“It’s a brave new world of sexual politics” — Cynthia Nixon on Miranda’s queer dating life in And Just Like That

When And Just Like That launched as a contemporary reboot of the iconic Sex and the City, it was evident that the series had no desire to merely go back to the ways of the previous show. One of its most anticipated changes was Miranda Hobbes' changing self, where the once straight-laced lawyer enters a new queer world during midlife.

Cynthia Nixon, the actress cast as Miranda, addressed this change recently in an interview with Variety, commenting that what her character undergoes is one of vulnerability, self-knowledge, and cultural discovery. She said,

"When Miranda was dating back in the day, it often didn’t go well, but at least she was not out of practice. Now, she’s super out of practice. She’s dating an entirely different kind of person."

She added,

"And it’s a brave new world of sexual politics; on dating apps, everything is different."

Nixon made sure to point out that writers of the show did not aim to provide a perfect or effective coming-out story. Rather, they wanted to create one that is reminiscent of the frequently tangled process of self-makeover.

Moving outside the comfort zone and into new emotional ground, Miranda's arc mirrors a broader change in the handling this makeover, particularly as a character who has long been defined by accepted relationship roles.

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Miranda's queer arc was never supposed to be slick in And Just Like That

Nixon expressed that Miranda's coming out into a queer identity was not going to be tidy or victorious — it was made messy on purpose. According to her, the writing team of And Just Like That writing headed by Michael Patrick King, was invested in showing an honest and at times cringeworthy process.

According to Variety, Nixon stated,

"She is a person with her own foibles and insecurities, and we get to see that she’s not a perfect person by any stretch of the imagination. But she is wonderful in a very different way than Steve. Steve was a wonderful antidote to Miranda, and Joy is a wonderful antidote in a very different way."

Instead, they double down on the tension: The tension of Miranda's marriage to Steve, the uncertainty around her relationship with Che Diaz, and the inner turmoil that accompanies late-in-life discovery.

Nixon also pointed out that Miranda's choice to get involved with Che wasn't necessarily about a new relationship — it was about shattering existing preconceptions about herself. Her story is taut with tension, in breaking free from lifelong roles and fear of disappointing others,

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Cynthia Nixon's real-life queerness added authentic insight

Although the plot of the show is fictional, Nixon's actual life as a lesbian provided her with some context when playing Miranda. She has had a same-sex partner in Christine Marinoni since 2004 and married her in 2012. Nixon was cautious, however, to keep her distance from playing the character. While she grasped some of Miranda's emotional disorientation, she asserted that the writers developed Miranda's arc separately, with an idea of having a show that would appeal to the masses who were going through or were suffering similar issues pertaining to their identities.

What is unique about Miranda's journey in And Just Like That, Nixon asserts, is that it contains elements of generational and societal situations. Coming out in one's fifties — after maybe decades of hetero marriage — is a different type of bargain with a different level of stakes than it might be for younger people. Nixon felt that this nuance had to be addressed and respected.

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Uncovering emotion reinvention of the middle age in And Just Like That

Miranda's narrative on And Just Like That has also provoked discussion of how middle age on TV works — specifically, whether that means distancing oneself from what is considered stable or settled. Nixon touched on it directly, calling the narrative a form of late-stage change. As per Variety, she said,

"What’s wonderful is — when Miranda tries to date the guacamole girl [a Mexican restaurant server in this season’s second episode], and she just totally turns out to be straight."

And Just Like That takes Miranda's whirlwind dating life and identity crisis, and uses them to investigate themes of reinvention that are not always dealt with on mainstream TV. Instead of being trapped in the familiar ways, Miranda is able to break out — even if it happens in a disappointing or painful way.

Nixon does not interpret Miranda's decisions as strictly sexual or romantic. Rather, they are expressions of larger freedoms, independence, and self-construction. As she says,

"I suppose a straight person could try to date an opposite-gender person and find out they’re gay, but that happens less. So I guess if I had to pick one, I would just say, it’s just more disastrous dating stories."

For Miranda, to forgo a heterosexual marriage to try out other ways of being close isn't so much about the other woman as it is about speaking to her own needs and her own self.

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Che Diaz as a catalyst in And Just Like That, and not the destination

A lot of Miranda's narrative on And Just Like That is focused on her relationship with Che Diaz, who is a non-binary stand-up comedian and is played by Sara Ramírez. They were both revered and criticized, something Nixon referenced during the interview. As per her, Che was never supposed to be someone everyone would like or make life easier for Miranda. Instead, Che was intended to be a test — one who shakes Miranda out of her complacency.

Rather than concern about whether or not Miranda and Che are a good couple in And Just Like That, Nixon explained the emotional conflict the relationship creates. The audience sees Miranda making difficult choices, receiving negative criticism from her peers, and enduring the consequences. Nixon feels that one must be uncomfortable to demonstrate actual change.

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Stretching the boundaries of beloved characters in And Just Like That

Nixon admitted that some of the fans of Sex and the City have been unable to balance the Miranda of their youth with the one that can be observed in And Just Like That. She gets caught up in criticism and pushback. But for Nixon, leaving characters frozen in the past would be a betrayal, especially because the rest of the world goes on.

The writers, she explained,

"The writers may choose to add elements of all of our experiences. Michael Patrick King obviously knows us very well, as do the other writers, particularly Elisa Zuritsky and Julie Rottenberg, who were there on the original show."

Nixon stood by saying that, much as the fans have been at war over it, the artistic gambles paid off to move forward. Miranda's new act is one audiences won't find easy or familiar, but it makes them consider identity as more fluid than static. Nixon is certain this is exactly why And Just Like That is so relevant today.

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Cynthia Nixon's portrayal of Miranda's evolution in And Just Like That provides us with an astute insight into the series' attempt to engage with identity and sexuality in a contemporary manner. Rather than the effortless transition, Miranda's queer path is marred by mistakes, uncertainty, and soul-searching introspection — something Nixon and the show's writers deliberately set out to create.

By so doing, they developed a character arc that steers clear of predictability while showing the nature of real change.

Also read: And Just Like That… Season 3 release schedule: When do new episodes of the HBO Max series drop?