Sarah Jessica Parker was born on March 25, 1965, in Nelsonville, Ohio, to Barbara G. Parker (née Keck),a teacher who ran a nursery school, and Stephen Parker, a journalist. Her parents divorced, and her mother later remarried Paul Forste, with whom she had four more children, increasing the total to eight. Sarah now had three full siblings and four half siblings. Her father had Eastern European Jewish ancestry, while her mother had German and English roots.
Trained in singing and ballet, Sarah was cast in the Broadway production of "The Innocents", prompting her family to relocate to New Jersey. As a professional performer, she studied at the American Ballet School and the Professional Children's School, and was cast in "The Sound of Music" alongside four of her siblings. She landed the lead in the Broadway run of "Annie" and attended Dwight Morrow High School while continuing to add to her acting resume. She appeared in the made-for-TV movie "My Body, My Child" (1982) and the sitcom "Square Pegs" (1982),playing high-schooler Patty Green.
After graduating, Sarah decided to pursue a full-time acting career instead of furthering her education. Following the cancellation of "Square Pegs", she appeared in supporting film roles in "Footloose" (1984),"Firstborn" (1984),and the lead role in the teenage film "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (1985).
Sarah continued to appear in television shows and made-for-TV movies, including "A Year in the Life" (1986),"The Room Upstairs" (1987),and "Dadah Is Death" (1988). She landed the role of Steve Martin's lover in the 1991 comedy "L.A. Story" and soon followed with roles in "Honeymoon in Vegas" (1992),"Hocus Pocus" (1993),and "Ed Wood" (1994).
A fan of Woody Allen, Sarah starred opposite him in the television movie "The Sunshine Boys" (1996) and landed a starring role in "Miami Rhapsody" (1995). In 1996, she appeared in "The First Wives Club", "If Lucy Fell", and "Mars Attacks!". She also gained recognition as a stage actress, starring in the off-Broadway production of "Sylvia" and the Broadway shows "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and the Tony-Award nominated revival of "Once Upon a Mattress".
Sarah's career skyrocketed after her portrayal of Manhattan sex-columnist Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO series "Sex and the City" (1998). Her Golden Globe Best Actress victory in 2000 further solidified her connection to the iconic role.
Sarah is married to Matthew Broderick and has dated Robert Downey Jr. and the late John Kennedy Jr. before their marriage. She is a member of Hollywood's Women's Political Committee and UNICEF's representative for the Performing Arts.
