SJP of ‘Divorce’ different from Carrie

Sarah Jessica Parker has made her much-awaited return to television with ‘Divorce’ but her new character Frances is totally different from glamorous Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City, says show creator Sharon Horgan.

The new comedy series revolves around two people, who find themselves at opposite ends after their long-term relationship breaks down.

“The important thing was to not have a character who was like Carrie ten years on. Frances could never be Carrie. Some people might say that had Carrie taken a different route in life, she might have ended where Frances is but I think they are two different women,” Horgan said.

The Irish-British comedian-writer-actor, known for shows like ‘Pulling’ and ‘Catastrophe’, says they did not think much about Parker’s famous previous show while working on the HBO series.Parker, who became a household name with her role of fashionista-writer in SATC, was also keen to work on a relationship drama for her return to the small screen.

“It was not something we were thinking about when we brought this together. Frances and Robert have grown apart after being together for a long time.” 

The first episode of ‘Divorce’, which recently aired in the US, has garnered good reviews with critics praising Horgan’s sharp writing and performances by Parker and Thomas Haden Church.

Horgan says working with Parker and Church, both renowned actors with great body of work behind them, feels surreal to her.“Both of them are such talented actors in drama and comedy. They take what is written on the page and transform it into something else. It is still surreal to me to see their faces in a show that I have made. It is a dream,” she says.

While Horgan’s previous shows dealt with early stages of relationships, ‘Divorce’ dissects a long drawn-out breakdown. The writer says she is always attracted to relationships as it is a theme that connects universally.

Best comedy is always inspired by real-life situations and Horgan’s writing is full of such instances.