Sarita Choudhury Enjoyed Seema’s ‘Rom-Com Moment’ on <i>And Just Like That...</i>

Sarita Choudhury makes a point of avoiding the ever-fervent And Just Like That… discourse.

“I protect myself by not reading anything,” says the veteran stage and screen actress, who portrays the ultra-confident and unapologetically sexy real estate broker Seema Patel on the Sex and the City sequel series.

But last week, news broke that Choudhury couldn’t avoid—even on vacation in Spain. A day after she jumped on Zoom to speak with ELLE, series creator Michael Patrick King and star Sarah Jessica Parker dropped the bombshell that And Just Like That… would end with the remaining two episodes of the current third season. Immediately after, Choudhury reposted Parker’s tribute in her Instagram Story, but has otherwise remained quiet. (Her representatives declined to comment.)

In 2021, Choudhury—whose career took off after starring opposite Denzel Washington in Mira Nair’s 1991 film, Mississippi Masala, and recently stole scenes in Fallout and Ramy—joined three-fourths of the original SATC cast in And Just Like That... After helping a widowed Carrie (Parker) sell the apartment she shared with Big (Chris Noth), Seema filled out an expanded and more diverse circle of high-powered, well-dressed, and quick-witted women that’s actually representative of New York City. She brings the single, child-free, and self-made woman energy to the group—which sometimes elicits an oversimplified comparison to Kim Cattrall’s Samantha. But in AJLT’s now-final season, Seema embarks on an uncharted and revealing journey that feels much higher-stakes than when she was a victim of Birkin bag theft.

Professionally, Seema—at the top of her game in a posh real estate agency—is thrown for a loop with her business partner and friend, Elliott (John Glover) announces early retirement. Instead of elevating her to sole owner of Proust & Patel, like originally promised, Elliott sells his controlling shares to Owning Manhattan’s showboating deal-closer Ryan Serhant. Bouncing back from her initial shock and humiliation, a resolute Seema starts her own luxury boutique agency. But she encounters hurdles along the way, like getting real about her finances, swapping her chauffeured car for an MTA card, and braving a case of pink eye, thanks to her budget-friendly, but hygienically-challenged neighborhood lash spot.

After breaking up with smooth but distracted movie director Ravi Gordi (Armin Amiri), Seema finds an instant spark with Carrie’s crunchy, hunky landscaper Adam, played by Logan Marshall-Green, a.k.a. The OC’s Chino hothead, Trey Atwood. Choudhury, however, didn’t watch the mid-aughts teen drama, so she wouldn’t have been preoccupied by, say, memories of a comatose Trey after Marissa (Mischa Barton) shot him.

“I’m lucky I didn’t,” says Choudhury.

Adam, who’s at ease with his own feelings (maybe due to his close relationship with his late hippie, artist mother) plays a perfect foil to the bold, but emotionally guarded Seema. With Adam, she learns to be vulnerable and honestly express her feelings, which is perhaps a more daunting prospect than starting her own business. Behind the scenes of AJLT, Choudhury settled into a groove, too, especially with filming raucous lunch scenes with the rest of the main cast.

“The group scenes are now my favorite, because it’s the only time I get to see everyone and we get to hang out in the makeup trailer before,” says Choudhury, who at first feared those moments back in season 1. “Those lunch scenes in Sex and the City back in the day were iconic. So in my head, I was like, ‘It doesn’t even make sense for me to sit at that lunch table.’ It was too meta for me. But now, it’s completely the opposite.”

Choudhury explains she quickly found her footing in season 1, largely because the original cast members, Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, were so supportive and welcoming.

“The original girls are so amazing. They’re so normal. It’s shocking. That’s why it was actually very easy [to settle in],” she says. “You don’t feel that pressure on the set. I mean, it’s women in their 50s hanging out. Everyone has children, and there’s so many things that we’re juggling.”

While Choudhury ignores her social mentions and comment section, she welcomes the fans who approach her on the street—many of whom are rooting for Seema and Adam. “They’re super excited and they just give me a lot of energy,” says Choudhury. “I’ve never experienced that. I’ve never done a show with that kind of energy.”

Ahead, Choudhury—who was extremely careful not to reveal finale spoilers—discusses why Adam is different from other guys, a time when she felt like she lost her power, and how she takes inspiration from her character during a “shake up.”

I didn’t actually take anything from my own. I got the help from MPK [Michael Patrick King]. There were two scenes, specifically, where you’re being told something, and people are watching your expression, you’re covering up, but you can’t help but show [emotion] a bit. When we were shooting, MPK was like, “[Seema] covers up immediately, and then her awkwardness or vulnerability [later] betrays it. But she would never [reveal it immediately in the moment].” So she’ll take the champagne and be like, “Well, that’s for me. I deserve it.” Because she’s in a business suit, in the meeting, being told she’s not getting the company or being valued for all that work. I think I do that. I think we all do that, where you have the facial reaction and then, later, you have the phone call or the road trip with Carrie.

But in terms of my life, as an actor, you go through it all the time. Because everything is about your artistic desire versus what you’re receiving. Maybe the job doesn’t align perfectly with what you want. Or we audition and don’t get the part. We’re so good at rejection as actors.

I’m really enjoying it in season 3. Because in season 1, it was more, “Oh, I need to pull this off, because I’m so different from Seema.” This comedy, mixed in with a very grounded—oddly—story, is an opportunity I’ve had in theater, but never really on screen. So it’s been fun to be agile. It’s like doing math. You literally have to figure out the comedy and keep it real. It’s new for me and I love it now.

I remember realizing, “Oh, my God, this is the rom-com moment.” Everyone probably thinks Seema’s really tough, but I think every woman wants that moment. Every other scene with Adam before that was sparring with words and Seema just making fun of [him] because she liked him. You do that when you’re 12 years old; that’s how she was behaving. So for me, that scene was just like, “It’s happening, so just let it happen and enjoy it.” It’s that moment you can’t quite believe it’s happening, and there’s part of your brain that just is like, “Don’t talk. Just accept it. It’s so beautiful. Oh my god.” I think I was having that realization even though everyone is staring at me, and there is a side to it that’s just so outlandish.

Logan is so good at this. [Adam] is so grounded and he watches, and that disarms her. Because I think she’s the watcher and the mover. Like, she says something, and he matches it with a phrase. It’s like Beatrice and Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing. They’re not the ones that are supposed to fall in love. They’re constantly sparring. Of course, as you’re watching it, you’re like, “Of course, they’re gonna get together.” He’s the only one who doesn’t let it go. He’s matching her word for word. He touches her … like [removing her] eyelash and coming in that close and touching her face. I don’t think Seema was used to that on any level. Again, as women, we love that, but we don’t know how to tell a guy to be like that. You can’t train someone to be like that. A guy is like that or not.

Yeah, his hands are in the dirt every day with things that are growing. He’s just the opposite of Seema.

It’s the kind of thing, when you’re so happy in your own world, and then a friend or someone just goes, “Yeah, but…’” Like, reminding me of something I wanted to do, as if I hadn’t remembered myself. It’s embarrassing. [For Seema], it’s like, “Well, you think you’re on top of the world with everything, but then why is your love life always such a sham?” Even in her business mind, she’s like, “Wait a minute, the equation is not working. Let me try and play with this equation.” But within three wrong sentences, either from the brilliant Cheri Oteri, or from the guy on the date, she’s out. She’s not gonna give anything too long.

I never thought I’d feel this, because I know it’s a scene where I’m playing the character doing this. But when I saw the costume options, I was literally appalled. I’ve played Seema long enough, but it kind of shocked me. I felt like an imposter, even with the straightened hair. It was perfect for that [scene]. Because you could wear pastels in the style that you usually dress and still feel some odd power. It felt like I had no angle that I was used to! So I lost my power. I didn’t know how to navigate these colors and clothes.

Oh, wow. [Long pause.] It’s funny because we get the scripts ahead of time by a few or maybe five days. But I remember, as we were hitting this area, I was even thinking, “Oh my god, what is going to happen?” Because, with shows, sometimes you open the script that’s just been sent to you, and you’re praying—because some story lines you enjoy—and you’re like, “Oh, please don’t shift this one away.”

So I can’t give anything away, obviously, but the question you are asking is exactly how I felt as an actor at this point in the series. I remember thinking, “Oh my god, what are they going to do with the last?”—especially because there’s only a few left. I did not know what was going to happen. I know that doesn’t answer your question. But I’m aligned with you in asking it.

Oh I know, it’s inspiring to me too, because we all get shaken up—or need shaking up—and I don’t know which one is truer. Because she’s a so-called “strong woman,” it’s kind of great to see, “Oh, how did she deal with it?” Because, I need to learn that all the time.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.