While their various Instagram shots and Met Ball red carpet appearances have cemented their friendship into that of pop culture lore, did you know that Watch What Happens Live host and Sarah Jessica Parker were also almost co-stars on Sex and the City?
During a recent Watch What Happens Live After Show, Cohen strolled down memory lane with guests Kristin Davis & John Benjamin Hickey. “Michael Patrick King for some reason was like, ‘Come in and read for … ‘ I think the part that wound up going to Mario Cantone,” Cohen said. “I think it was the the party planner, which was a huge part.” (Mario Cantone originated and went on to play the role of party planner and confidante to Davis’ Charlotte York in the series, as well as both SATC feature films). “I don’t think the expectation was for it to wind up being such a huge part,” Cohen said. “Mario is so great that they were probably like, ‘Okay, well we have to.’ But it was I think that party planner.”
Hickey himself did have a guest starring role in 1998, recalled helping Cohen unsuccessfully land the role. “Twenty years ago we sat at Benny’s Burritos and I worked on the audition with him and I kept saying, ‘Sweetie just turn it down,’ ”Hickey recalled. Added Cohen, “He goes, ‘What are you doing?’ It was so bad.”
While many do recall Cohen snagging a role in the final season as a Barney’s shoe designer, only eagle eyed viewers will recall seeing Cohen in the background during Season 4 when the iconic foursome visit a gay bar for a night out on the town, as Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw tries (unsuccessfully) to snag a cocktail.
In it’s heyday, Sex and the City was notorious as one of the shows that had big names clamoring to snag an appearance on the always press heavy show. Everyone from Carrie Fisher to Vince Vaughn to Bradley Cooper (his very first acting credit) appeared on the show that helped launch many names into the pop culture stratosphere.
Art Courtesy of NBC Universal