‘Sex and the City’ Creator Darren Star Admitted He Wouldn’t Have Hired Chris Noth If He Had Seen His Previous Work
Since Sex and the City ended, Chris Noth has taken on various roles, but for many fans, he’ll always be Mr. Big, Carrie Bradshaw’s main love interest. The character was so beloved by fans that his storyline was extended. The series’ creator, Darren Star, once argued that fans’ desire to see Mr. Big and Carrie end up together might have ultimately betrayed what the series was supposed to be about. Did you know that Noth could have lost out on the role if Star had seen his previous work, though?
Chris Noth portrayed Mr. Big for all six seasons of Sex and the City
Mr. Big was almost as important to Sex and the City as the four women the series focused on. According to IMDb, he made his first appearance in the pilot episode and showed up in 41 of the show’s 94 episodes.
In the series, Mr. Big, whose real name was revealed to be John James Preston, was an emotionally unavailable man who caught Carrie’s eye. The pair dated during the show’s first season, but end their relationship when Mr. Big refused to tell Carrie that she was the one. They rekindled their relationship in season 2, then had an affair in season 3. The series ended with Carrie and Mr. Big back together.
Chris Noth appeared in Law & Order before appearing on Sex and the City
Before taking on the role of Mr. Big, Noth had a pretty successful career. He appeared in Law & Order from 1990 until 1995. In the police procedural, Noth portrayed Detective Mike Logan. Noth’s character appeared in 111 episodes, according to IMDb. In the role, Noth was a detective with an anger issue.
Following his time on Sex and the City, Noth reprised his role as Detective Logan in Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Noth’s character appeared in the spinoff for three seasons, beginning in 2005. Law & Order: Criminal Intent wrapped production in 2011 after nine years on the air.
Darren Star admits he wouldn’t have cast Chris Noth if he had seen his previous work
While fans believe Noth made the perfect Mr. Big, Star once suggested he probably wouldn’t have hired Noth if he was familiar with his previous work. In an interview with MTV, Star said that he was not familiar with Law & Order before Noth’s audition. He loved his take on the character and cast Noth in the role, but only saw his previous work after Sex and the City was in production.
He told the publication, “two years into Sex and the City, I finally saw it, and there he was running around with a gun! And I couldn’t believe that Mr. Big was running around with a gun. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m glad I didn’t see that.’” Star claims that his lack of knowledge of Noth’s previous role was actually a huge advantage and may have led to Noth’s casting.
