Sean Palmer, who played Stanford’s boyfriend Marcus on Sex and the City, revealed the first movie in 2008 almost included a major plot twist between their characters.
Sean Palmer couldn’t help but wonder about what could’ve been.
Because as the actor who played Stanford’s boyfriend Marcus on Sex and the City revealed, the first SATC film in 2008 originally included a major plot twist that would have featured him and the late Willie Garson.
“I was supposed to be in the film,” Palmer revealed to star Kristin Davis on the Aug. 31 episode of her podcast Are You a Charlotte? “The film was supposed to start with Willie's and my wedding, and you're supposed to think it was Big [Chris Noth] and Sarah [Jessica Parker].”
“You're supposed to be at a wedding,” he continued, “thinking like, ‘Oh, they're finally getting married.’ And it's actually Stanford and Marcus.”
But while fans would have loved to see Stanford’s happy ending, it was ultimately not to be (and Palmer lost his spot in the film overall).
“I got a call,” he recalled, “And he was like, ‘Look, we got a call from the studio. And they don't want tertiary characters.’”
The 53-year-old added, “So, of course, that was disappointing that that didn't happen.”
But despite Palmer being cut, the movie team made sure to pay small homage to Marcus’ character: According to the actor himself, Marcus’ name was included on the guest list for Big and Carrie’s wedding.
Plus, Palmer himself doesn’t think Stanford and Marcus were meant to be end game.
“I have to say, you know, like it seems very obvious to me that Stanford would have ended up with Antony,” Palmer said of Mario Cantone’s character. “I watched all the episodes and I watched their back and forth. And I just thought as an audience member, I was like, ‘They're going to end up together.’ That was my feeling.”
He added, “And that's after having watched it and been the boyfriend.”
Now, as Palmer looks back at his time on Sex and the City, some of his fondest memories are those with the late Garson, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2021. In fact, Palmer remembers the moment they met while getting fitted for costumes.
“He was there,” Palmer recalled. “I mean, I'll probably cry, but like he was so supportive and so kind. And it was a big deal, you know, for me to get on the show, like the Broadway dancer and all that kind of stuff. And he just was very kind in terms of me saying that, like, I didn't know anything.”
As he put it, “Willie gave me that little bit of extra help.”
