“We didn’t want Stanford to die”: And Just Like That creator on how the show handled Stanford Blatch’s story after Willie Garson’s passing.

And Just Like That delivered a quiet but heartfelt farewell to Stanford Blatch during its second season. Show-runner Michael Patrick King made one thing very clear on the And Just Like That... The Writers Room podcast:

"We didn't want Stanford to die..."

Instead of writing him off completely, the team gave Stanford a gentle exit. An exit that honored both the character and actor Willie Garson. So, where did Stanford go? The answer was both unexpected and emotional.

A graceful goodbye for Stanford Blatch on And Just Like That

Stanford's exit was first addressed in Season 1 after actor Willie Garson's passing in 2021. In the show, he had gone to Japan to manage a TikTok star. But in an episode of Season 2, fans learned the character had chosen a new life path.

Carrie receives a letter from Stanford, revealing that he is staying in Japan, not for business this time, but to become a Shinto monk. Carrie later shares the news with Anthony, Stanford's estranged husband, and they raise a toast "to Stanny" with Cosmopolitans.

King later shared that Sarah Jessica Parker made a spontaneous decision during the scene to drink her entire Cosmo in one go. Michael Patrick King said:

"Sarah Jessica chose to drink the entire drink in one gulp..."

King mentioned this on the podcast, calling it a powerful, unscripted tribute.

This decision wasn't just about wrapping up a story, but rather it was a way to keep Stanford's spirit alive. King explained that they didn't want to kill the character after Garson's death.

Instead, they created space for Stanford to exist in the world, away from New York but very much alive. "It was a fast fix," King said of the original storyline:

"It was like thin ice. We skated over it 'cause we had to, 'cause he wasn't in the show suddenly."

Still, the desire to give the character a meaningful ending never faded.

How did real memories shape Stanford’s story?

Stanford's final journey wasn't just a plot twist, and it came from a real place. Michael Patrick King shared on the podcast that his own trip to Japan with Sarah Jessica Parker had inspired the idea.

After a difficult press tour for Sex and the City 2, the duo visited Kyoto. They moved through temples, lit candles, and tried to process the disappointment surrounding the film. The And Just Like That show-runner recalls:

"I was sitting there trying to release these complicated feelings and I felt kind of at peace..."

That emotional experience became the foundation for Stanford's storyline. When deciding how to honor Garson, King remembered that peaceful moment. He said:

"I wanted to somehow pay tribute to Willie and put Stanford someplace where it was golden and filled with light because I hope Willie's someplace that's golden and filled with light..."

In the end, Stanford wasn't just written off. He was given a resting place full of meaning, one that reflected the deep personal connection between the people who brought And Just Like That to life and the actor who helped shape it.

Through a heartfelt mix of fiction and personal memory, And Just Like That gave Stanford Blatch an ending rooted in love, not loss. The tribute allowed the character to live on, far away but never forgotten.

And for fans and friends of Willie Garson, that quiet exit said more than words ever could.

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