NEED TO KNOW
Blair Underwood shared that his children’s friends have finally seen Sex and the City
The actor appeared on the show as Dr. Robert Leeds
Underwood previously told PEOPLE that he almost said no to the show, but that it’s still one of the things he’s recognized the most for
Blair Underwood has been acting for 41 years, and one of his iconic roles has come back to bite him just a bit.
Underwood, 61, appeared on the Wednesday, April 15 episode of The View. He was promoting his book, A Soldier’s Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood. His mother, Marilyn, died in 2020. He also narrates the audiobook, alongside his sister Marlo.
During his appearance on The View, host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked him about his appearance on Sex and the City. He appeared on the show as Dr. Robert Leeds during the series’ sixth and final season in 2003 and 2004. Robert was the team doctor for the Knicks and was paired with Cynthia Nixon‘s Miranda Hobbes (until she decided to get back together with her ex, David Eigenberg‘s Steve Brady).
Blair Underwood (left) and Cynthia Nixon in ‘Sex and the City’
Credit: HBO
Griffin asked him about his arc on the show. “Sex and the City keeps getting rediscovered by the younger generations, and I understand your kids recently have gotten into it. What’s their reaction watching it?” she asked.
“Well, their reaction is, they’re happy that their dad’s on this show, but they’re also like, ‘All my friends are telling me they saw your butt,’ ” Underwood said. He joked, “Listen, it’s before your time.”
In a scene from the season 6 episode titled “The Domino Effect,” Underwood’s butt is visible while he and Miranda engage in some adult activities.
Underwood is father to three children: sons Paris, 29, and Blake, 24, and daughter Brielle, 27.
Sex and the City ran from 1998 to 2004 and spawned two sequel films: 2008’s Sex and the City and 2010’s Sex and the City 2. Then, from 2021 until 2025, the show was revived as And Just Like That… for three seasons.
Speaking to PEOPLE in 2024 about his time on Sex and the City, Underwood said, “That was a great experience for me and I almost didn’t do it, but I’m glad I did.”
At the time, he was also willing to return to And Just Like That…, with a few stipulations. “It would depend on what it is and where my character would be going — all the things you ask,” he said. “But I love the idea.”
Blair Underwood on April 14
Credit: Michael Simon/Getty
Underwood also spoke about the character in a 2021 interview with Vulture. “One of the beauties of having longevity in the business is that people remember you from so many projects,” he said, but noted that attention from Sex and the City fans is “constant.”
He told the outlet that he had been offered a spot on the show years earlier, when Kim Cattrall‘s character Samantha Jones was “dating a Black man because she was curious about it.” He explained, “I was respectfully not interested in being the curiosity.” Still, he thanked them and said he “would love to come back” in the future. Two years later, he was offered his role as Robert.
“I wasn’t interested in being a curiosity in the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s; I wanted to be a full-fledged, well-rounded character,” he said. “Now in 2021, we’re more open to delve into the nuances of race relations and how we see each other.”
Underwood made his film debut in 1985’s Krush Groove. From 1987 to 1994, he starred on L.A. Law, earning him a Golden Globe nomination in 1991. His film appearances have included 2000’s Rules of Engagement, 2006’s Madea’s Family Reunion and 2024’s Longlegs. In 2020, he received a Tony nomination for best leading actor in a play for his role in A Soldier’s Play.
Read the original article on People