Rosie O'Donnell has described filming an onscreen sex scene with her long-time friend Cynthia Nixon for the drama series And Just Like That... as terrifying.
The 64-year-old comedian makes a guest appearance in the first episode of the third and final season of the Sex and the City spin-off. She plays Sister Mary, a nun who breaks her vow of chastity and has sex with Miranda Hobbes, played by 60-year-old Nixon, after the two characters meet at a gay bar during a trip to New York.
Filming details and podcast interview
Speaking on the Good Hang podcast hosted by Amy Poehler, O'Donnell disclosed that she was extremely nervous throughout production. She explained that while kissing Nixon was not difficult, lying in bed together and acting as though they had just finished having sex left her feeling uncomfortable, adding that she considers herself somewhat immature about such scenes. Poehler noted that performing intimate scenes is a professional skill rather than a reflection of maturity, a statement O'Donnell agreed with.
O'Donnell said she initially agreed to join the cast without knowing what the scene would involve. She stated that she holds immense love and respect for Nixon, who called her directly to explain that showrunner Michael Patrick King had written a scene for them. O'Donnell accepted immediately, but recalled feeling stunned after reading the script and discovering her character would be lying in bed covered only by sheets.
The actress noted that her only prior experience filming an intimate scene was alongside the late Julian McMahon during a guest role on the FX series Nip/Tuck. She added that when King encouraged the two actors to push the scene further during filming, she felt unable to go any further than planned.
Cynthia Nixon on casting Rosie O'Donnell
The guest appearance had been in development for several years before filming took place. In June 2025, Nixon told People magazine that King had attempted to create a role for O'Donnell in every previous season of the series, though none had materialized until the third season.
When King presented the concept of Sister Mary, Nixon recalled describing the storyline as fantastic and personally sending a text message to O'Donnell asking permission to send over the script. Nixon stated that the cast and crew waited anxiously for a response, and later praised O'Donnell for delivering a hilarious, grounded, and emotionally honest performance.
