Sarah Jessica Parker is set to receive a top award from the Golden Globes for her outstanding contribution to TV – so here are her most iconic roles.
Sarah is set to receive the Carol Burnett Award from the Golden Globes for outstanding contributions to the television industry for her work in front of and behind the camera. This prestigious honor is given to one person each year.
As per Deadline, Helen Hoehne, Golden Globes President, said: “Sarah Jessica Parker’s career embodies the very spirit of the Carol Burnett Award. Her trailblazing impact on television and her dedication to storytelling across stage and screen have left an indelible mark on popular culture.”
Indeed, Sarah, now aged 60, has been a fixture on the small and big screen for more than 40 years. So what better time to look back at some of her most iconic TV roles.
Square Pegs
Sarah had been on the stage from an early age, but the first time she really came to national attention was in the 1982 CBS sitcom Square Pegs, in which she had the lead role. Sarah played a shy teenager, Patty Greene, who, alongside best friend Lauren Hutchinson (Amy Linker) were desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School and be ‘popular’. While the show only lasted for one season, it was critically acclaimed for its realistic take on teenage life.
Hocus Pocus
This 1993 fantasy Disney film, which was something of a box office bomb during its cinematic run, has become a cult classic and is often seen on TV every year around Halloween (hence why it is included in this list). In it, Sarah plays one of three villainous witches – alongside Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy – who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy on Halloween night. They then battle with the teens to try and suck their life force out to ensure they don’t turn to dust at the end of the night.
Sex in the City
While Sarah had a good career up until this point, it was 1998 that it went stratospheric, when she was cast as Carrie Bradshaw in the TV show Sex in the City. Carrie is the show’s narrator and main protagonist, and each episode is structured around her thoughts as she composes her column for the New York Star.
The show was an instant hit, and Carrie has since often been named in lists of greatest female characters in US TV history. Meanwhile Sarah won numerous awards for her work on the show, including two Emmys and four Golden Globes.
Divorce
Following the end of Sex in the City, Sarah appeared in numerous movies, but came back to TV in a big way in 2016 by starring in (and executive producing) comedy drama Divorce. She played Frances Dufresne, a married woman who ends up getting divorced after she had an affair.
The show ran for three seasons and was again critically acclaimed – as was Sarah for her portrayal of the complex lead character.
And Just Like That…
Sex and the City ran for six seasons and also spawned two feature films in its original run, which ended in 2010. But the show remained popular on streaming services and in 2021, HBO Max launched the sequel series, And Just Like That, with Sarah reprising the role of Carrie.
The series followed the continuing adventures of Carrie and her friends (although minus Kim Cattrall’s character) and first show was HBO Max’s most watched series debut at the time. The show ran for three seasons, concluding earlier this year. While fans were glad to see Carrie’s return, the show was not as big a hit as the original series.
