Rosie O'Donnell has shared her experience filming an intimate scene with Cynthia Nixon in the widely criticized "Sex and the City" reboot, "And Just Like That..." O'Donnell portrayed Mary, a virgin nun who becomes Miranda Hobbes' (Nixon) love interest in the third season episode "Outlook Good."
The scene depicted Mary and Miranda connecting at a bar before a subsequent encounter, after which Mary reveals her virginity to Miranda. The plotline drew a strong reaction from viewers upon its premiere, with many questioning the narrative choice.
In a candid conversation on Amy Poehler's "Good Hang" podcast, O'Donnell admitted to feeling apprehensive about the scene. "I was so nervous," she stated. "The kissing wasn’t hard, but the laying in bed and the wanting us to act like we had just done it. I was like, 'Uhh.'"
O'Donnell indicated that she was not fully aware of the scene's nature when she agreed to join the show. She recalled Nixon calling her to ask if she would do a scene written by Michael Patrick King, to which O'Donnell agreed. However, upon reading the script, she realized the scene involved her character in bed with minimal coverage. "So I was nervous with Cynthia. And then Michael said, 'You guys can be a little bit more.' And I’m thinking, 'I can’t really.'"
O'Donnell noted that her previous experience with filming a sex scene was with the late Julian McMahon for "Nip/Tuck."
Despite her personal discomfort with the scene, O'Donnell expressed admiration for Nixon, calling her "one of the best actresses that we have" and praising her activism and personal life.
"And Just Like That...", which saw Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis return as their "Sex and the City" characters, concluded after three seasons. The series faced considerable backlash from fans who described it as "woke," "awful," and "cringeworthy," with some critics arguing it had damaged the original characters. The show's viewership reportedly declined during its third season.
Showrunner Michael Patrick King announced the series' conclusion, stating it felt like a natural place to end the "Sex and the City" universe's ongoing storytelling. He noted the decision to end the series was made in conjunction with Sarah Jessica Parker and HBO executives. The original "Sex and the City" aired from 1998 to 2004, followed by two films in 2008 and 2010. "And Just Like That..." premiered in January 2021.
Notable plot points in the reboot included Miranda's affair with non-binary comedian Che Diaz, portrayed by Sara Ramirez, and Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) reassessment of her relationship with Aidan Shaw (John Corbett). Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha Jones in the original series, did not return for the reboot full-time due to reported disputes with castmates, making only a brief cameo appearance.
The series also introduced new characters such as Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker), Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), and Dr. Nya Wallace (Karen Pittman). The first episode of the reboot featured the death of John Preston, also known as Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth. Noth was later removed from the series' finale following allegations of sexual abuse, which he denied.