of color.”
Executive producer Michael Patrick King said, “Everyone at And Just Like That … is beyond thrilled that a dynamically talented actor such as Sara Ramírez has joined the Sex and the City family, … Sara is a one-of-a-kind talent, equally at home with comedy and drama – and we feel excited and inspired to create this new character for the show.”
Ramírez’s casting is an exciting development for the series. While Sex and the City broke new ground in its depiction of women’s sexuality and the frankness with which we talk about it, it also depicted a New York City that’s whiter than a Woody Allen movie. In addition to its lack of diversity, the show also perpetuated some harmful stereotypes about bisexuality (as seen in season three’s “Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl,”) as well as other hot takes that have cooled in the ensuing decades since its finale. Like so many progressive vanguards, SATC has not aged well in certain regards. Luckily for those involved, they have the opportunity to course-correct in the new iteration of the series, with inclusivity both in front of and behind the camera.
Ramírez is a great choice to join the cast. A Tony winner for her role in Monty Python’s Spamalot, their performance as orthopedic surgeon Dr. Callie Torres earned raves throughout their run on Grey’s Anatomy. Their tenure on the medical drama made history as the longest-running LGBTQ+ character on television. Offscreen, Ramírez is an activist for LGBTQ+ rights and was awarded the Ally For Equality Award by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in 2015, and the Trailblazers Award by the New York LGBT Center in 2017.
(via Deadline, image: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for VH1 Trailblazer Honors)
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