And Just Like That is returning to our screens, along with its most divisive character.
Non-binary stand-up comedian Che Diaz arrived on the scene of the Sex and the City reboot to a rather intense reaction, to say the least. They were a podcasting colleague to Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie and a surprise love interest to Cynthia Nixon’s Miranda, much to the dismay of the many Steve Brady shippers out there.
The Daily Beast called Che “insufferable”, “unwatchable” and “the worst character on TV”. So, naturally, the show’s creator Michael Patrick King committed to doubling down and bringing us more of them in season two.
Sara Ramirez, who took on the mantle of Che, is no stranger to bringing facets of the LGBTQIA+ community to our screens. They played one of the first major queer roles on primetime television when their Grey’s Anatomy character Callie Torres came out as bisexual, as well as a bisexual and non-binary character in political drama Madam Secretary.
Identifying as both bisexual and non-binary themselves, it’s crucial for Sara that queer and trans communities are visible on screen, but also receive justice. They sat down with GLAMOUR to talk playing one of the most controversial characters in the Sex and the City Universe, Hollywood’s darker side and their experiences of body dysmorphia.
The plan for season two of And Just Like That was always going to be “more Che” – how did that feel? Can you expand at all on the journey they go on this season?
So Michael Patrick King told me that season one was the cover of the book, and season two is diving deeper inside the book. It’s more about exploring Che’s humanity in a different way to season one, where there was more of a performative aspect. They’re thrown into all kinds of situations that are both hilarious and heartbreaking – it was important that we learn more about Che’s vulnerability in season two.
There’s no denying that Che was a talked-about and fairly divisive character in season one, what was that like to play and then receive?
Oh that’s interesting, I love that you used the word “receive” because I think something I really value is my ability to choose what I receive as an actor. I’m very protective of my process, so there are certain things that I can’t let in because it’s just not productive for me.
We knew that the character would be polarising to some degree. These are stories that move people, that touch people, that make people question their own lives, their own choices. It’s so interesting in this day and age of reality TV, where more and more people – even with a scripted show – forget that these are fictional characters, that there’s so much about television that is not real.
