Kristin Davis has opened up about an uncomfortable experience behind the scenes of ‘Sex and the City‘. The actress, who played Charlotte York in the HBO series, recently revealed that costume designer Patricia Field struggled to accept her body type.
Although the two eventually developed a better relationship, Davis admitted the early years were difficult, especially because of her curves.
Kristin Davis Reveals Her Difficult Experience With Patricia Field
On the October 15 episode of her ‘Are You a Charlotte?‘ podcast, Davis spoke with her former co-star, Evan Handler, about working with Field. The actress claimed their relationship was “rough in the beginning” because the famous costume designer “did not like my body.”
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Handler, who played Charlotte’s husband Harry Goldenblatt in ‘Sex and the City‘ and ‘And Just Like That‘, appeared shocked and responded, “We need to have a word with her.” Davis explained that Field had always been outspoken and was accustomed to having complete creative control over her fashion projects.
Davis recalled how Field struggled with her figure because the fashion industry preferred straighter body types when the show began in the late 1990s. She explained, “She would just be so frustrated with my curves because at the time when we started — 1998 or whatever it was, 1997 — everything was straight, like straight. And I’ve never been straight, nothing, no amount of dieting.”
Kristin Davis Recalls Unhealthy Dieting During ‘Sex and the City’
The actress admitted that she frequently dieted during the show’s early years. At one point, she survived mainly on M&Ms for several weeks, leaving her ribs visible and her body extremely thin. Davis recalled, “I had no breasts left, it’s just, like, bones, and [Field] was like, ‘Great.’”
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Davis explained that she had read about ballet dancers surviving on cigarettes and candy bars and decided to try something similar, although she never smoked. She admitted, “I wasn’t eating any real food, but it wasn’t healthy.” Fortunately, by the time Handler joined the series in 2002, she had adopted a healthier lifestyle and accepted her natural figure.
Despite their difficult beginning, Davis said Field eventually embraced her curves. She particularly loved Charlotte’s wedding dress from season six, explaining that everything finally worked beautifully with her body. Davis added, “I think she had to just, like, surrender that I was just going to be curvy.” She also credited Molly Rogers, Field’s longtime collaborator, with supporting her during fittings and helping her develop a lasting friendship.
Handler also recalled uncomfortable experiences involving his appearance. Although he had lost weight over the years, fans often told him he looked thinner in person. Some even told him, “You look so much fatter on the show.” Davis admitted that strangers made similar remarks about her for years, often expressing surprise that she wasn’t fat. Both actors agreed that such comments made interactions incredibly awkward.
The conversation originally began when Handler complained about Harry’s wardrobe. Although Field’s costumes became one of the show’s biggest attractions, he disliked his character’s stiff, ill-fitting suits and unattractive ties. Field would enthusiastically present outfits that Handler privately considered hideous. However, as a newcomer, he kept his opinions to himself rather than challenge her creative decisions. Handler also reassured Davis that fans regularly described her as “the gorgeous one.”
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