Blair Underwood On Why He Initially Turned Down ‘Sex And The City’ Role: “I Just Don’t Want To Play A Character Based On Race, On Curiosity About A Black Man”
Blair Underwood reflected on his career and recalled his first offer to guest star on Sex and the City, which he ultimately turned down.
In a new interview, the Longlegs actor opened up about the role he was asked to portray in the HBO series.
More from Deadline
Kim Cattrall Kindly Shuts Down 'And Just Like That' Season 3 Return Rumors
Starz Sets 'Three Women' Premiere Date & Reveals First-Look Photos
“The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy!” Underwood said in an interview with AV Club. “And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
Underwood said that he had “never watched” the show before he was approached to appear opposite Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Kim Cattrall but “knew it was a big hit.”
The actor would end up guest starring on in the series as a romantic love interest to Nixon’s Miranda Hobbes in the role of Dr. Robert Leeds.
When the Sex and the City team approached Underwood for the role, he asked them, “Well, is it gonna be about race? And they said, ‘No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!'”
“And I think it really did only come up maybe once. I did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about ‘a Black doctor’ that Miranda was dating,” Underwood said. “And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as ‘the Black guy.’ I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, ‘No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.’ And it was amazing.”
Underwood noted that “Cynthia Nixon could not have been sweeter,” recalling that when he was cast in the role, she and the cast called him and said, “‘We just wanted to call you and tell you that we heard you got cast, we’re all so excited you’re joining the show, and we just wanted to say welcome to the show when you get here.’ She’s just such a sweetheart, and she’s always been that type of person.”
Best of Deadline
All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Played On The Eras Tour So Far
The Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Box Office: Photo Gallery
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.