Actress Cynthia Nixon has been appointed to the Commission on Judicial Nomination, the body responsible for vetting and recommending candidates for New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals. The appointment was made by New York Chief Judge Rowan Wilson.
Nixon, who played attorney Miranda Hobbes on the HBO series "Sex and the City," is not a lawyer but has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College. Her appointment to the commission extends through April 30, 2030. The commission's recommendations are constitutionally required for the Governor's selection of judges to the Court of Appeals.
Sources within the legal community expressed surprise and some outrage at the appointment, with one lawyer quoted as saying, "She's an actress! She's known for 'Sex and the City.'"
Nixon has a history of political activism, having run for governor of New York in 2018 and endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. Her biography on the commission's website highlights her nearly 50-year acting career, including awards such as two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy for her reading of Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth." The bio also notes her advocacy for public school funding and other social causes.
Nixon's wife, Christine Marinoni, is employed as the chief of mass engagement at the Department of Education's Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) office.