Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon is an American actress, activist, and theatre director. She has received various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award, making her one of the few actresses to have won three of the four major American entertainment awards (EGOT). She has also been nominated for six Golden Globe Awards. Nixon is best known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City (1998–2004) and films Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2 (2010), as well as the television show And Just Like That... (2021–2025).

Nixon made her Broadway debut in the 1980 revival of The Philadelphia Story. She went on to receive two Tony Awards: the first for Best Actress in a Play for Rabbit Hole (2006), and the second for Best Featured Actress in a Play for The Little Foxes (2017). Her other Broadway credits include The Real Thing (1983), Hurlyburly (1983), Indiscretions (1995), The Women (2001), and Wit (2012).

She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2008 and a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for An Inconvenient Truth in 2009. She acted in the films Amadeus (1984), James White (2015), and A Quiet Passion (2016). She portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt in Warm Springs (2005), Michele Davis in Too Big to Fail (2011), and Nancy Reagan in Killing Reagan (2016). Her other television credits include The Big C (2010–2011), Ratched (2020), and The Gilded Age (2022–present).

In 2018, Nixon ran for governor of New York as part of the Working Families Party challenging Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo. She lost the Democratic primary to Cuomo on September 13, 2018, with 34% of the vote to his 66%.

Nixon has been an advocate for LGBT rights in the United States, particularly the right of same-sex marriage. She met her wife at a 2002 gay rights rally, and announced her engagement at a rally for New York same-sex marriage in 2009. She received the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign in 2018.

Early life and education Nixon was born in the Manhattan borough of New York City, the only child of Walter Elmer Nixon Jr., a radio journalist from Harlingen, Texas, and Anne Elizabeth (née Knoll), an actress originally from Chicago. She credits her mother with "indoctrinating" her into theatre. She is of English and German descent. Her grandparents were Adolph Knoll, Etta Elizabeth Williams, Walter E. Nixon, and Grace Truman McCormack. Nixon's parents divorced when she was six years old. According to Nixon, her father was often unemployed She acted in order to pay her way through Barnard College, where she received a B.A. in English Literature. She was also a student in the Semester at Sea program on the Spring 1986 voyage.

Career 1979–1997: Early roles and theatre work Nixon's first onscreen appearance (at 8 years old) was as an imposter on To Tell the Truth, where her mother worked, pretending to be a junior horse riding champion. She began acting at 12 as the object of a wealthy schoolmate's crush in The Seven Wishes of a Rich Kid, a 1979 ABC Afterschool Special. The two theaters were just two blocks apart and Nixon's roles were both short, so she could run from one to the other.

She landed her first major supporting role in a movie as an intelligent teenager who aids her boyfriend (Christopher Collet) in building a nuclear bomb in Marshall Brickman's The Manhattan Project (1986). Nixon was part of the cast of the NBC miniseries The Murder of Mary Phagan (NBC, 1988) starring Jack Lemmon and Kevin Spacey, and portrayed the daughter of a presidential candidate (Michael Murphy) in Tanner '88 (1988), Robert Altman's political satire for HBO. She reprised the role for the 2004 sequel, Tanner on Tanner.

On stage, Nixon portrayed Juliet in a 1988 New York Shakespeare Festival production of Romeo and Juliet, and acted in the workshop production of Wendy Wasserstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Heidi Chronicles, playing several characters after it came to Broadway in 1989. She was the guest star in the second episode of the long running NBC television series Law & Order. She played the role of an agoraphobic woman in a February 1993 episode of Murder, She Wrote, titled "Threshold of Fear".

Nixon succeeded Marcia Gay Harden as Harper Pitt in Tony Kushner's Angels in America (1994), received a Tony nomination for her performance in Indiscretions (Les Parents Terribles) (1996), her sixth Broadway show, and, although she originally lost the part to another actress, eventually took over the role of Lala Levy in the Tony-winning The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997).

Nixon was a founding member of the Off-Broadway theatrical troupe Drama Dept., which included Sarah Jessica Parker, Dylan Baker, John Cameron Mitchell and Billy Crudup among its actors, appearing in the group's productions of Kingdom on Earth (1996), June Moon and As Bees in Honey Drown (both 1997), Hope is the Thing with Feathers (1998), and The Country Club (1999). She had supporting roles in Addams Family Values (1993), Baby's Day Out (1994), Marvin's Room (1996), and The Out-of-Towners (1999).

1998–2011: Sex and the City and other roles She was one of the four regulars on HBO's comedy Sex and the City (1998–2004), as lawyer Miranda Hobbes. Nixon received three Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2002, 2003, 2004), winning the award in 2004, for the show's final season.

Nixon next had her first leading role in a feature, playing a video artist who falls in love, despite her best efforts to avoid commitment, with a bisexual actor who just happens to be dating a gay man (her best friend) in Advice from a Caterpillar (2000), as well as starring opposite Scott Bakula in the holiday television movie Papa's Angels (2000). In 2002, she also acted in the indie comedy Igby Goes Down, and her turn in the theatrical production of Clare Boothe Luce's play The Women was captured for PBS' Stage on Screen series.

Post-Sex and the City, Nixon made a guest appearance on ER in 2005, as a mother who undergoes a tricky procedure to lessen the effects of a debilitating stroke. She followed up with a turn as Eleanor Roosevelt for HBO's Warm Springs (2005), which chronicled Franklin Delano Roosevelt's quest for a miracle cure for his polio. Nixon earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance. and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Play). In 2008, she revived her role as Miranda Hobbes in the Sex and the City feature film, directed by HBO executive producer Michael Patrick King and co-starring the cast of the original series. Also in 2008, she won an Emmy for her guest appearance in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portraying a woman pretending to have dissociative identity disorder.

In March 2010, Nixon received the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards. The award is presented to an openly LGBTQ media professional "who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community". It was announced in June 2010 that Nixon would appear in four episodes of the Showtime series The Big C. Nixon appeared in a Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode based on the problems surrounding the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Her character is "Amanda Reese, the high-strung and larger-than-life director behind a problem-plagued Broadway version of Icarus," loosely modeled after Spider-Man director Julie Taymor.

2012–2019: Return to Broadway In 2012, Nixon starred as Professor Vivian Bearing in the Broadway debut of Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize–winning play Wit. Produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, the play opened January 26, 2012 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Nixon received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play for the performance. In 2012, Nixon also starred as Petranilla in the TV miniseries of Ken Follett's World Without End broadcast on the ReelzChannel, alongside Ben Chaplin, Peter Firth, Charlotte Riley, and Miranda Richardson.

In 2015, Nixon appeared in two films which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival: Stockholm, Pennsylvania and James White. She received critical acclaim for both performances, especially for the latter, which some considered as "Oscar-worthy".

Nixon played the leading role of reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson in the biographical film A Quiet Passion directed and written by Terence Davies. The film premiered in February 2016 at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. In May 2016, it was announced that Nixon would play Nancy Reagan in the upcoming television film adaptation of Killing Reagan. The film aired in October 2016.

2020–present: Streaming shows In January 2019, it was announced that Nixon will star in the upcoming Netflix drama series Ratched. Since 2021 she returned to the role of Miranda Hobbes in the Sex and the City revival And Just Like That... for HBO Max where she also serves as an executive producer. Since 2022 she took a leading role of Ada Brook in another HBO show The Gilded Age starring alongside Louisa Jacobson, Christine Baranski, and Carrie Coon.

Political activism Nixon is a member of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. Nixon is a long-time advocate for public education. She is a spokesperson for New York's Alliance for Quality Education, a public education fairness advocacy organization. Nixon also has a history of advocacy in support of women's health.

In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Nixon endorsed Bernie Sanders before campaigning for him in early February 2020 in Las Vegas. She stated, "In the same terrifying and muscular way that Trump is a force for so much of what is bad in this country, in this world, Bernie has that same kind of muscularity of vision but for good. A candidate who is too beholden to big money and the establishment and just basically doesn't want to rock the boat is never going to be a powerful enough counterbalance to what Donald Trump has to offer. You need someone as vigorous and who is wanting to turn the system upside down."

In 2023, Nixon signed an open letter expressing "serious concerns about editorial bias" in reporting by The New York Times on transgender people. The letter characterized the NYT's coverage as using "an eerily familiar mix of pseudoscience and euphemistic, charged language", and raised concerns regarding the NYT's employment practices regarding trans contributors.

2018 New York gubernatorial election

On March 19, 2018, Nixon announced her campaign for governor of New York as a challenger to Democratic incumbent Andrew Cuomo. Her platform focused on income inequality, renewable energy, establishing universal health care, stopping mass incarceration in the United States, and protecting undocumented children from deportation. She lost in the Democratic primary to Cuomo on September 13, 2018, with 34% of the vote to his 66%. Nixon was initially nominated as the gubernatorial candidate for the Working Families Party; On April 15, Nixon won 91.5 percent of the vote at the party's statewide committee meeting after Cuomo withdrew himself from consideration at the last minute. Nixon stated that in the event that she did not also secure the Democratic nomination, she would "confer with the Working Families Party and we will make the decision we think is best".

The endorsement caused a schism in the party, as labor unions, including the Service Employees International Union, and Communications Workers of America, indicated they would not support the party in the election. The withdrawal, it was believed, would significantly hurt the party's finances which, in 2018, were at a level of $1.7 million and supported a statewide staff of about 15 people. The battle received considerable attention since there were concerns that Nixon might drain enough votes from Cuomo in the general election to allow a Republican to be elected (though Cuomo was comfortably leading in the polls at the time). Cuomo had vigorously campaigned to get the nomination before withdrawing when it was clear he would not get it.

In contrast to Cuomo, Nixon supported the legalization of marijuana. The most important reason, she said, was racial justice. "People across all ethnic and racial lines use marijuana at roughly the same rate, but the arrests for marijuana are 80 percent black and Latino." Nixon said that the revenues from legalization should be prioritized to the communities that had been harmed by them, as a form of "reparations". She said that people in jail on marijuana charges should be released, criminal records for marijuana use should be expunged, and marijuana revenues should be used to help them reenter society. However, many black leaders were offended by her use of the term "reparations".

On June 22, 2018, during a campaign event in New York City, Nixon referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a "terrorist organization" and called for the agency to be abolished. She later reiterated her claim in a Twitter post.

On May 23, 2018, Nixon and other potential Democratic challengers to Cuomo were eliminated from the Democratic party endorsement at the state Democratic Convention after failing to meet the 25% state delegate threshold needed to appear on the ballot. Nixon filed a petition with 65,000 signatures, more than four times the 15,000 required, to force a primary election. The primary was held on September 13. Nixon lost the primary to Cuomo, with Cuomo receiving 65% of the vote and Nixon receiving 35%.

On October 5, 2018, the Working Families Party removed Nixon's name from their ticket after deciding to endorse Cuomo and Hochul, thus ensuring that Nixon would not appear on the general election ballot.

In August 2021, Cuomo was forced to resign as governor following allegations of sexual harassment by women who worked in his office. As a result of the scandal, he was stripped of the honorary Emmy given to him for his televised Covid briefings in 2020. After he left office, Nixon tweeted on August 24, 2021: "The difference between me and Andrew Cuomo? Neither of us is governor, but I still have my Emmy(s)."

Support for Palestine Nixon supports South Africa's genocide case against Israel. She contributed to a video series, published by the Palestine Festival of Literature, in support of South Africa's motion, accusing Israel of genocide against civilians in Gaza. In December 2023, she joined a five-day hunger strike outside the White House calling for a ceasefire. She is a signatory of the Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge that was published in September 2025.

2025 New York City mayoral election Nixon endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary and hosted a fundraiser for his campaign. She also appeared in a digital advertisement paid for by the Working Families Party opposing Andrew Cuomo.

Personal life From 1988 to 2003, Nixon was in a relationship with educator Danny Mozes. They have two children together. In June 2018, Nixon revealed that her older child is transgender.

In 2004, Nixon began dating education activist Christine Marinoni. They became engaged in April 2009, and married in New York City on May 27, 2012, with Nixon wearing a custom-made, pale green dress by Carolina Herrera. Marinoni gave birth to a son in 2011.

Regarding her sexual orientation, Nixon remarked in 2007: "I don't really feel I've changed. I'd been with men all my life, and I'd never fallen in love with a woman. But when I did, it didn't seem so strange. I'm just a woman in love with another woman." She identified herself as bisexual in 2012, and as queer starting in 2018. Prior to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington state (Marinoni's home state), Nixon had taken a public stand supporting the issue, and hosted a fundraising event in support of Washington Referendum 74.

In October 2006, Nixon was diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine mammography. She initially decided not to go public with her illness because she feared it might hurt her career, but in April 2008, she announced her battle with the disease in an interview with Good Morning America.

She and Marinoni live in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.

Nixon is not Jewish, but the father of her children is,

Regarding Israel, Nixon is quoted in saying that she “loved the country and the people” ever since a college-age visit.

Performances and works Film

Year Title Role Notes 1980 Little Darlings Sunshine Walker 1981 Tattoo Cindy Prince of the City Jeannie 1983 I Am the Cheese Amy Hertz 1984 Amadeus Lorl 1986 Jenny Anderman 1987 O.C. and Stiggs Michelle 1988 Doreen 1989 Let It Ride Evangeline 1993 Alice Stark Addams Family Values Heather Through an Open Window Nancy Cooper Short film 1994 Baby's Day Out Gilbertine 1996 Marvin's Room Retirement Home Director 2000 Papa's Angels Sharon Jenkins 2001 Advice from a Caterpillar Missy 2002 Igby Goes Down Mrs. Piggee 2005 Little Manhattan Leslie Burton 2006 One Last Thing... Carol 2007 Gail Beltran 2008 Sex and the City: The Movie Miranda Hobbes 2009 Lymelife Melissa Bragg Penny Arcade 2010 Sex and the City 2 Miranda Hobbes 2011 Rampart Barbara 2014 5 Flights Up Lilly 2015 Stockholm, Pennsylvania Marcy Dargon James White Gail White The Adderall Diaries Jen Davis 2016 A Quiet Passion Emily Dickinson 2017 The Only Living Boy in New York Judith Webb 2018 The Parting Glass Mare 2019 Stray Dolls Una2020 Tailing Pond Narrator (voice) Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes1982 Rascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventuresof Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn Alice TV film My Body, My Child Nancy 1988 Tanner '88 Alex Tanner 10 episodes 1989 Gideon Oliver Allison Parrish Slocum Episode: "Sleep Well, Professor Oliver" The Equalizer Jackie Episode: "Silent Fury" 1990 The Young Riders Annie 2 episodes Law & Order Laura di Biasi Episode: "Subterranean Homeboy Blues" A Green Journey Janet TV film 1991 Love, Lies and Murder Donna Miniseries 1993 Murder, She Wrote Alice Morgan Episode: "Threshold of Fear" 1996 Early Edition Sheila Episode: "Baby" Nash Bridges Melissa Episode: "Aloha Nash" 1998–2004 Sex and the City Miranda Hobbes Main role; 94 episodes 1999 Trudy Episode: "Alien Radio" Touched by an Angel Melina Richardson/Sister Sarah Episode: "Into the Fire" 2004 Tanner on Tanner Alex Tanner 4 episodes 2005 ER Ellie Episode: "Alone in a Crowd" Warm Springs Eleanor Roosevelt TV film House Anica Jovanovich Episode: "Deception" 2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Janis Donovan Episode: Alternate 2010–2011 Rebecca 10 episodes 2011 Too Big to Fail Michele Davis TV film Law & Order: Criminal Intent Amanda Reese Episode: "Icarus" 2012 World Without End Petronilla 7 episodes 30 Rock Herself Episode: "Kidnapped by Danger" 2013–2014 Alpha House Senator Carly Armiston 6 episodes 2014 Hannibal Kade Prurnell 4 episodes 2015 The Affair Marilyn Episode: "210" 2016 Broad City Barb Episode: "2016" Killing Reagan Nancy Reagan TV film 2020 Ratched Gwendolyn Briggs Main cast 2021–2025 And Just Like That... Miranda Hobbes 33 episodes, also executive producer and director 2022–present The Gilded Age Ada Brook Main cast

Stage Year Title Role Venue