July 26th 2024.
Blair Underwood has always been determined to break free from any limits imposed on his career. Take, for instance, his role in Sex and the City. While he eventually became a brief love interest for Miranda, one of the show's main characters, in the hit HBO series, he did so on his own terms.
In a career retrospective with Will Harris at The A.V. Club, published on July 22nd, Underwood revealed that he actually turned down the role the first time it was offered to him. He explained, "The first time they offered it, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if all the rumors about our anatomy were true! And I said, 'Listen, I'm honored, thank you, but I just don't want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'"
In a recent interview with Vulture, Underwood confirmed that the role he was initially offered was for one of the earlier seasons of Sex and the City. In this particular episode, titled "No Ifs, Ands, or Butts," Samantha, played by Kim Cattrall, dates a Black man out of sheer curiosity. This was the kind of fetish role that Underwood was not willing to compromise on. He made it clear that he did not want to be typecast at any point in his career.
Fortunately, standing up for himself paid off in the end. Underwood revealed that the Sex and the City team not only respected his decision to decline the role, but they also called him back with a different offer. This time, he made it clear that he wanted to know if the role was going to focus on race. "They said, 'No, no, no, we're not even gonna mention race!'" he recalled. "And I think it really only came up once. I did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about a 'Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that's been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed in as 'the Black guy.' I've had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he's just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Today, Underwood is highly respected for his work as an actor. He recently starred in the horror film Longlegs, where he played Agent Carter, an upstanding American boss who transforms from a protector and hero to a demonic adversary. The film centers around an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn when evidence points to the involvement of the occult.
Throughout his career, Underwood has appeared in a diverse range of films and TV shows, including Set it Off and L.A. Law. He has truly made a name for himself as an actor who refuses to be defined by his race. As he continues to take on challenging and dynamic roles, it's clear that Blair Underwood will always be in control of his own destiny.
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