"Just interesting the ways in which we judge women": Sarah Jessica Parker questions why flawed female characters face more criticism

And Just Like That star Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw, a s*x columnist in the S*x and the City franchise, has recently opened up about the complexities of her character and the criticisms she faces.

She told HuffPost UK that men with similar professional backgrounds and messy lives are not shamed or judged, but when a woman does it, it suddenly becomes a topic of discussion. She called out the disparity and said,

"I just think, it's just interesting, the ways in which we judge women and not men."

Sarah Jessica Parker defended her S*x and the City character Carrie and said that she's a good person and, most importantly, a devoted and caring friend.

However, she also added that Carrie isn't perfect and has made quite a few mistakes at times, especially in her previous relationships. Carrie Bradshaw has been repeatedly called out for her toxic, judgmental, and narcissistic behaviour by several critics; however, Sarah Jessica Parker pointed out,

"It’s always interesting to me that [this is] so condemned, but a male lead on a show can be a murderer, and people love him."

Take, for instance, Joe Goldberg from Netflix's thriller series You, a psychotic killer whose obsession with young and smart women led him to murder multiple times. Despite his horrific crimes, viewers are attracted to his charm and vulnerability, and often fall for his manipulative justifications, too.

Parker further defended her character Carrie Bradshaw and continued,

"I would simply say that smart people make bad decisions sometimes [and] are foolish in judgement."

Sarah Jessica Parker revealed that women always face harsher judgment than their male counterparts for their mistakes, whether it's bad financial decisions, infidelity, or questionable choices. She even revealed that the passionate debate surrounding Carrie Bradshaw proves that people are invested in it. For Parker, Carrie's imperfections make her quite a relatable character in the series.

And Just Like That star Sarah Jessica Parker recalls crying over body-shaming comments

In the latest episode of Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast, Sarah Jessica Parker revealed the time when she broke down due to some nasty comments made about her physical appearance. She recalled the incident and explained how it affected her confidence,

"I didn't feel like I could sit in a room and someone would say to me, ‘You're really unattractive,’ and then I could say, ‘Wow. Well, first of all, that's hard to hear. But second of all, why do you seem angry about it, or why do you feel it's necessary to comment?"

Parker narrated a shocking event when a magazine mocked her for her physical appearance. She recalled how she phoned her friends and cried her heart out. She remembered breaking down from the backlashes and thought it was very harsh of the publication to comment on her appearance.

And Just Like That Season 3, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, premiered on May 29, 2025, on Max. New episodes will release on Thursdays. The season finale will drop on Thursday, July 31, 2025, on Max.

Also read: It felt so purposeful” — Sarah Jessica Parker recalls sobbing over harsh criticism of her appearance on Sex and the City

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