Kristin Davis

This article is about the actress. For the former madam, seeKristin M. Davis.

Kristin Davis
Davis in May 2018
Born	Kristin Landen Davis (1965-02-23)February 23, 1965 Boulder, Colorado,U.S.
Education	Rutgers University–New Brunswick(BFA)
Occupations	Actress producer
Years active	1988–present
Children	2

Kristin Landen Davis(also listed asKristin Lee Davis;born February 23, 1965)is an American actress and producer. She is known for playingCharlotte York Goldenblattin theHBOromantic comedy seriesSex and the City(1998–2004). She received nominations at theEmmysand theGolden Globesin 2004 for her role as Charlotte, and reprised the role in the filmsSex and the City(2008) andSex and the City 2(2010), as well as the revival of the showAnd Just Like That...(2021–present) onMax.

Davis's big break came in 1995, when she was cast as the villainous Brooke Armstrong in the Fox prime time soap operaMelrose Place(1995–1996). Her film credits includeThe Shaggy Dog(2006),Deck the Halls(2006),Couples Retreat(2009),Journey 2: The Mysterious Island(2012) andHoliday in the Wild(2019). Davis made herBroadwaydebut playing Mabel Cantwell in the 2012 revival ofThe Best Man,and herWest Enddebut playing Beth Gallagher in the original 2014 stage production ofFatal Attraction.

Early life and education

Davis was born on February 23, 1965, inBoulder, Colorado.She is an only child, and her parents divorced when she was a baby.She was adopted by her stepfather, then-University of Colorado Boulderprofessor Keith Davis,after he married her mother, Dorothy, a university data analyst, in 1968.She has three step sisters from her father's first marriage.Early in her childhood, she and her parents moved toColumbia, South Carolina,where her father served as provost and taught psychology at theUniversity of South Carolina.

Davis wanted to be an actress from the age of nine, when she was cast in the Workshop Theatre production ofSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs.Davis lived in South Carolina until she graduated fromA.C. Flora High Schoolin 1983.She then moved toNew Jersey,where she attendedRutgers University.Davis graduated with a BFA degree in acting from Rutgers University'sMason Gross School of the Artsin 1987.

Career

Davis andKim Cattrallat the HBO party after the 1999 Emmy Awards

Television

After graduation in 1987, Davis moved to New York and waited tables before opening ayogastudio with a friend. In 1991, she acted in a couple of episodes of the daytime drama (soap opera)General Hospital.She later guest-starred onDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanandER,and acted on made-for-television movies. Her big break came in 1995 when she landed the role of villainess Brooke Armstrong Campbell on the Fox nighttime soap operaMelrose Place.She left the show after one year when producers decided to kill off the character. The following year, Davis guest-starred in two episodes ofSeinfeld.

In 1998, Davis was cast asCharlotte Yorkin the HBO romantic comedy seriesSex and the Cityand remained an integral cast member until the series ended in 2004. In 1999, along with the rest of the cast, she was awarded theWomen in FilmLucy Awardin recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television.She receivedPrimetime Emmy Awardnomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Seriesher role as Charlotte in the final season, and well asGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Filmnomination.During her time in the show, Davis guest-starred onFriendsin the episode "The One with Ross's Library Book", andWill & Graceepisode "Will & Grace & Vince & Nadine". She played leading roles in the 1999 miniseriesAtomic TrainalongsideRob Lowe,and television movies includingBlacktop(2000),Three Days(2001) andThe Winning Season(2004).

Davis at 2008 Berlin premiere ofSex and the Cityfeature film

Davis hosted theVH1show200 GreatestPop CultureIconsin 2003. In 2005, she starred in atelevision pilotentitledSoccer Momsin which she andGina Torresstar as suburban mothers who moonlight as private detectives. She starred as Miss Spider in the animated television seriesMiss Spider's Sunny Patch Friendsand was a guest judge on theLifetimeprogramProject Runway.

In 2012, Davis starred in and produced the Lifetime television filmOf Two MindsIn 2014, she returned to series television with starring role in the short-lived CBS sitcomBad Teacher.In 2016, she starred inHallmark ChannelfilmA Heavenly Christmas.In 2020, she hosted Fox reality seriesLabor of Love.

Films

Davis made her movie debut in the 1988 comedy slasher filmDoom Asylum.In 1990s, she had secondary roles in filmsNine Months(1995) andSour Grapes(1998). Her later films includeThe Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D(2005), oppositeDavid ArquetteandGeorge Lopez;the 2006 version ofThe Shaggy Dog,oppositeTim Allen,andDeck the Halls,oppositeMatthew BroderickandDanny DeVito.

Davis pictured in Dadaab, Kenya on 8 July 2011.

Davis appeared in 2008'sSex and the Cityfeature film,under the direction of executive producerMichael Patrick King.The film was a box office success and amassed $415 million at the worldwide box office, despite mixed reviews.It was Davis' first movie to reach #1 at the US box office. Davis reprised her role of Charlotte York a second time in 2010'sSex and the City 2,which grossed $290 million worldwide but was widely panned by critics.She remained interested in a third installment of the franchise.

In 2009, Davis co-starred in the romantic comedy filmCouples Retreat,a comedy chronicling four couples who partake intherapysessions at a tropical island resort.Jon Favreau,who also co-wrote the script, played her husband.The film opened at No. 1 during its opening weekend at the USbox office,making it her second film to do so. In 2010, Davis was cast as the mother of Josh Hutcherson's character in the adventure movieJourney 2: The Mysterious Island.The film opened theatrically in February 2012 and passed the $100 million mark at the US box office, being Davis' third film to achieve this.

In 2015, Davis was credited as producer on thedocumentaryGardeners of Eden,that comments on the illegalivory trade.In 2019, Davis starred in and produced romantic comedy-drama filmHoliday in the WildforNetflix.The film was pitched to her, after the producers had noticed her philanthropic work with elephants.She later played a leading role and produced the 2021 thriller filmDeadly Illusionsabout a bestselling female novelist (Davis) who is suffering from writer's block and hires an innocent young woman to watch over her twin children.

Stage

Davis made herBroadwaydebut in July 2012, when she replacedKerry Butlerin the revival ofGore Vidal'sThe Best Manat theGerald Schoenfeld Theatre.She made herWest Enddebut playing Beth Gallagher inFatal Attractionat theTheatre Royal, Haymarket,in March 2014.

Additional ventures

Shortly after the wide release of theSex and the Cityfeature film, in June 2008,Belk,the nation's largest privately owned department store chain, announced a partnership with Davis. The arrangement includes a ladies' apparel and accessories line that debuted in 2008 in 125 store locations and online, with eventual plans for expanding availability to other store locations. In Belk's press release about the product line launch, Davis cited her upbringing in South Carolina as part of her inspiration for working with the chain.In late 2009 Belk cancelled the arrangement, citing the difficult economic conditions prevailing, while Davis said she hoped to take the line elsewhere.

OxfamAmbassador Davis visitsDadaabrefugee camp in Kenya

Philanthropic work and recognition

Davis is a Global Ambassador forOxfam,and has campaigned in support of their work since 2004, travelling to locations including Haiti, Mozambique, and South Africa.In 2011 she gave a tearful interview withBBC Newsdescribing the situation at the Dadaab refugee camp inKenyawhere she witnessed the impact ofdrought.

The cosmetics companyMaybellinenamed Davis as a celebrity spokeswoman in 2004.

During her 2009 visit to Africa, Davis, a lifelong lover ofelephants,discovered an abandoned baby elephant and arranged for it to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center. In recognition of the attention she has brought to the plight of orphaned African elephants, Davis won theHumane Society's 2010 Wyler Award, which is bestowed on a celebrity or public figure who has made news on behalf of animals.She is also a patron of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which works to protect elephants and other wildlife in Kenya.

Davis has worked with theUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) and is included on their list of "High Profile Supporters".In 2015 she visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Davis later filmed a fund-raising appeal supporting the UNHCR, and in 2016 visited Australia to promote the UNHCR's work, focussing on the plight of women victims of sexual violence in Congo.

Personal life

Davis has datedSteve Martin,Alec Baldwin,andAaron Sorkin.

In 2011, Davis adopted a daughter, Gemma Rose Davis.In 2018, she adopted a son, Wilson.They reside in the hills of Brentwood,Los Angeles,California.

Davis pictured in Dadaab, Kenya, on 8 July 2011.

Davis is a recoveringalcoholicand says she was introduced to alcohol early as part of her Southern upbringing."Alcohol freed me. I was really shy and I didn't know how to come out of my shell. I drank for the same reason I loved acting. I wanted to feel things and express myself and be free. And I'm not naturally that way."

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	Doom Asylum	Jane
1995	Nine Months	Tennis Attendant
	Alien Nation: Body and Soul	Karina Tivoli
1998	Traveling Companion	Annie
	Sour Grapes	Riggs
1999	Atomic Train	Megan Seger
2005	The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D	Max's Mom
2006	The Shaggy Dog	Rebecca Douglas
	Deck the Halls	Kelly Finch
2008	Sex and the City	Charlotte York Goldenblatt
2009	Couples Retreat	Lucy Tippaglio
2010	Sex and the City 2	Charlotte York Goldenblatt	ShoWest Ensemble Award Nominated–People's Choice AwardsFor Favorite Cast
2011	Jack and Jill	Delilah
2012	Journey 2: The Mysterious Island	Elizabeth Anderson
2019	Holiday in the Wild	Kate Conrad	Also executive producer
2021	Deadly Illusions	Mary Morrison
2024	Cash Out	Amelia Decker

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991	General Hospital	Betsy Chilson, R.N.	23 episodes
	N.Y.P.D. Mounted	Young Lady	Television film
1992	Mann & Machine	Cathy	Episode: "Billion Dollar Baby"
1993	The Larry Sanders Show	Bri	Episode: "The Breakdown: Part II"
1994	Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman	Carey McGee	Episode: "Thanksgiving"
1995	ER	Leslie	Episode: "Luck of the Draw"
1995–1996	Melrose Place	Brooke Armstrong	32 episodes, recurring cast (season 3), main cast (season 4)
1996	The Ultimate Lie	Claire McGrath	Television film
1997	The Single Guy	Leslie	Episode: "Johnny Hollywood"
	A Deadly Vision	Babette Watson	Television film
	Seinfeld	Jenna	Episodes: "The Pothole"/"The Butter Shave"
1998–2004	Sex and the City	Charlotte York Goldenblatt	94 episodes Women in Film Lucy Award (shared with cast) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series(2001, 2003) Nominated –Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series(2004) Nominated –Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film(2004) Nominated –Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series(2004) Nominated –American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series(2000)
2000	Friends	Erin	Episode: "The One with Ross' Library Book"
	Sex and the Matrix	Charlotte York MacDougal	Short parody
	Take Me Home: The John Denver Story	Annie Denver	Television film
	Blacktop	Sylvia	Television film
2001	Someone to Love	Lorraine	Television film
	Three Days	Beth Farmer	Television film
2004	Will & Grace	Nadine	Episode: "Will & Grace & Vince & Nadine"
	The Winning Season	Mandy	Television film
2004–2008	Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends	Miss Spider	35 episodes (Voice role)
2005	Soccer Moms	Brooke	Television pilot
2012	Of Two Minds	Billie Clark	Television film, also producer Nominated —Women's Image Network Award for Best Actress in a Made for Television Movie
2014	Bad Teacher	Ginny Taylor-Clapp	13 episodes
2016	A Heavenly Christmas	Eve	Television film
2020	Labor of Love	Herself	Host
2021–present	And Just Like That...	Charlotte York Goldenblatt	21 episodes, also executive producer

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Location
2012	The Best Man	Mabel Cantwell	Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
2014	Fatal Attraction	Beth Gallagher	Theatre Royal Haymarket

External links

• Kristin DavisatIMDb
• Kristin DavisatAllMovie
• Barnes and Noble biography
• Kristin DavisatEmmys.com
• Kristin DavisonX