In her role as the beloved Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker served some unique looks.
While her character’s hairstyle changed over the years, her imperfect and untamed blonde layered hair was a constant over six seasons of the hit TV series (1998 to 2004), and following films (2008 and 2010).
But Parker was only 33 when she first starred as the columnist with a colorful dating history and now the 59-year-old is the target of online trolls, who judge her decision to age gracefully and naturally.
‘She looks so old’
In 2018, the Family Stone star appeared at the Met Gala wearing a golden Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with an ornate nativity headpiece.
Though she was serving an incredibly unique look, the public only commented on her aging.
“Aye real quick, how old is Sarah Jessica Parker because [her] skin look like tree bark and I’m confused,” said one. A second writes, “Is that Sarah Jessica Parker? Oh gosh she looks so old and worn out.”
‘Misogynist chatter’
Then, in 2021, the Hocus Pocus star was lunching with Bravo star Andy Cohen and Parker was makeup free, her silvery hair tied back in a braided ponytail.
It didn’t take long for the online population to start spitting hate over her appearance. But, Cohen, who also has a head of grey hair, defended his friend.
“We were at lunch and there was a paparazzi, and she’s sitting next to me, white hair,” said Cohen, 56, of his own white hair. Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show, he continued, “All the articles were ‘Sarah Jessica Parker, she’s going gray’ and ‘She looks old,’ and it was insanity.
The host of Watch What Happens Live adds, “Here she is sitting next to me, who’s gray, and people just missed the mark totally. It was so misogynistic.”
Following that, Parker – married to actor Matthew Broderick since 1997 – spoke with Vogue and had a lot to say about unforgiving people and their unrealistic standards of beauty.
“There’s so much misogynist chatter…I’m sitting with Andy Cohen, and he has a full head of gray hair, and he’s exquisite. Why is it okay for him?” Parker continues, “‘She has too many wrinkles, she doesn’t have enough wrinkles.’ It almost feels as if people don’t want us to be perfectly okay with where we are, as if they almost enjoy us being pained by who we are today…”
She’s not wrong. Fans had lots to say about her silvery hair.
“The gray hair made her look 20 years older. Some people look good in gray, and some don’t,” writes one user.
Echoing that sentiment, a second shares, “Some people look great with gray hair. Some don’t, she didn’t!”
Since And Just Like That, the Sex and the City sequel that started in 2021, Parker returned to Carrie Bradshaw’s signature golden locks.
And recently, she was spotted on the streets of Queens, New York, holding hands with co-star John Corbett, who plays her character’s love interest, Aiden.
The two were filming a scene for the third season of the HBO hit series.
Parker reveals that for the physical consistency of the characters she plays, she only sees her hair colorist frequently when she’s working.
“My hair is pretty much as it’s always been. I wash it, I put some conditioner on the ends, I pull it back into a ponytail or a bun,” she tells Allure. “I’ve been going to the same colorist forever. If I’m not working, I probably won’t see her for six, eight months easily. And if I’m working, just because of continuity, I have to keep it [the same color], so that if you’re cutting [tape] back and forth, your hair [matches]. So, I’m much more scheduled and obedient about that.”
And fans are thrilled to see her filming and back to her blonde roots.
“She looks better as a blonde. The gray hair ages her,” says one fan of her long blonde locks.
A second shares, “Gray hair was becoming on her BUT BLONDE hair is gorgeous on her!! She smiles much more and her eyes twinkle with blonde hair!”
A third netizen pens, “She looks like she could be her own daughter now!”
As for Parker, she explains she’s mostly unphased by harsh critiques and focuses on what makes her happy.
“When I walk out the door, I want to feel OK, according to my standards. I can’t even tell you what those standards are,” she says in an interview with Allure. “But you know how you feel when you feel most like yourself, whatever that means…guess I just don’t care enough about everybody else’s opinion.”