Lost in translation?
“Sex and the City” actor Willie Garson admitted it was difficult to talk to notable guest star Mikhail Baryshnikov on set due to a cultural barrier.
Baryshnikov, 73, starred as Aleksandr Petrovsky, Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) artist boyfriend, in the iconic HBO show’s final season in 2004. Garson, 54, recently spoke to Us Weekly about working with the Russian dancer and actor.
“I’m not Russian, so it was very hard to make conversation with Mikhail,” Garson said. “Not because he’s bad or mean, he’s just very Russian.”
The “White Collar” star revealed that he doesn’t regret any exchanges he had with the Latvian-born entertainer. Garson even detailed what a typical conversation between them was like way back when.
“You’d say, like, ‘Misha, what’d you do last night?’ and he would literally say, ‘Dinner,’ but just kind of, like, ending the conversation,” Garson explained. “But it’s just a different way of living. And I would [jokingly] tell him, ‘Well, I went to Studio 54 and did cocaine off of Grace Jones last night. So I had a better night.’ No, I never [did that].”
Garson also dished about his experience working with singer Liza Minnelli on the movie “Sex and the City 2.” Minnelli officiated the wedding of Garson’s character Stanford and Mario Cantone’s Anthony, during which she performed Beyoncé’s huge hit “Single Ladies.”
“I love Liza so much and she was such a player and came to play hard. She worked so hard on this song and dance number,” he said. “And I think I did [an] ad-lib in the wedding [scene]. She asked if we say ‘I do.’ And I think I said, ‘I do, Liza Minnelli!’ I think I had to add it because it was so over the top ridiculous.”
Garson and Cantone, 61, will reprise their roles in the 10-episode HBO Max reboot, “And Just Like That,” which has begun filming in and around New York City. There’s no word yet if Baryshnikov will make an appearance in the revival.
In addition to key players Parker, Cynthia Nixon (as Miranda) and Kristin Davis (Charlotte), also reuniting for the sequel are Chris Noth as Mr. Big, John Corbett as Carrie’s former beau Aidan, David Eigenberg as Miranda’s husband Steve and Bridget Moynahan as Big’s ex-wife Natasha. Kim Cattrall, meanwhile, is still MIA.