Sarah Jessica Parker talks about dealing with 'mean' comments about her appearance

IANS June 20, 2025 443 views

Sarah Jessica Parker shared the emotional toll of enduring harsh comments about her looks after rising to fame as Carrie Bradshaw. She described how one magazine's cruel remark left her sobbing, calling it a "kick in the rubber parts." The actress reflected on the lack of recourse in pre-social media days when she couldn't confront critics directly. Parker also touched on the unfair scrutiny female characters face compared to male counterparts. Despite the hurt, she maintained she'd never change herself to please others.

"Just discussions of my physical person... stuff I couldn't change, and wouldn't change." – Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker talks about dealing with 'mean' comments about her appearance
Los Angeles, June 20: Hollywood star Sarah Jessica Parker has talked about the pain of dealing with "mean" comments about her appearance.

Key Points

1

Parker recalls painful media scrutiny post-Sex and the City fame

2

Says appearance critiques felt "purposeful" and made her sob

3

Notes lack of chance to respond pre-social media era

4

Reflects on double standards for female characters like Carrie

She shared that she saw a shift in how people spoke about her after she landed the role of the fashionista Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City and said the sudden attention was "a real test of my coping mechanisms".

Asked what she struggled with most, she told the Call Her Daddy podcast: "Just discussions of my physical person. Like stuff that I couldn't change, and wouldn't change, and had never considered changing, or even still after hearing something that was like, 'What? Somebody would say that?' Even still... no interest in changing it."

The actress noted that the initial backlash was tough in a time before social media without a chance to respond.

She added: "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, um, 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 say it?'"

The actress recalled calling her friends in tears after one unnamed magazine made a "really meal" comment about her appearance, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She said: "It was like a kick in the rubber parts. I was just like, 'Why is this a problem? Why is this deserving of your time? And why do you seem to delight in saying it?'

"I was sobbing because it felt so purposeful. And I think that's the only time I really cried about it."

The actress had recently opened up about the double stand in the way people judge female characters like Carrie.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
It's sad how people feel entitled to comment on others' looks. In India too, our actresses face constant scrutiny about weight, skin tone, etc. Why can't we appreciate talent instead? SJP is an icon regardless of what anyone says! 🙌
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Rahul S.
Honestly, I never understood the criticism. She played Carrie Bradshaw perfectly - that character wasn't supposed to be some conventional beauty queen. The show was about fashion and personality, not looks. People need to get over their narrow standards.
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Ananya M.
This hits home. Indian media can be just as cruel to our celebrities. Remember when they mocked Aishwarya Rai's post-pregnancy weight? Or called Deepika "too thin"? Bollywood actresses face this daily. We should know better than to judge people's appearances.
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Vikram J.
While I sympathize, celebrities also benefit from public attention. The same media that criticizes them also makes them famous and rich. It's part of the package deal. Maybe we should teach kids not to seek validation from strangers instead.
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Sunita R.
As someone who grew up watching SATC in Mumbai, I always thought SJP was stunning - not just her looks but her confidence and style. These comments say more about the critics' insecurities than about her. Beauty comes in all forms, na? 💁‍♀️

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Tags:
Sarah Jessica Parker Sex and the City celebrity appearance criticism Carrie Bradshaw body shaming