Kristin Davis Reveals Extreme Diet During 'Sex and the City': Only Candy, Not Real Food

Kristin Davis, the actress who played Charlotte York in the iconic series Sex and the City, has opened up about a dark story behind the scenes: she once followed a diet that was far from healthy. On her personal podcast, Are You a Charlotte?, Davis revealed that she ate only chocolate for weeks to maintain her figure while filming the early seasons.

The 61-year-old said she felt deeply insecure about her appearance as the series' popularity exploded. She noticed her ribs were protruding and her body was too thin. "At that time I only ate chocolate for several weeks. I don't know how my mind wasn't disturbed, and my body was like skin and bones," she said on the podcast, as quoted by Bang Premier.

Davis said she once followed the advice of an acupuncturist who told her to stop eating certain foods. But she was confused, because those foods were her only intake. She was also inspired by the habits of ballet dancers she had read about—smoking and eating candy—even though she herself did not smoke. "I thought if they could do it, I could too. But I don't smoke," she added.

Davis's confession is nothing new in Hollywood. The pressure to look perfect on the big screen and on television has long haunted actresses, especially in the 1990s and 2000s when thin-body standards were so strict. Many stars have since spoken out about the eating disorders they experienced. Davis herself did not use that term, but she stressed that her diet at the time was "unhealthy".

"I didn't eat real food. It was unhealthy." — Kristin Davis

Beyond diet, Davis also recalled the moment she was first offered the contract for the role of Charlotte. She thought she would be a recurring character paid $5,000. "I was in the trailer, a producer knocked on the door and handed me a document. It turned out to be a new contract, only two pages, and it said I would be a recurring character paid $5,000," she recalled. She also never expected the series to explode the way it did.

Davis also said she did not like the pilot of Sex and the City. According to her, the opening episode felt stiff and messy. "I never liked the pilot. It didn't feel smooth, a bit choppy and busy. But my personal theory is that if the pilot is too good, the series might not be good," she said.

Davis's story mirrors how the entertainment industry is still grappling with body image issues. In Indonesia, similar discussions have also emerged among actresses and public figures who often face pressure to look ideal on social media. Though they do not always talk about eating disorders, many admit to extreme diets to meet expectations. This phenomenon shows that unrealistic beauty standards remain a burden, especially for women in entertainment.

Going forward, there is room for the industry to care more about the mental and physical health of its performers. Will confessions like Davis's drive a cultural change behind the scenes, or will it remain a taboo secret to discuss?