She’s an opera singer, a ballet dancer, an actor at home on Broadway and screens large and small. She doesn’t stop working (except for a brief bout of nervous exhaustion in early 1997 from a schedule that included two movies, a television show and a Broadway production -- all at the same time!), and she’s been at it since she was a tyke. She’s endearing and “very real”, and she’s cute as can be. So why isn’t she a Hollywood heavyweight? What keeps Sarah Jessica Parker from leading lady status? Parker was a talented, focused youngster who received quality training from the Professional Children’s School in New York and the American Ballet Theatre. She and her family had moved to the big city from their Nelsonville, Ohio, home three years after Parker’s debut role, at age eight, in the televised after-school special, The Little Match Girl (1973). That was a move in the right direction for the aspiring young actor, who was immediately cast as the third little girl to play Annie (1978 - 1980) in the original Broadway production. Her film debut came during the Annie run, with Rich Kids (1979). Parker’s next role, in the TV series Square Pegs, garnered her a Young Artist award nomination. Surprisingly few nominations, and fewer wins, have marked such a productive career. There was a Drama Desk award nomination for Parker’s role (as a dog) in the off-Broadway hit, Sylvia; another Young Artist award nomination for her part in the movie, Footloose (1984); a Golden Satellite award nomination for work in The First Wives Club (1996); a 1999 Women in Film Lucy Award win; and a Screen Actors Guild nomination, Emmy nomination, Golden Globe nomination one year and win the next for Parker’s current hit television series, Sex and the City (1998 - ). Parker has also “won” a place on Mr. Blackwell’s most recent Worst Dressed list -- but at least it gets a girl noticed.
The lack of glittering hardware certainly hasn’t put the casting directors off. Parker’s extensive credits include Somewhere Tomorrow (1983), First Burn (1984), Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985), The Flight of the Navigator (1986), The Room Upstairs (1987), L.A. Story (1991), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Striking Distance (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Miami Rhapsody (1995), Extreme Measures (1996), If Lucy Fell (1996), Mars Attacks! (1996), The Substance of Fire (1996), ’Til There Was You (1997), Dudley Do-Right (1999) and Isn’t She Great? (1999). There have been roles in numerous theater productions, and her television work encompasses the series A Year In The Life (1987/88) and countless TV movies, mini-series, guest appearances and hosting duties. Sex and the City is a huge hit, consistently named amongst the best of TV comedies. By far the most acclaim for this talented actor has come with this starring role.
Parker is married to fellow actor Matthew Broderick. She and her husband co-starred in the Broadway smash How to Succeed in Business With Really Trying.
The awards have only started to roll in, and in coming years Parker finally may get the recognition and star status she seems due. Then again, if her schedule stays as hectic as it has been for nearly three decades, she may just be too busy to notice.
