EXCLUSIVE: Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell praises controversial And Just Like That character Che Diaz for not wanting kids – despite being dubbed ‘worst character on television’ by fans
- The author fiercely defended the non-binary character played by Sara Ramirez
- Speaking at Ludlow House in New York City, Candace described Che as ‘freeing’
- READ MORE: And Just Like That RENEWED for Season 3 at HBO’s Max
Che Diaz faced a fierce backlash on joining And Just Like That – with viewers dubbing them the ‘worst character on television’.
But despite the outpouring of dislike, they have won the approval of Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell, who applauded the non-binary, queer stand-up comedian for not wanting to be a mom.
The acclaimed author, 64, who was behind the original HBO series, spoke candidly about her views on Sara Ramirez’s divisive character during a fireside chat at Ludlow House, New York, on Thursday night.
‘A lot of things that bother other people don’t bother me,’ she said. ‘Like Miranda’s storyline, I have no problem with it because I know women in real life have had that same storyline.
Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell has thrown her support behind the controversial And Just Like That character Che Diaz
Che, played by Sara Ramírez, has been dubbed the ‘worst character on television’ – pictured in character with Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes
‘Maybe not with Che Diaz, but you know what, I like Che Diaz because Che Diaz is freeing.
‘Here’s a character who doesn’t get the motherhood thing – I love that, that’s a breath of fresh air.’
Che, a newcomer to the spin-off series, struck up a relationship with Cynthia Nixon’s Miranda Hobbs after she abandoned her marriage to husband Steve Brady.
The character was accused of being the ‘worst’ on the series, which saw Miranda reunited on screen with Carrie Bradshaw and Charlotte York, played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis, respectively.
Viewers found the character ‘cringe’ and accused them of ‘[setting] back non-binary representation 70 years’.
Candace, who was speaking at an event for matchmaking app Tawkify, previously opened up about choosing a career over having children.
In an interview with the Sunday Times in 2019, she said: ‘When I was in my thirties and forties, I didn’t think about it.
‘Then when I got divorced and I was in my fifties, I started to see the impact of not having children and of truly being alone. I do see that people with children have an anchor in a way that people who have no kids don’t.’
Che famously had an affair with Miranda in the HBO spin-off
Candace applauded the character for their take on not wanting to have a family
HBO’s Sex and the City, which also starred Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones, was based on an anthology of columns that Candace wrote for The New York Observer.
The column was an instant hit, and it wasn’t long before book publishers were lining up to publish an anthology of Candance’s racy column, that documented her singleton life in Manhattan.
Last February, actor Sara defended their character Che, saying the stand-up comic is ‘not here to be liked.’
Speaking to The New York Times about the intense reaction from fans, the Broadway star said: ‘I’m very aware of the hate that exists online, but I have to protect my own mental health and my own artistry.’
And Just Like That premiered on HBO in 2021, and has since been renewed for a third season
Candace gave her verdict on Sex and the City spin-off And Just Like That and described it as ‘great’
Talking about blocking out the negativity and concentrating on the character and show, Sara explained: ‘And that’s way more important to me because I’m a real human being.
‘I’m really proud of the representation that we’ve created. We have built a character who is a human being, who is imperfect, who’s complex, who is not here to be liked, who’s not here for anybody’s approval. They’re here to be themselves.’
The star also made a point of saying they are not in control of the writing on the show.
‘I welcome the passion that folks are bringing to the table around this representation. But in real life, there are a lot of different human beings who show up to the table, speaking truth to power in myriad ways.
‘And they all land differently with different people. And Che Diaz has their own audience that they speak to who really get a kick out of what they’re doing.’
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