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People Are Mourning The Passing Of Willie Garson, Best Known As Stanford Blatch On ‘Sex And The City’

Willie Garson, the character actor best known as Carrie Bradshaw’s stylish male best friend Stanford Blatch on Sex and the City (and its forthcoming revival), passed away, it was reported on Tuesday. He was 57 years old.

Born in Highland Park, New Jersey, Garson studied theater at Wesleyan and acquired an MFA from Yale Drama School. In the ‘80s, he started his long run as a TV fixture. He could be seen on shows like Cheers, Family Ties, Quantum Leap, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Ally McBeal, and Friends. On NYPD Blue, he had a recurring role over seven episodes from 1996 through 1999. He appeared in movies as well, among them Groundhog Day (as Bill Murray’s assistant), The Rock, Mars Attacks!, and three movies for the Farrelly brothers: Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary, and Fever Pitch.

It was Sex and the City that made him a name. Stanford, a gay talent agent with as much fashion sense as Carrie, if not moreso, was the only character who wasn’t one of the main foursome to occasionally get his own storylines. Garson himself was heterosexual, but his excitable turn as Stanford became one of the show’s most beloved characters. Garson will be seen in the limited revival series And Just Like That…

Garson’s son Nathen posted a loving tribute to his father on Instagram.

“I love you so much papa,” Nathen wrote. “Rest In Peace and I’m so glad you got to share all your adventures with me and were able to accomplish so much. I’m so proud of you. I will always love you, but I think it’s time for you to go on an adventure of your own. You’ll always be with me. Love you more than you will ever know and I’m glad you can be at peace now. You always were the toughest and funniest and smartest person I’ve known. I’m glad you shared your love with me. I’ll never forget it or lose it.”

The cause of Garson’s death is currently unknown, but the sudden news inspired widespread mourning across social media. His fellow Sex and the City alumni poured out some love.

Others in Hollywood, including many who worked alongside him, mourned his passing as well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUGvhuOFOqU/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=73fe82f6-2a83-48eb-a95a-d6182f0b4a31

https://twitter.com/NiaVardalos/status/1440487975360417796

https://twitter.com/BryanFuller/status/1440481282090098699

Soon “RIP Stanford” was trending.

Some seized upon Garson’s final tweet, in which he wrote, simply, “BE KIND TO EACH OTHER……ALWAYS. LOVE TO ALL. APRROACH KINDNESS.”

RIP Willie Garson.

(Via THR)

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