And Just Like That viral star spills show secrets... and why he thought SJP's BFF might have REPLACED him

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

A background actor who went viral for his animated portrayal of a bar patron on And Just Like That has offered a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Sex And The City cinematic universe.
Christopher Clark, a SAG-AFTRA actor and realtor, is not only a mega fan of the show but has been a part of Carrie Bradshaw's world since 2009, both on the big and small screen, having first worked on Sex And The City 2.
Last month his star rose exponentially after eagle-eyed fans noticed his expressive mannerisms in the background of a scene featuring Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her girlfriends - with one hailing him as 'The Meryl Streep of background actors.'
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Clark opened up about the making of the viral scene - and how he feared being replaced following an unexpected visit by Parker's real-life BFF, Andy Cohen.
The breakout star also spilled on how well the actresses really get on with each other, their grueling filming schedules, and that bombshell news of AJLT coming to an end.
His moment, occurring in an episode entitled Present Tense, was set at the New York City restaurant San Sabino, and saw Clark sitting at a bar as Carrie met up with Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York Goldenblatt, and Seema Patel following her split from Aidan Shaw.
He was not far from Parker and her co-stars, but briefly worried he was about to be replaced by Cohen, 57, after the Watch What Happens Live host stopped by for a surprise visit during filming with actor John Benjamin Hickey for dinner.
Clark is a massive fan of the franchise, and has told the Daily Mail he has 'been fortunate enough to be on these sets with' the stars
'Andy Cohen and John Benjamin Hickey, who had just directed Sarah Jessica and [her husband] Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite, they walk into the restaurant,' Clark told the Daily Mail.
'Coming home from there, just walk in, and of course, best friends with SJ and best friends with everyone,' he said.
'Someone was like, "You guys need to be in this scene." And I thought to myself, "I am about to get replaced by Andy Cohen at the end of this bar!"
'I know it! They're gonna! And of course, Andy and Hickey were like, "Girls, we're fine. We just came for dinner. We're going home. You guys have a great night."'
Unbeknownst to Clark at the time, Cohen had actually made a guest appearance in the episode as a shoe salesman named Daniel.
'Meanwhile, I also didn't know Andy Cohen was guest starring on this episode and was in, like, the previous scene,' Clark said.
'So there was all sorts of reasons why he didn't, you know, didn't wanna be in this shot. But it was funny,' he said.
Fortunately for the Internet, Clark remained.
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Christopher Clark initially feared he was going to be replaced by Andy Cohen on the And Just Like That episode Present Tense
With his animated chit chat and waving down a waitress, the actor's performance landed him a spot on Every Outfit's Instagram account, which re-shared video of his performance to their 727,000 followers.
'The Meryl Streep of background actors steps into her light #andjustlikethat #hbomax #sexandthecity,' the video, originally posted by Instagram user Austin White, was captioned.
Clark said he was given 'no direction aside from it's a night on the town' and approached the part 'trying to be elevated and interesting.'
'I was trying to be real,' he said. 'If you're drunk at a bar, you're not sitting there with your hands in your lap, staring forward. I mean, you're a little bit inebriated, you're in the moment.'
Little did Clark know as he filmed the spot, his particular scene was occurring just moments after Carrie had split from Aidan.
'I had no inclination that it would be a somber moment or it would be this serious kind of, you know, this Taylor Swift song and this emotional climax for these two characters that we all know so well, Carrie and Aidan,' he said.
'I had no idea. We had an idea that it was maybe, you know, something big had happened, but we knew that there was no dialogue being recorded,' he explained. 'None of the actresses were mic'd.
'None of the principals were mic'd. So we just knew, we could just be at the bar and have some fun... and that's what we were doing.'
This particular scene was shot last September, and required the help of law enforcement to keep Parker safe.
'The NYPD had to shut the streets down... so that she would be safe on the street,' Clark said. 'And and we only did it four or five times.'
Clark also said a crane was utilized for this particular scene: 'The camera never was inside the restaurant that we were filming at. It was a crane shot on the street.'
Since going viral, Clark is embracing the reaction his performance has garnered - even the 'shady' ones.
'Austin B. White, whose Instagram account sort of initially found this... and then the Every Outfit account, which who I am obsessed with Lauren Garroni and Chelsea Fairless, found the clip and sort of spread it worldwide.
'You know, I'm just thrilled that it sort of has landed and people are laughing at it and having fun with it, and I I love it all. I love even the shady comment, I think it's hilarious,' he said.
'I'm loving every bit of it, because I've been on these sets with them, you know, many times... a lot of times, it doesn't amount to anything, you're blurred.'
The post has thus far garnered just over 23,550 'likes' on Instagram and Clark's performance has been showered with praise.
One commenter said: 'HBO execs have decided to cancel AJLT and create a new show called "Rumor Has It" starring that man as Casey Bradford, a gossip columnist looking for love and rent controlled apartment in the city of New York.'
'The rent was DUE! And they delivered,' another commented.
'Extras be EXTRA,' one viewer wrote.
'This is a masterclass in background acting,' another posted.
Another said: 'The most believable performance of the season.'
Clark's journey working with the franchise began in 2009, and he says he's worked on the series 'couple of times over the year.'
But his SATC credentials include one of the most memorable moments in the universe, as he was implemented in Stanford Blatch's wedding to Anthony Marantino (which featured a cameo by Liza Minnelli).
'I've been in that universe since Sex And The City 2. I was lucky enough to be at Stanford and Anthony's wedding,' he told the Daily Mail. 'We shot that for six nights over the course... I guess that was back in 2009.'
While viewers may be used to Carrie living a life of glamour, behind-the-scenes the actors and crew can expect long days and nights.
'They have a... sometimes have a very rigorous schedule on Sex and the City in particular,' he explained.
'I mean, all shows do, but we would show up to set, you know, usually around three in the afternoon and we would film until about seven, eight in the morning... All filmed interiors out at Steiner Studios,' he explained.
By now, while Clark is used to getting his moments on screen cut, he still feels lucky to be in their orbit, describing himself as feeling 'fortunate' whenever he is on the set with the cast.
Clark is able to rattle off a small list of shots which implemented him in And Just Like That that didn't make the end result.
'A lot of times things end up on the cutting room floor,' he told the Daily Mail.
'And I had this amazing shot with the camera zooming right in at me as I passed by Carrie as she walks down her stoop in a giant white tutu for And Just Like That and... cut! On the cutting room floor.
'Then last that was season one.. And then season two, I was a cater waiter in Charlotte's apartment, and I was selected to to serve Carrie Bradshaw a pink cocktail on a silver platter. Cut! Ended up on the cutting room floor.'
Clark was only working on season three for a single day, but he was present for a scene involving Seema Patel and her gardener love interest, Adam (Logan Marshall-Green) - which also seems to have been cut from the show.
'This season, I only got one day the entire season, and it was this one day,' he said. 'Earlier in the day, we had shot a scene, a restaurant scene across the street, with Seema and Adam the gardener. And I was not on camera at all. I was filmed, but none of it, again, none it made it on air.'
Despite rumors of tensions on set with Kim Cattrall on Sex And The City, it seems the ladies are getting along fine as Clark says: 'They're very friendly. You know, they're there to work on set, but especially when I did that... beat last season that ended up on the cutting room floor where I was serving the drink, Sarah Jessica was extremely nice and gracious, and she wanted to make sure that I didn't trip over any of the wires.
'I had to hold this tray full of cocktails and step over all this camera equipment. And I've spoken to her. You know, I've seen her at events in the city over the years, opening nights of Broadway shows, and things... They're lovely,' he said.
Last week AJLT showrunner Michael Patrick King announced the show would be 'coming to an end' following it's current season.
And while Clark wishes the show would return for a fourth season, he is merely happy knowing he's part of it's legacy.
'These characters will live on forever... The fact that I get to live on, you know, beside them and alongside them and behind them is wild... It's a dream come true, frankly,' he said.
'As small and insignificant of a dream as that might seem, it really, for people that know me, they know that this is my universe and how much this means to me.'