They also responded to the negative reaction their character received in season 1.
It was the split few saw coming on the Sex and the City Max reboot, And Just Like That. Though Miranda Hobbes' (Cynthia Nixon) relationship with Ché Diaz (Sara Ramirez) was a controversial move in the beloved franchise, the pair seemed smitten in their passionate love affair.
But in this week's most recent episode, they call it quits just moments after Miranda finally decides to proceed with her divorce from her estranged husband, Steve Brady (David Eigenberg).
In an interview conducted with USA Today before the SAG-AFTRA strike, Ramirez, the nonbinary actor who plays the on-screen nonbinary comedian, discussed the trajectory of Miranda and Ché's tumultuous relationship that ultimately ended in heartbreak.
Calling Ché a "very truthful character," Ramirez said, "They tell you the truth whether you like what you're hearing or not. I think that they had some self-awareness by that point, because they had experienced such an emotional roller coaster of ego death, where they're left with a grounded, almost unrecognizable version of themselves that steps forward and says 'Listen, the wheels are falling off this car. This isn't working.' I think it takes a lot of integrity to admit that to someone, whether they agree with you or not."
In the series, Ché's autobiographical TV pilot flops before it ever airs, sending the character into a deep depression that has a lasting impact on their relationship with Miranda.
Ramirez added of Nixon's character, "Miranda also has the awareness to acknowledge that it's not working. So it's sad, but it's relatable. A lot of people go through that."
In the second half of season 2, Ramirez shared that Ché will begin questioning their career path.
"They go back to a previous job working with a friend where they still have to deal with real-life stuff, but they discover a new connection with someone," Ramirez teased. "They’re just trying to find their way back to who they really are. Does that include comedy? Does that include love? That's the big question mark at the end."
As for the negative reaction to Ché that came out in season 1, Ramirez admitted they're not totally immune to the backlash.
"As an actor, I have a really healthy boundary around outside opinions. You can't miss certain things, but I receive it with humor," Ramirez said. "My hope is that in season 2 ‒ just like we embrace the humanity of the women on the show ‒ hopefully we continue to embrace Ché Diaz's humanity. It’s important we remember that LGBTQIA+ people don't have to be perfect, just like the women don't have to be perfect. We get to be imperfect, we get to be unlikable, and you still get to root for our humanity."
New episodes of And Just Like That stream Thursdays on Max.
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