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Celebrity and the media are reliant on each other - always have been - but we have lost the elegance in that relationship, somehow.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker has received eight consecutive Golden Globe nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press; the first seven were for Actress in a TV Comedy for her work on "Sex and the City" (1998) and her eighth was for Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy for The Family Stone (2005).
Sarah Jessica Parker
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Sarah Jessica Parker
25 March 1965, Nelsonville, Ohio
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer. She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City (1998–2004), for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards. She played the same role in the 2008 feature film based on the show, Sex and the City: The Movie, and its sequel, Sex and the City 2, which opened on May 26, 2010.
Parker has also appeared in many other films, including Footloose (1984), L.A. Story (1991), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Mars Attacks! (1996), The Family Stone (2005), Failure to Launch (2006), Smart People (2008), and Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009).
Sarah Jessica Parker was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, the daughter of Barbara (née Keck), a nursery school operator and teacher, and Stephen Parker, an entrepreneur and journalist. She was one of a total of eight children from her parents' marriage and her mother's second marriage (her full siblings include actors Timothy Britten Parker and Pippin Parker). After her parents' divorce, her mother married Paul Forste, a truck driver and account executive who was a part of Parker's life from an early age. Parker's mother was of English and German descent; through her mother, Parker is descended from Esther Elwell, one of the accused during the Salem witch trials. Parker's father, a native of Brooklyn, was of Eastern European Jewish background; his family's original surname was "Bar-Kahn" ("son of Kohen"). Parker has identified culturally and ethnically with her father's religion, Judaism, although she had no religious training. She has said that even while her family lived in Cincinnati, her mother emulated a New York lifestyle.
As a young girl, Parker trained in singing and ballet, and was soon cast in the Broadway revival of William Archibald's The Innocents. Her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio and then to Dobbs Ferry, New York, near New York City, so that she could get specialized training. There, her mother and stepfather helped Parker develop her career as a child actress. In 1977, the family moved to the newly opened planned community on Roosevelt Island, in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, and later to Manhattan. The family later moved to Englewood, New Jersey, where Parker attended Dwight Morrow High School.
Parker attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, the School of American Ballet in New York, Dwight Morrow High School in New Jersey, and the Professional Children's School, Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, California.
Parker and four siblings appeared in a production of The Sound of Music at the outdoor Municipal Theatre (Muny) in St. Louis, Missouri. She was selected for a role in the new 1977–81 Broadway musical Annie: first in the small role of "July" and then succeeding Andrea McArdle and Shelley Bruce in the lead role of the Depression-era orphan, beginning March 1979. Parker held the role for a year.
In 1982, Parker was cast as the co-lead of the CBS sitcom Square Pegs. The show lasted just one season, but Parker's performance, as a shy teen who showed hidden depths, was critically well-received. In the three years that followed, she was cast in four films: the most significant being Footloose in 1984 and 1984's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, co-starring Helen Hunt. In 1986, Parker appeared in the cult classic Flight of the Navigator, a Disney science fiction film.
By the early 1990s, Parker's career was gaining momentum. In 1991, she appeared in a supporting role in the romantic comedy L.A. Story; both the movie and her performance garnered positive reviews. The following year, she landed a starring role in the well-received film Honeymoon in Vegas, co-starring Nicolas Cage. Her 1993 role in the film Hocus Pocus was a higher grosser at the box office but received negative reviews. Also in 1993, she starred as a police diver opposite Bruce Willis in the film Striking Distance. The following year, she appeared opposite Johnny Depp in the critically acclaimed movie Ed Wood as Wood's girlfriend Dolores Fuller.
The film Miami Rhapsody, in 1995, was a romantic comedy in which she had a leading role. In 1996, she appeared in another Tim Burton-directed movie, Mars Attacks!, as well as in The First Wives Club and The Substance of Fire, in which she reprised her 1991 stage role. In 1997, she appeared as Francesca Lanfield, a washed-up former child actress, in the comedy Till There Was You.
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The script for an HBO drama/comedy series titled Sex and the City was sent to Parker. The show's creator, Darren Star, wanted her for his project. Despite some doubts about being cast in a long-term television series, Parker agreed to star, with this series, it came at the height of his career, was one of the most important series on American television, which began to feminine emancipation in a television series, which showed that modern women over 30 years, we managed to have a sex life and loving, just like old times. . After five nominations, in 2004, Parker won an Emmy Award for her lead role. Parker said in 2006 that she "will never do a television show again".
After Sex and the City ended in 2004, rumors of a film version circulated. It was revealed that a script had been completed for such a project. At the time, Parker said such a film would likely never be made. Two years later, preparations were resumed, and the film was released on May 30, 2008.
In addition to work in film and television, Parker has gained respect as a stage actor, having appeared in well-reviewed lead roles in the off-Broadway play Sylvia, alongside future husband Matthew Broderick in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and the Tony Award-nominated Once Upon a Mattress.
In December 2005, Parker appeared in her first film in several years, The Family Stone; she received a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actress — Comedy for the role. Her next film, the romantic comedy Failure to Launch, co-starring Matthew McConaughey, was released on March 10, 2006 and opened at #1 in the North American box office, grossing slightly over $24 million in its opening weekend, despite mediocre reviews. Parker's work as a producer continued with the independent film Spinning Into Butter (which she also starred in), based on the Rebecca Gilman play. Parker was initially set to star in Vacancy, along with her co-star from The Family Stone, Luke Wilson, but she dropped out in favor of other projects. Kate Beckinsale later won the role.
On July 20, US cable network Bravo announced it had picked up a reality show produced by Parker under the working title American Artist. As a self-described "art enthusiast", Parker will feature artists of any age over 17, with each show having 13 finalists. Parker's inspiration comes from her mother-in-law, whose artwork became noticed only after she died.
Parker is producing a new comedy series for HBO called Washingtonienne. The pilot aired in 2009. The show revolves around the lives of three smart and sophisticated friends, all working for powerful men on Capitol Hill.
Parker participated in the United States version of the hit UK television series Who Do You Think You Are? for NBC, in which celebrities were helped to trace their family trees. The executive producer was Lisa Kudrow, and the series featured Parker, husband Matthew Broderick, Kudrow and others.
In 2000, Parker hosted the MTV Movie Awards, appearing in fourteen different outfits during the show.
She has also become the face of many of the world's biggest fashion brands through her work in a variety of advertising campaigns. In August 2003, Parker signed a lucrative deal with Garnier to appear in TV and print advertising promoting their Nutrisse hair products. In 2004, she fronted an international campaign by Gap, but her contract was terminated in spring 2005 in favor of British soul singer Joss Stone.
Parker released her own perfume in 2005, called "Lovely". In March 2007, Parker announced the launch of her own fashion line, "Bitten", in partnership with discount clothing chain Steve & Barry's. The line, featuring clothing items and accessories under $20, launched on June 7, 2007, exclusively at Steve and Barry's.
In July 2007, following the success of "Lovely," Parker released her second fragrance "Covet." In 2007, Parker was a guest on Project Runway for the second challenge. In 2008, Covet Pure Bloom was released as continuous series of Covet. In February 2009, as part of the "Lovely" collection, Parker launched a series of three new fragrances called "Dawn", "Endless" and "Twilight".
Parker was romantically involved with actor Robert Downey, Jr. from 1984 until 1991. They met on the set of Firstborn. Downey had a drug problem, which affected their relationship. Parker has said, "I believed I was the person holding him together."
On May 19, 1997, she married actor Matthew Broderick, to whom she was introduced to by one of her brothers at the Naked Angels theater company, where they both performed. The couple married in a civil ceremony in an historic synagogue on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The couple's son, James Wilke Broderick, was born on October 28, 2002. He was named after Broderick's father, the actor James Joseph Broderick, and writer Wilkie Collins.
Parker and Broderick's surrogate mother delivered their twin daughters, Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge, on June 22, 2009. Their middle names of "Elwell" and "Hodge" are from Parker's mother's family.
As of 2009, she lives in New York City with her husband, son, and daughters. They also spend considerable time at their holiday home near Kilcar, a village in County Donegal, Ireland, where Broderick spent summers as a child.
Parker is a prominent member of the Hollywood's Women's Political Committee. She is UNICEF's Representative for the Performing Arts; in 2006, she traveled to Liberia as a UNICEF celebrity ambassador. She said, "It's a place that gets little or no attention, so we're going to try and bring some attention to it". She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the United States. Parker has defended Israel's actions in trying to protect its people. Parker appeared in the premiere episode of the US version of Who Do You Think You Are? on March 5, 2010, where she discovered she had ancestors in the California Gold Rush of 1849-50 and in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
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Hosted The 2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000) (TV), and changed into 15 different outfits throughout the show.
Appeared as a special guest star in several episodes of "Shalom Sesame" (1987), the Israeli version of "Sesame Street" (1969).
Made her first TV special at the age of 8.
Lived with Robert Downey Jr. from 1984 to 1991.
Played "Annie" during the original Broadway run of Annie. Was third in the list of girls to play her.
Dated John Kennedy Jr.
Dated singer/songwriter Joshua Kadison. After the break-up Kadison wrote the song "Jessie" in the early 90s about dealing with the break-up.
Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001."
Named the 52nd annual Woman of the Year by Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals on February 7, 2002.
Son James Wilkie Broderick born at Lenox Hill Hospital, in Manhattan. He was named after Broderick's father James, and after Wilkie Collins who is a favorite writer of both parents. [October 28, 2002]
Has been close friends with actor Willie Garson for over 15 years.
Has a brother, Aaron D. Forste, who is a production assistant on "Sex and the City" (1998).
Prefers British TV comedies, especially "Fawlty Towers" (1975) and "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992)
Is one of eight children: brothers Timothy Britten Parker and Pippin Parker, sister Rachel Parker, half-brothers Aaron D. Forste and Andrew Forste, and half-sisters Megan Forste and Allegra Forste.
After ending her television run of "Sex and the City" (1998), she negotiated a multi-million dollar contract to do advertisements for The Gap clothing; a brand she never wore once in her entire "Sex and the City" (1998) show!
Attended the School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati with Rocky Carroll.
Played a role in the original stage production of "The Heidi Chronicles," only to be replaced when the show moved to Broadway...by Cynthia Nixon, her "Sex and the City" (1998) co-star. Kim Cattrall played a role in the 1995 film version of the play. That makes Kristin Davis the only regular cast member of "Sex and the City" (1998) not to appear in some adaptation of the play.
Finally won an Emmy in 2004 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, after five consecutive losses.
Is the only one out of the four main female actresses of "Sex and the City" (1998) not to have done any nudity in the show, because she has a strict no-nudity clause in her contract.
She grew up having to share clothes with siblings and having only one or two pair of shoes for the entire year. She developed a "shoe fetish" that was also shared by her character on "Sex and the City" (1998). Parker admitted that she has a closet at her home just for her footwear!
Was introduced to husband Matthew Broderick through her brother, Timothy Britten Parker.
Many gambling and betting establishments actually stopped accepting some bets on Sarah Jessica Parker for the 2004 Primetime Emmys because she was so widely predicted to walk away with an Emmy award, and she did.
Very close friends with actor Ron Rifkin.
Ranked #39 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars"
Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 2000 and did a spoof with her costars in "Sex and the City" (1998) called Sex and the Matrix.
Has a new fragrance, called Lovely
After her multi-million dollar contract with the Gap was terminated, she rebounded by joining the ranks of J-Lo, Paris Hilton and Joan Collins by marketing herself and coming out with her own perfume, for which she is being paid in the seven figure range.
Manolo Blahnik named a shoe in her honor, the SJP.
Andie MacDowell beat her for the role of "Carrie" in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).
A member of the Hollywood Women's Political Committee.
Celebrated her 40th birthday at the Plaza. Among the guests were Kyra Sedgwick, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Noth, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Nathan Lane.
"Sex and the City" (1998) made her a fashion icon to women all over the world due to her extravagant New Yorkian style.
She and husband Matthew Broderick had movies opening on the same day in the US: 16th December 2005. His movie was The Producers (2005), hers was The Family Stone (2005).
Was originally slated to star opposite Luke Wilson in Vacancy (2007), but dropped out a few weeks before filming. Kate Beckinsale stepped in to replace her.
Was named "Unsexiest Woman Alive" by Maxim magazine in 2007. Since then they have made amends to her.
She is left handed.
Was turned down for the role of Vivian in Pretty Woman (1990). The part went to Julia Roberts.
Was offered the role of Danielle Bowden in Cape Fear (1991) but turned down the part. The role went to a younger player, Juliette Lewis.
Twin daughters Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge born via surrogate at East Ohio Regional Hospital. [June 22, 2009].
In Hocus Pocus (1993), she played a witch who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials in the late 1600s. While researching her family history for the show "Who Do You Think You Are?" (2010), Parker was shocked to discover that her 10th great-grandmother Esther Elwell was arrested in Salem in the late 1600s for committing "sundry acts of witchcraft" and choking a neighbour to death. Esther's case never went to court, she escaped with her life and the accusation ended the Salem Witch Trials.
She studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.
Daughter-in-law of James Broderick and Patricia Broderick.
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Thank you. I've never won anything in my life." - on winning her 2000 Golden Globe Award for "Sex and the City" (1998)
I tell my friends married life is boring, but that's just a fun thing to say to make single people feel better.
"Sarah Jessica is fine, Sarah, SJP, SJ, hey you, anything." [on how to address her]
The hardest part of leaving the show ["Sex and the City" (1998)] was this endless gypsy-like life that I'm back into, where it's like being the new kid in school all the time, which for some people is very easy but for me is not. I don't really like change, and I would like everything to be the same constantly, except that I love being terrified.
Fashion is a part of my work. I feel a responsibility to be presentable, to dress up if the occasion calls for it. But, really, fashion does not play that big a role in my life these days.
One of the things that's great about New York is that it is not a one-industry town. It has education, academia, the service industry, arts, publishing, theater, politics, fashion, finance, as well as movie-making. There are so many people who are cogs in the great wheel of the city that a less bright light is shone on our lives. It still exists - there are always paparazzi at our house - but being a public person feels less like a business than it does in LA. And you have to approach it differently. I can't hide behind gates, or in a car, but if I can get a few yards from my front door, I can still get lost in a crowd. I am always moments, just moments, from obscurity on a crowded street in New York.
"I get the feeling people are disappointed with me because I don't have the answers for them. I have to remind them that I don't have a Ph.D. in sex or counseling.
Regarding her new Steve & Barry line of affordable conservative womenswear: "There's not going to be any inappropriate midriff showing, regardless of your age. I really don't care for it. I feel like, as a culture, we have seen enough damage done by it. It's provocative in a way that I just don't feel comfortable with."
As a woman, I have an inherent need to be all things to all people, to make certain everybody's taken care of. I know I can't sustain that level all the time, so I'm finding the proper balance and it's made me infinitely happier.
Pat knows the historical context of clothes, the periods of costumes and what century is what. But there are no rules with Pat when it comes to fashion. It's liberating. [On working with fashion designer and costumer Patricia Field on "Sex and the City" (1998).] (Harper's Bazaar - 2004 - "Sarah Jessica's Next Step" by Wendy Wasserstein)
[On the fact that she adored every costume of Carrie Bradshaw's on "Sex and the City" (1998).] The hits and misses. It was great fun to make mistakes and also be victorious. If I have a daughter, perhaps I'll give the clothes to her and tell her the extraordinary circumstances under which I received them. (Harper's Bazaar - 2004 - "Sarah Jessica's Next Step" by Wendy Wasserstein)
I still want to be an actor for hire, but I can also see myself as a hard-driving producer. A person can have both, and I don't think you have to be male to do that. I understand why a lot of actresses are producing now; I understand how seductive it is and how hard it is not to have control. It's like if you were keeping kosher and then one day you had... bacon! You'd just be like: This is nuts! I can't never have suckling pig! I have to have it! Or if you flew coach all the time and then one day you got on, like, Cathay Pacific First Class, where there's a whole apartment on the plane that's yours? You couldn't possibly go back to coach! You're ruined! [On becoming a producer of "Sex and the City" (1998), in which she stars.] (Vogue - August 2003 - "The Busiest Girl In Town" by Steven Meisel)
I kind of enjoy the idea that you can be a lady and be slightly titillating and you don't have to take all your clothes off. (Vogue - August 2003 - "The Busiest Girl In Town" by Steven Meisel)
I have a team of style experts for being Carrie, but I am not Carrie. I'm not even much of a shopper. I don't feel I need a lot of clothes. But I work in an industry where appearance is everything and sometimes I have to work hard at looking good.
When I go to a premiere I like to borrow lovely clothes and shoes from designers. It's like the library: if you return them in good condition, you get to borrow more. I'm very lucky.
i dress like most mothers - quickly!
You don't want to see me topless.
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