Sex and the City

Background:

American actress Sarah Jessica Parker gathered worldwide fame while portraying sex-crazed columnist Carrie Bradshaw in the international smash hit “Sex and the City” (1998-2004), during which her brilliant performance handed Parker numerous awards, including an Emmy Award, four Golden Globe Awards (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004), a Golden Satellite Award, a Florida Film Critics Circle Award, an Online Film Critics Society Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards (2001 and 2004) and two PGA Golden Laurel Awards (2002 and 2004). One of the most adored and respected actresses of the world, Parker also had a small, but memorable role, in the ensemble of David Mamet’s comedy State and Main (2000), where she took home Online Film Critics Society and Florida Film Critics Circle awards.

Parker is also well-remembered for her roles in such films as the hit Footloose (1984), L.A. Story (1991), the successful Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Miami Rhapsody (1995), Extreme Measures (1996) and the blockbuster hit Mars Attacks (1996). Recently appearing in Strangers with Candy (2005) and the star-studded The Family Stone (2005), Parker will soon play roles in the forthcoming Spinning Into Butter (2006), Failure to Launch (2006), David Mamet’s Whistle (2006) and Adam Shankman’s comedy Slammer (2007).

Off screen, on September 24, 2005, Parker, with annual earnings of approximately $38 million, was chosen “The Richest Woman in New York.” One of the world’s most stylish and adored celebrities, Parker, through Sex and the City, was significant in starting fashion trends. Her sense of style carries over into her personal life as well, and she is often quoted as one of the best dressed at red-carpet events. In 2004, soon after the last season of Sex and the City ended, she inked a 38 million, multi-year contract with The Gap to sponsor its casual wear and star in ad campaigns, but The Gap called it off in early 2005 and declared she would be replaced by 17-year-old British soul singer Joss Stone. As for her private life, Parker has been married to actor Matthew Broderick since May 1997, with whom she shares a son named James Wilke Broderick (born in 2002). Before the marriage, she was romantically linked to Robert Downey Jr. (had relationship from 1984-1991), Nicolas Cage (dated in 1991) and magazine publisher John F. Kennedy Jr.


The Innocents

Childhood and Family:

Daughter to Stephen Parker, an aspiring writer, and Barbra Forste, an elementary school teacher, Sarah Jessica Parker, as the fourth of eight siblings, was born on March 25, 1965, in Nelsonville, Ohio. When her parents divorced, young Sarah was raised under the care of her mom and her stepfather, Paul Forste, in relative poverty. In spite of her impoverished upbringing, talented Sarah was trained in dancing and singing at a very young age. While growing up in Cincinnati, she studied and performed with the Cincinnati Ballet.

Appearing on local TV at age 8, Sarah landed her first Broadway role in a production of “The Innocents” when she was 11. A year later, her family relocated to Englewood, New Jersey, to support her career. Sarah then continued her ballet studies at the American Ballet Theatre and was educated in the Professional Children’s School in New York, New York. Upon graduating from Dwight Morrow High School, Sarah decided to pursue acting professionally.

Sarah has been happily married to fellow actor Matthew Broderick (born on March 21, 1962) since May, 1997. Sarah and Broderick welcomed their first son, named James Wilke Broderick, on October 28, 2002.


State and Main

Career:

Sarah Jessica Parker started her career early when at age 8, she joined the Cincinnati Ballet, sang with the Metropolitan Opera, and appeared on a local television show called “The Little Match Girl” that same year. During her studies at the American Ballet Theatre and the Professional Children’s School, Sarah honed in on her craft by taking part in such works as “The Nutcracker” and “La Sylphide” (starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland). Debuting on Broadway in Harold Pinter’s “The Innocents,” Parker continued to perform on the stage for the next few years, touring with four of her siblings, in the national company of “The Sound of Music.” In 1978, Sarah appeared as an orphan in Broadway musical “Annie,” but she soon selected to take over the title role and stayed with the production until 1980.

During her Broadway stint, Parker also made her film debut in the feature Rich Kids (1979), co-starring John Lithgow, Trini Alvarado and Olympia Dukakis, but her parts ended up on the cutting floor. Her major break as an actress arrived in 1982 when she was cast as gauche, bespectacled teen Patty Greene in the CBS short-lived sitcom “Square Pegs” (1982). Parker’s performance won her critical acclaim and national attention. Though the show only lasted a single season, it had been an important kick-start to Parker’s career.

Following the success, Parker moved on to the big screen in the film Somewhere Tomorrow, in the following year. She gained additional attention as Lori Singer’s best friend and Chris Penn’s girlfriend, Rusty, in the 1984 hit Footloose. After Firstborn (1984), Parker starred opposite Helen Hunt in the teen comedy feature Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) and played Carolyn McAdams in Flight of the Navigator (1986). While working on film, Parker also landed roles in several TV shows such as The Almost Royal Family (1984), Going For the Gold: The Bill Johnson Story (1985), Dadah Is Death (1988) and Life Under Water (1989), among others.

Five years away from film, Parker made her comeback with the romantic comedy L.A. Story (1991), in which she was cast as Steve Martin’s hippie girlfriend. Both the film and her performance garnered some positive response. Parker further increased her popularity when she starred as Nicholas Cage’s fiancée in the hit comedy Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), a critical role that was followed by the supernatural comedy Hocus Pocus (1993, costarring Bette Midler), the actioner Striking Distance (1993, with Bruce Willis) and Tim Burton’s affectionate biopic of the eccentric director Ed Wood (1994). In 1995, she had the opportunity to work with her renowned director Woody Allen in his widely penned comedy Miami Rhapsody, and also found herself acting with Allen in the made-for-TV film The Sunshine Boys (1995). The subsequent year saw Parker in If Lucy Fell (1996), The Substance of Fire (1996), Extreme Measures (1996) and Mars Attacks (1996). The latter of which became one of the most commercially successful pictures of the year. She next portrayed spoiled former kid star Francesca Lanfield, both bringing together and standing between star-crossed lovers Jeanne Tripplehorn and Dylan McDermott, in the romantic comedy 'Til There Was You (1997).

Parker’s career gained real momentum in 1998 when she landed the starring role of New York relationships columnist Carrie Bradshaw in the new HBO series “Sex and the City.” The show, which centered on the sex lives of four close friends (played by Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis), was an instant hit, becoming a favorite among critics and audiences alike. Playing a single thirtysomething living the high life and looking for love, Parker won several awards, including an Emmy, four Golden Globes (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004), a Golden Satellite, a Florida Film Critics Circle, an Online Film Critics Society and two Screen Actors Guilds (2001 and 2004). Parker later added to her credits the show’s producer, a stint that handed Parker two PGA Golden Laurels for Television Producer of the Year (2002 and 2004). The massive success of Sex and the City also easily transformed Parker’s status from “Promising Newcomer” of the 90's to bona fide superstar. After running for six seasons, the series ended in 2004.

During her tenure in the acclaimed series, Parker still had wide screen projects. She portrayed Nell Fenwick in the live action adaptation of Dudley Do-Right (1999) before being featured in the ensemble of David Mamet’s comedy State and Main (2000). Delivering a good performance, Parker netted an Online Film Critics Society and a Florida Film Critics Circle for Best Ensemble. In the following year, she played Colleen Gibson in the box-office disaster Life Without Dick (2001).

In addition to performing in movie and television, Parker also continued her career on stage. A highly respected stage actress, Parker enjoyed success as the lead in such plays as the critically acclaimed off-Broadway “Sylvia,” “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (with husband Matthew Broderick) and the Tony Award-nominated “Once Upon a Mattress.”

Recently, Parker appeared in the small role of Grief Counselor Peggy Callas in the Sundance Film Festival movie Strangers with Candy (2005) and teamed up with all-star cast Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Craig T, Nelson, Dermot Mulroney and Luke Wilson in The Family Stone (2005). She is also set to play roles in the upcoming film adaptation of Rebecca Gilman’s Spinning Into Butter (2006), the comedy/romance Failure to Launch (2006, starring Adam Alexi-Malle and Kathy Bates), David Mamet’s Whistle (2006) and Adam Shankman’s comedy Slammer (2007).


Awards:

- Golden Globe: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, Sex and the City, 2004
- Emmy: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, Sex and the City, 2004
- Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, Sex and the City, 2004
- PGA Golden Laurel: Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Comedy, Sex and the City, 2004
- PGA Golden Laurel: Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Comedy, Sex and the City, 2002
- Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy, Sex and the City, 2002
- Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, Sex and the City, 2001
- Online Film Critics Society: Best Ensemble, State and Main, 2000
- Florida Film Critics Circle: Best Ensemble, State and Main, 2000
- Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical, Sex and the City, 2000
- Golden Satellite: Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy), Sex and the City, 2000
- Golden Globe: Best Actress in a Television Series (Comedy or Musical), Sex and the City, 1999
- Lucy Award: Women in Film, 1999