'And Just Like That...' Addresses Willie Garson's Absence in Latest Episode
Dearly departed "Sex and the City" star Willie Garson passed away in 2021 due to complications from pancreatic cancer, and he only got film the first three episodes of "And Just Like That..." as his character Stanford Blatch. But in the "SATC/AJLT" universe, the memory of Garson's on-screen presence received a fitting farewell thanks to showrunner Michael Patrick King.
As reported by People magazine, King chose to keep Garson's character alive and well in the show with a new life and purpose in Japan.
"Ever since Willie died and what we had to do last year was explain the loss of our really wonderful friend and actor, Willie Garson playing Stanford Blatch," showrunner Michael Patrick King said on the And Just Like That... The Writers Room podcast. "The thing we came up with is that he went to Japan on a TikTok tour."
In the show, Carrie (played by SJP) sits Garson's estranged, on-screen husband Anthony (Mario Cantone) down for a chat to explain what he's been up to by reading a letter. In the letter, Stanford informs them that he had been ditched as a manager by his client during a trip to Tokyo but found a new purpose as a Shinto monk.
Anthony and Stanford being estranged was "a fast fix," said King. "It was a little bit, it was like thin ice. We skated over it 'cause we had to, 'cause he wasn't in the show suddenly and we didn't want Stanford to die. We wanted Willie to be alive as Stanford somewhere in the world."
Knowing the true circumstances of Garson's absence in the show, the moment couldn't help but bring tears to the eye.
King further revealed that the inspiration for Stanford's Japan explanation was inspired by a trip he took to Japan with SJP, to promote the second "Sex and the City" movie.
"I went to Kyoto with Sarah Jessica after the second movie which, I don't know, spoiler alert: was not received well," King said. "And we were in Japan and we opened it. We went to Kyoto and I was in some sort of an emotional shockwave and I was going from temple to temple with Sarah Jessica. I was sitting there trying to release these complicated feelings and I felt kind of at peace."
Having Stanford become a monk "tapped into that feeling," once more said King.
"I wanted to somehow pay tribute to Willie and put Stanford someplace where it was golden and filled with light because I hope Willie's someplace that's golden and filled with light," King continued. "And it was poetic and it's very emotional."
And just like that ... we are crying again.