Kristin Davis Was Offered $5K For The Sex & The City Pilot

It’s hard to imagine a time before Sex and the City was a cultural phenomenon that spanned six seasons, two films, and a new revival series. It has had an enduring impact on the way we talk about fashion and relationships to this day. But as Kristin Davis — who plays Charlotte York — recently recalled on her new podcast, Are You a Charlotte?, the early days looked very different.

A Surprising Offer

During the Jan. 13 debut episode of her podcast, Davis recalled filming the Sex and the City pilot (which aired in 1998) when a line producer came to her trailer with a new contract.

“It’s only two pages long. I’m like, What is this? And it says, like, “You will be a recurring character. And you will be paid $5,000,” Davis recalled, suggesting the new offer was not what she’d expected going into the project.

Davis decided to call her lawyer, who advised her not to sign the new contract. He also explained that HBO was getting “stressed” about the high costs of filming on location. “I think the pilot cost like $2.5 million roughly, which at the time was a lot, because no one really filmed in Manhattan,” she recalled.

Though Davis was “so stressed” about what the contract meant for her role on the show, she said creator Darren Star didn’t mention any changes — so she resolved to assume that “everything must be OK.”

Reflecting On The Pilot

Indeed, it worked out. Davis continued the show as a series regular, and Charlotte — the real romantic of the squad — became a beloved, essential voice at Carrie and company’s many morning debriefs and stylish nights out.

However, Davis said she understood why Charlotte might have been considered an outsider to Carrie, Miranda, and Samantha at first. “Honestly, when I look back on it ... I do think they were trying to save money,” she said. “But I also think that they were like, ‘Well, she’s so different, and the other three are powerful, in-control [women].”

In comparison, Davis acknowledged that Charlotte could be “naive” in her quest for love.

“It is definitely different. But in my gut, I felt like it was really important to have this other character,” she said. “So even though I was super stressed about this weird paperwork thing, I did feel like, No, they need me. I felt inside that they needed me.”

Today, Davis looks back at the $5,000 offer as a lesson in believing in yourself. “And I’m so happy that I did. Because obviously, it could have really gone wrong,” she continued. “Anyone could get recast or cut out at any time in our business. But in my gut, I didn’t feel like that would happen.”