CULTURE

Sarah Jessica Parker Knew About Cynthia Nixon’s Governor Run Weeks in Advance

“I was incredibly excited and proud of her.”


T. Schreiber Studio And The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Benefit Luncheon
Brad Barket

On March 19, Cynthia Nixon announced to the world her intent to run for governor of New York. But, there was one person who apparently knew about Nixon’s plan long before the rest of us: her Sex and the City co-star and close friend, Sarah Jessica Parker.

“The election of Donald Trump was a wake-up call for women across the country,” Nixon shared with Glamour on the day of her announcement. “We’ve realized that if we want real progressive change, we’re going to have to step up and do it ourselves. Because this year, it’s not just about electing more Democrats—it’s about electing better Democrats. I’ve been humbled and inspired by the thousands of women who are running for office for the first time. And today, I am honored to join their ranks.”

Just days later, Parker put out her own statement endorsing Nixon and her campaign. She wrote on Instagram: “A mother. An activist. An advocate. A fighter. A NY’er. A dear friend. Running for Governor of our great state. My sister on and off screen, you have my love, support and vote.”

But Nixon’s run didn’t come as a surprise to Parker. As she revealed on Friday to a crowd at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, Nixon actually gave her a heads up about her political run several weeks in advance.

“She shared with me that she was going to announce about a month before. I was incredibly excited and proud of her. I think she’s already been good for the conversation,” Parker said, according to People.

“This is what’s exciting about primaries, right? People can inspire an incumbent to reconsider policy… or just have a robust conversation,” Parker added, noting that her friend was “formidable” and “incredibly bright.”

As last week, The New York Times reported that incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo was still ahead in the polls, 58 percent to 27 percent.

But Parker finished her endorsement of Nixon with a dash of perspective: “She’s really brave. She’s excited about this race, and it’s challenging. But, she seems enormously energized and I think it’s good for us to have a competitor — it’s always good. A challenger is good.”