And Just Like That’s Kristin Davis on playing a mother to a non-binary kid: ‘Your job is to support that child – and that’s the end of that conversation’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Hi Kristin! We’re now on our eleventh Sex and the City era, including the films and three seasons of And Just Like That…

Cool, yeah!

Do you have a first, second and third favourite era, and why?

Oh gosh, I’m going to have to think hard! I’d say my favourite was season three of the first show. It was just when we hit our stride. It was the most incredible summer in New York. So beautiful, so many great episodes. Really my favourite time. Then I’m going to go with the first movie, which was also really magical. And we’d been wanting to do that movie for a while, so it was really great, very exciting. It was high drama, right! Oh gosh. Then I’m going to have to go with this season of And Just Like That… It was also a glorious spring and summer in New York. Shooting in so many beautiful locations. I feel like we’ve just been able to take our new show, create it, find its groove, we gelled together, and are enjoying ourselves. We’ve got emotion, joy, all the elements!

We see Carrie and Samantha texting a lot. Do you hope, as I do, that Charlotte and Samantha are texting; that Charlotte’s reaching out to Samantha for some love and support?

Well, I’ve already shot the season, so I guess I know the answer to that. I mean, maybe they are. But I don’t feel, even in the past, Charlotte really relied on Samantha that much for support. They were good friends, but they were always very different. I think they were complimentary viewpoints in the first show. We would obviously have different viewpoints, but complimenting each other in terms of middle ground. In the beginning, especially, I have these funny episodes I’m looking back on with the podcast, where I take care of Samantha! It’s fascinating. But I don’t feel Charlotte relied on Samantha that much. So I don’t know if she’d reach out to her. But I do think she’d be friendly! I don’t think she has any particular issues or problems with her.

The show has a rich legacy when it comes to LGBTQ representation. I can’t overstate how much that means to me and people of my generation, especially. it wasn’t always perfect, but it’s there and you guys are still adding to it. For you as an executive producer, and playing a mother of a child exploring identity, how does it feel to be adding to that legacy?

I love that legacy so much! As you said, we weren’t always perfect. But I’m just glad we were out there trying in the beginning. There weren’t that many shows in 1997, which is when we did the pilot, that were speaking to the gay community, and the lesbian community, the drag queens, everyone. RuPaul hadn’t done his show, right? From that perspective, I love that we were out there. We might not have always been on target, or politically correct, but we were trying. Also, we’ve been so embraced by every community, that it’s been a joy to extend those storylines more and more. When we came back with And Just Like That… we wanted to continue to push different boundaries that weren’t being pushed. We saw areas we believed needed representation and stories. True-to-life stories. We wanted to do that because that’s who we are. We have done it, and I know not everyone loves it, but I also feel like that’s OK, because you can’t please everyone. But for us, we want to try. Try and bring light to areas where maybe there’s misunderstanding. Light to what it’s really like to have a child that presents as non-binary. I have many friends who have children who are non-binary. Your job as a parent is to support that child. And that is the end of that conversation, as far as I believe.

Absolutely. And your character out of all of them is the one that’s evolved the most. It’s a unique opportunity to demonstrate that, is that a responsibility you take seriously.

Absolutely, absolutely. I’m not necessarily the obvious, choice, right? But that’s why it’s so great. Because it’s not something that people choose – it just happens, it’s how people are born. That’s part of the point of it all, right? As a parent, you need to expand for that child. You need to expand your world view. You need to expand your flexibility in terms of how you can support them, be there for them. That’s what my friends who are parents to non-binary children and trans children are doing. It’s not necessarily something that’s going to be, like, oh my god, so dramatic. It’s just how it is. That’s how I think Charlotte has dealt with it, which I’m very proud of. I think it’s so important to continue. We did so much research on it. Michael [Patrick King] was so worried about it in the beginning, that we talked to a lot of people and got a lot of viewpoints. Really covered our bases in terms of not going too far or being clickbaity. Just being real. That’s what I love about it. Wait until you see the developments this year! It’s just great. Rock is so inspiring and has really settled.

Do you have a favourite-ever look of Charlotte’s?

Ever? Ever is hard. I love all my Dior looks, I’d say. They’re all hanging in my closet. I love a lot of my old Prada. I have this really, big fancy dress […] coming up made by Mugler… Too many to choose from!

And Just Like That… S3 launches on 30 May exclusively in the UK on SKY and NOW with episode one, followed by one new episode airing each week.