Kristin Davis Was Ready for Charlotte’s Perfect World to Come “Crashing Down”

No amount of wealth or privilege can protect you from life’s curveballs. On the fifth episode of Sex and the City revival series And Just Like That…’s third season, Kristin Davis’s Charlotte York Goldenblatt—the eternal optimist with a seemingly charmed life—learns that the hard way. At the beginning of the episode, Charlotte’s husband, Harry (Evan Handler), reveals that his recent performance issues in bed and uncontrollable bladder have actually been signs of something far more serious: prostate cancer.

“That’s one of the things we wanted to show with And Just Like That…” Davis tells Vanity Fair. “You might think everything’s settled, but it’s really never settled.”

Of the three Sex and the City gals whose stories continue in And Just Like That… (we remember you, Samantha Jones), Charlotte certainly seemed to be the closest to her personal happily ever after. Carrie, Sarah Jessica Parker’s essay-writing protagonist, had to contend with the unexpected death-by-Peloton of her husband, Big (Chris Noth)—although, in the long run, that might have been for the best. A heartbroken Carrie then had to suffer the indignity of dating in her twilight years before settling for her number two, Aidan Shaw (John Corbett)—a relationship with its own latent issues.

If you can believe it, Miranda has arguably had it even worse. Cynthia Nixon’s lawyer realized that she was both queer and an alcoholic, fell for the notorious Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), and had to listen as the comedian had the gall to make fun of Miranda at one of their famed comedy concerts.

But for Charlotte, things have been pretty smooth ever since she processed the gender identity of her youngest child, Rock (Alexa Swinton). She found a killer job as an art dealer at a chic Manhattan gallery; her dog was briefly canceled on Instagram, but was later found innocent of any wrongdoing. She’s got the “classic six” apartment. Her children attend the ritziest of private schools. She still has a husband who is visibly horny for her.

But Davis would argue that Charlotte’s life is far from perfect. “I think you can think you have it all, and you can try to have it all, but you never really have it all. Life has other things in store for you,” she says. “You might have the marriage. You might already have the children. Then you decide, Hey, you know what? I want to go back to work. But what does that actually mean? What does it mean to be in the workplace with a bunch of 25-year-olds who have no children, who have no husband, who don’t have to get home? How do you compete? How do you stay relevant?”

Davis can personally relate to Charlotte’s struggle. During Sex and the City’s original run, Davis didn’t have any kids. Now she has two: Gemma, whom she adopted in 2011, and Wilson, adopted in 2018. “Doing our whole show with kids is just a very different situation. I used to be free: ‘Sure, I’ll work all night,’” she says. “Now I’m like, Oh God, who’s gonna be with kids?”

But Harry’s diagnosis provides something deeper and darker for Davis—who has shined as the revival series’ much-needed comic relief—to deal with. “You can never really prepare,” she says. “You can think everything’s perfectly fabulous, and then something happens, and you have to reassess.”

“Charlotte’s perfect world comes crashing down,” she continues. “She’s so scared, and obviously so focused on taking care of him and holding it all together.” There’s also the added wrinkle of Harry’s not wanting anyone to know about his diagnosis. “It’s impossible for her,” Davis says. “She has to keep it from her friends. And it really takes a toll on her.” After an episode full of private spiraling, Charlotte almost confides in her new bestie, Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker)—but ultimately decides not to. Instead, she silently accepts Lisa’s show of support—a gentle hand placed on Charlotte’s back as she stares out into the distance, contemplating her uncertain future.

It’s a quieter, gentler note for Davis—beloved for her comedic chops and wide “Charlotte eyes”—to play. And Davis teases that there will be more where that came from in the latter half of And Just Like That…’s 10-episode season. “She is so busy taking care of everyone but herself that eventually it becomes a problem for her own health,” she says. For a series that’s more of a reality check than a showcase for wish fulfillment, it makes sense that Charlotte’s bubble would eventually burst. And though it’s hard to imagine Charlotte York being put through the emotional ringer, at least we know that she has great friends to see her through.