Celebrity / TV

‘Run the World’ Is ‘Picking Up Where Sex and the City Left off,’ Says Corbin Reid

'Run the World' star Corbin Reid spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet about the first season of her show. The story of four friends in Harlem, New York has 'Sex and the City' vibes, but goes beyond the classic HBO show in many respects.

by Fred Topel

Published on July 13, 2021

3 min read

‘Run the World’ is a whole different New York than ‘Sex and the City’

New York is a very big city. Not even six seasons of Sex and the City and two movies could cover it all. And let’s be honest, Carrie Bradshaw only frequented certain parts of New York.

“First and foremost, I would say it is in New York but it’s in Harlem specifically and that’s a very historically Black neighborhood,” Reid said. “Contemporary Harlem is vibrant and rich and full of life and culture and color. It really is a fifth character on our show, a fifth main character on our show because the whole thing is set there.”

Reid said Run the World has made her and her costars celebrities in Harlem.

“Manhattan’s been so well covered on so many levels on TV and film but Harlem really hasn’t been featured,” Reid said. “I don’t think contemporary Harlem has been featured to this extent on a TV show. So that was cool and that was very different from Sex and the City. I’m glad that people get to see that part of New York. People in Harlem were so excited that we were there and they were like, ‘Thank you for doing this here.’”

‘Run the World’ represents what ‘Sex and the City’ never did

Sex and the City drew criticism for its lack of significant characters of color. Run the World is all Black characters in the male and female leads.

L-R: Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Sarah Jessica Parker | Paramount Pictures

Just diversity-wise, it’s huge that four black women are being highlighted in this way with this level of glamour and this incredible writing. It’s just a really elevated joyful depiction of being Black in New York and being a Black woman in New York. Being a Black woman who’s thriving but also very human and going through trials and tribulations but at the center of it all is doing it with the support of her girlfriends and this very enviable friend group of women that Sondi’s made into her family and the four of them have made into each other’s family. So in that way, I definitely think it’s picking up where Sex and the City left off but filling in that void of diversity and that void of representation.

Corbin Reid, interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, 7/8/21

‘Sex and the City’ rarely touched on these subjects

Sex and the City could focus on the characters’ love lives. It was the name of Carrie’s column, so it was what she was writing about. Reid said Run the World also showed the characters at work and their families.

“The major difference to me with Sex and the City and our show is that our show isn’t about dating in New York,” Reid said. “We’re all in established relationships but that’s not the center of the show. You get to see them really at work and going through trials at work and triumphs at work. Their friendship is really the center of the show.”

Run the World cast members gather in a bar

L-R: Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb, Corbin Reid and Andrea Bordeaux | Starz

Each character is dealing with a relationship. Sondi (Reid) is dating her professor. Whitney (Amber Stevens West) is planning her wedding and keeping an affair secret. Renee (Bresha Webb) is going through a divorce and Ella (Andrea Bordeaux) has several dates in the first season.

“Yes, they have men in their lives but it’s not a show about the conflict and the drama all surrounds can I get a man, can I keep a man,” Reid said. “It’s really a show about friendship. You get to see more of their lives. Sex and the City was more a show about dating in New York.”