SEX and the City star Kristin Davis broke down in tears over the death of late costar Willie Garson.
The 56-year-old actress said she “wishes he was still here.”
While appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Kristin and SATC co-star Cynthia Nixon reflected on their final days of filming before Willie’s shocking death in September following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Cynthia, 55, remembered Willie as “a person with incredible stories ” who lives a “zany life.”
Kristin added that the late actor was “full of joy and so incredibly brilliant and smart,” even when he was battling cancer.
She continued: “Even being sick, which we didn’t know about in the beginning, he still brought so much joy.”
Cynthia said it was “important” for the cast and crew to learn Willie was sick, since it gave them a sense of understanding while filming his final episodes.
Kristin then broke down into tears as she admitted his passing was “hard.”
While holding Cynthia’s hand, Kristin said while sobbing: “I wish he was here.”
TRAGIC LOSS
Willie, who played fan favorite character Stanford Blatch on SATC, tragically died in September at the age of 57 following a secret cancer battle.
After news broke of his death, Willie’s SATC castmates paid tribute to the star on social media.
Cynthia, who plays Miranda Hobbes on the show, was one of the first of Willie’s costars to pay tribute.
She shared a photo of her with Willie at a party along with a heartfelt message that read: “So deeply, deeply sad we have lost @Willie.Garson. We all loved him and adored working with him.
“He was endlessly funny on-screen and and in real life. He was a source of light, friendship and show business lore. He was a consummate professional — always.
“My heart goes out to his son, @Nathen_Garson. Nathen, I hope you know how much he loved you and how proud he was to be your dad.”
BELOVED COSTAR
Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha Jones in the HBO series, wrote: “Such sad news and a terribly sad loss to the SATC family. Our condolences and RIP dear Willie xo”
Mario Cantone, who stars as Anthony Maranthino on the show, also shared a sweet message on social media.
Mario wrote: “I couldn’t have had a more brilliant TV partner. I’m devastated and just overwhelmed with Sadness. Taken away from all of us way soon. You were a gift from the gods sweet Willie. Rest …I love you.”
Sarah Jessica Parker, 56, captioned a series of photos of the friends: “It’s been unbearable. Sometimes silence is a statement. Of the gravity. The anguish. The magnitude of the loss of a 30 + year friendship.
“A real friendship that allowed for secrets, adventure, a shared professional family, truth, concerts, road trips, meals, late night phone calls, a mutual devotion to parenthood and all the heartaches and joy that accompany, triumphs, disappointments, fear, rage and years spent on sets (most especially Carrie’s apartment) and laughing late into the night as both Stanford and Carrie and Willie and SJ.
“Willie. I will miss everything about you. And replay our last moments together. I will re-read every text from your final days and put to pen our last calls. Your absence a crater that I will fill with blessing of these memories and all the ones that are still in recesses yet to surface.”
She ended the tribute: “My love and deepest sympathies and condolences to you dear Nathen. You were and are the light of Willie’s life and his greatest achievement was being your Papa. These were his last words to me. ‘Great bangles all around.’ Yes. Godspeed Willie Garson. RIP.”
IMPRESSIVE CAREER
The actor had been filming scenes for the new SATC reboot in New York in the weeks leading up to his death.
Willie starred on 27 episodes of SATC throughout the six seasons, which aired from 1998 until its series finale in 2004.
His character was a close friend of Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah), who often struggled to overcome insecurities around dating in the big city.
As well as the TV show, Willie also appeared in the first Sex And The City feature film in 2008 and its sequel, titled Sex and the City 2, in 2010.
