And Just Like That…, the almost-Sex and the City reunion that brings back 3/4ths of the main cast, hasn’t aired its finale yet (that drops Thursday). But it’s already clear who everyone’s least favorite character is: Che Diaz, the bisexual, non-binary podcaster who coaxes Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) into exploring her sexuality. The hate — which is so intense the show’s director, Michael Patrick King, had to weigh in — is no offense to Sara Ramirez, the Grey’s Anatomy alum and Tony winner (for Spamalot) who plays them on the show. If you’re wondering if Ramirez knows the world finds the character annoying, then the answer is: Yes. Ramirez is indeed aware.
In a new interview with The New York Times, Ramirez — who is bisexual and non-binary like the character, but isn’t like Che Diaz in any other major way — chatted about, among other things, being a scourge of social media.
“I’m very aware of the hate that exists online, but I have to protect my own mental health and my own artistry,” they said.
And that’s way more important to me because I’m a real human being. I’m really proud of the representation that we’ve created. We have built a character who is a human being, who is imperfect, who’s complex, who is not here to be liked, who’s not here for anybody’s approval. They’re here to be themselves.
I’m also not in control of the writing. I welcome the passion that folks are bringing to the table around this representation. But in real life, there are a lot of different human beings who show up to the table, speaking truth to power in myriad ways. And they all land differently with different people. And Che Diaz has their own audience that they speak to who really get a kick out of what they’re doing.
Still, it’s not as though Ramirez hates Diaz like everyone else. When asked what they would think about the online furor, they responded, “I imagine Che would have something very witty and silly and funny as a rebuttal; something that ultimately reminds everyone that they are human; something with a sprinkling of self-deprecation, because I think they know they’re a narcissist. And maybe just a little reminder that no one’s perfect.”
(Via NYT)
