For over 25 years, Sarah Jessica Parker has been a household name thanks to her career-defining role in HBO’s Sex and the City. The six-season comedy-drama series chronicles the misadventures of Carrie Bradshaw (Parker) and her New York City pals — Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). But Sex and the City is only one of Sarah Jessica Parker’s best TV shows and movies. Over the course of her career on screen, which started in the 1980s, the beloved actor and producer has garnered six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Before Parker hit it big on the silver screen, she made her Broadway debut in The Innocents at age 11, before going on to star in the titular role of Annie in 1979. Parker transitioned to film with a supporting part in 1984’s Footloose. While the musical drama was a natural leap for the Broadway actor, Parker really showed off her comedic chops on television with a lead role in the short-lived sitcom Square Pegs. From rom-coms like Failure to Launch to dramedy flicks like Smart People, Parker has gone on to display her versatility as an actor.
After Sex and the City debuted on HBO in 1998, Parker — who also produced the series — didn’t have as much time for other roles. Of course, seeing as how Carrie Bradshaw opened the door to Emmy and Golden Globe wins, it’s hard to imagine Parker was upset by the turn of events. The enduring series has even spawned two feature films and a revival series, And Just Like That…, all of which reiterate the original Sex and the City’s importance in pop-cultural history.
Given the massive impact of Sex and the City, it’s easy to forget that Parker had a string of other remarkable roles in the ‘80s and ‘90s. From Honeymoon in Vegas and The First Wives Club to Mars Attacks! and Miami Rhapsody, Sarah Jessica Parker starred in genre-spanning films alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names. On TV, Parker has continued to crop up in mainstream hits like Glee and critical gems like HBO’s Divorce. Although not every project has been a hit, Sarah Jessica Parker always brings a certain easy charm to her roles, making her a beloved actor.
As the title implies, Tim Burton’s 1994 biographical comedy-drama centers on cult-favorite filmmaker Ed Wood (Johnny Depp). Burton’s movie chronicles the period of time in which Wood produced his most acclaimed works alongside collaborator Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). Sarah Jessica Parker co-stars as Dolores Fuller, Ed’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend. While Dolores takes issue with Wood’s identity and breaks things off with him, Parker remains a memorable part of the well-received movie. Funnily enough, Burton’s Ed Wood is all about a director with a singular artistic vision — one who dares to resist the boxes others (and Hollywood ad execs) thrust upon him.
Airing from 1982 to 83, Square Pegs centers on awkward teens Patty Greene (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Lauren Hutchinson (Amy Linker). Eager to fit in with their high-school peers, Patty and Lauren are just two of a group of eccentric freshman students. Although Square Pegs is something of a forgotten classic now, it was created by former Saturday Night Live (SNL) writer Anne Beatts, and allowed Parker the chance to flex her comedic chops on the small screen. Although Square Pegs lasted just 20 episodes, the PEN15 of the 1980s marks a crucial moment in Parker’s career.
Touted as a romantic comedy dance film — a sub-genre so specific that it could only exist in the 1980s — Girls Just Want to Have Fun stars Sarah Jessica Parker as new-to-town army brat Janey Glenn. When her father leaves the Army, the family settles in Chicago. Much to Janey’s delight, her favorite program, Dance TV, tapes in Chicago. At school, Janey befriends fellow Dance TV lover Lynne Stone (Helen Hunt). In true Footloose fashion, Janey’s father doesn’t want his daughter dancing, especially not in downtown Chicago. Despite her father’s wishes, Janey accompanies Lynne to the big Dance TV auditions.
Although Girls Just Want to Have Fun was criticized for being a cheesy, formulaic teen movie upon its release, there’s no denying the flick’s infectious, entertaining energy. The young ensemble cast, which is led by a scene-stealing Hunt and an always-charming Parker, makes it well worth the watch. While the rock TV parody element may not translate as successfully to today’s audiences, it’s a solid ‘80s teen movie that shows flickers of its actors’ future stardom. Parker, who was then known for Square Pegs, felt Girls Just Want to Have Fun fondly (and realistically) depicted best friends who aren’t competitive.
When it was first released in theaters, Disney’s Hocus Pocus was a box office bomb. However, like all good cult classics, the fantasy comedy eventually found its audience. Thanks to the film’s Halloween ties, it gained traction with audiences by playing annually on ABC and Disney-owned channels. Memorably, Sarah Jessica Parker plays the witch Sarah, one of the Sanderson Sisters. The flighty witch is known for her looks and her ability to lure children with her voice. During one sequence, Parker takes to a broomstick and sings a dreamy siren song on All Hallow’s Eve.
Of course, Parker’s Sarah Sanderson wouldn’t be complete without her villainous witch sisters, the ever-intelligent and power-hungry Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler) and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy), who is able to smell children. When the trio are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy living in Salem, Massachusetts, they spend their Halloween night trying to become youthful once more. In 2022, Parker, Midler, and Najimy reprised their roles in Hocus Pocus 2. A huge success for Disney+, the sequel has pushed Disney to green-light another straight-to-streaming entry, Hocus Pocus 3.
After Hocus Pocus, Sarah Jessica Parker re-teamed with Bette Midler for 1996’s The First Wives Club. Midler, alongside Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, stars as one of three divorcées who seek revenge after their ex-husbands all leave them for much younger women. Parker plays Shelly, the not-so-bright but ever-manipulative bride-to-be of Midler’s ex-husband. Obsessed with social climbing, Shelly’s downfall is her attraction to money and status. While The First Wives Club received mixed reviews for not being satirical enough, Parker and the rest of the comedic giants remain endlessly watchable, and are reason enough to recommend the movie.
Penned by star Steve Martin, the satirical rom-com L.A. Story is a bonafide classic that deserves way more attention in the romantic comedy canon. The film centers on Martin’s Harris K. Telemacher, a TV weatherman who’s in a dead-end relationship. Frustrated that his academic credentials don’t align with his more mundane job, Harris finds himself trying to find purpose in the superficial city of Los Angeles. Sarah Jessica Parker plays one of Harris’ love interests: aspiring spokesmodel SanDeE*. Although the couple don’t last, SanDeE* helps Harris rediscover L.A.’s magic and encourages him to pursue what he wants.
An HBO comedy-drama, Divorce stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church as Frances and Robert Dufresne. After the hapless Robert discovers that Frances had an affair, the middle-aged couple find themselves in the middle of a breakup. Although Divorce lasted just three seasons, it was something of an under-the-radar hit for HBO. While the series may not be the most nuanced or groundbreaking, Divorce’s healthy doses of dark humor and its leads’ undeniable chemistry help the show soar above the average dramedy.
Sarah Jessica Parker has not just a Halloween classic under her belt, but a Christmastime classic too. The Family Stone, a comedy-drama flick from 2005, stars an incredible ensemble cast, which includes Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, and Rachel McAdams. Parker, who was nominated for a Golden Globe, plays the uptight Meredith Morton — a refined city-slicker who struggles when she meets her boyfriend’s (Mulroney) judgmental New England family for Christmas. While Meredith has her fair share of missteps, Parker’s impressive performance makes it easy to root for her character’s transformation.
Helmed by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Mamet, State and Main stars an incredible ensemble cast. In the well-reviewed film, Sarah Jessica Parker is joined by William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Julia Stiles, Patti LuPone, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. State and Main centers on a troubled film production that’s underway in the small town of Waterford, Vermont. From the fictional movie’s lead actor being problematic to issues with the shooting locations, all sorts of obstacles crop up. Parker plays one of The Old Mill’s leads, bringing wit and charm to a flick that satirizes the movie industry at large.
An adaptation of Candace Bushnell’s newspaper column-turned-book, Sex and the City centers on New York City-based writer Carrie Bradshaw, who’s unlucky in love but rich in designer shoes. At its core, Sex and the City is about its characters’ — Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha — friendships, although the first season of the show goes out of its way to make a firm statement: it wants to normalize women’s relationships, both with men and with sex. While Sex and the City season 1 incorporates to-the-camera interviews and some fourth wall-breaking, it gradually becomes a much sleeker dramedy.
Much of the Emmy-winning show’s success rests on its ensemble. Without Parker’s wit and charm, Carrie Bradshaw — who’s not the best person — would easily be unlikable and unwatchable. While it’s hard to agree with a lot of Carrie’s decisions, the perpetual “single gal” certainly has her fair share of relatable moments and antics. Nothing tops the original Sex and the City, though Sarah Jessica Parker did reprise her role in two feature films — Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010) — as well as in the currently airing revival, And Just Like That…