THE HARDEST GOODBYE
Just after filming began, the news broke that Willie Garson, who played Carrie’s best friend Stanford, had died. His fun-loving character was integral to the show – and his death from pancreatic cancer at 57 came as a blow. ‘Willie had called me before we started,’ says Molly. ‘He told me he was sick, but said his treatment was going well. He had a surgical port on his arm that he wanted me to know about so his sleeves weren’t too short. When he died we had just started episode three [of ten] and everyone felt crushed, but it was especially hard on Sarah.’
THE BIG PROBLEM
Chris Noth, who played Carrie’s husband Mr Big, faced a storm of controversy while the spinoff aired, as sexual assault allegations from multiple women emerged. The actor denied these, but, as a result, Noth soon disappeared from the public eye. The show’s creative team also took the decision to erase his final scenes, where Big’s ghost was expected to appear to Carrie when she scattered his ashes in Paris. Molly is outspoken on the subject. ‘There are lots of problems today with erasing people’s lives – it doesn’t sit well with me,’ she says. ‘I don’t think things should be resolved in the court of public opinion. That is frightening; that is like a witchhunt to me. Have your day in court.’
THE THRIFT-STORE SHOES
Molly worked very closely with Sarah and the other two leading actresses – Cynthia Nixon (Miranda) and Kristin Davis (Charlotte) – when it came to picking outfits. ‘All the girls were collaborative and we built a beautiful fitting room ‒ it was just great to be in there.’
Molly, her costume designer partner Danny Santiago and Sarah shared a passion for sourcing vintage gems – and one odd item of footwear struck a chord with real-life shoe addict SJP, as Sarah is known. Molly says: ‘There was one pair that Danny bought from a thrift store that cost next to nothing. They were old and dirty but SJP and Danny fell in love with them.’ The white and black saddle shoe – laced up the front and open at the back – caused much debate. Molly hated them but SJP was determined to get them on screen.
‘I didn’t want them on anyone’s feet, let alone appearing in the show, but SJP had a name for them – Phyllis. She would say things like: “This outfit would look perfect with Phyllis!”’ Phyllis eventually made it on screen when Carrie was in her physiotherapy session.
THE VINTAGE TREASURES
Not surprisingly, Sarah, Cynthia and Kristin all went through their clothing racks with a fine-tooth comb. ‘We used to call it the kiss and kill process,’ says Molly. ‘We didn’t edit before they came in, we let them do that with us because these ladies are very knowledgeable when it comes to fashion.’
Once each outfit had been signed off and the right alterations came back, the wardrobe department took a photo of the outfit as part of a fun on-set ritual. ‘We had a hotel bell that we rang after each outfit was approved,’ says Molly.
Sarah’s love of vintage was apparent throughout the show, and the platter hat she wore at Mr Big’s funeral was the result of one of many vintage sourcing trips Molly and Danny made to Florida. ‘We did a lot of shopping in Palm Beach because many New Yorkers live there now so the shops are full of evening gowns and all kinds of things they don’t wear in Florida. Their story and everything about them is so interesting… You can’t find that on a rack in a modern store.’
THE MALE ACCESSORIES
The costume department had a running joke with the male cast members that they were just accessories: ‘It’s fun to treat men like accessories, as women often get treated like that on other shows. For me their fittings are just as important but we would tease them and say, “Nobody is looking at what you’re wearing. You’re just arm candy.”’
According to Molly, Willie Garson’s fittings got the most attention. ‘His wardrobe would be packed full of everything because he was such a flamboyant character.’
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Molly is delighted that the characters will return for a second series: ‘I love that they can age and keep telling their stories. At the end of the first series, Carrie kisses someone new in an elevator – life goes on and life changes. The show is about growth. And it was certainly the most fun I ever had at work.’
And Just Like That... season one is available to view on Sky Comedy and Now