Are You A Charlotte? - Mother Daughter Date with Cathy Ang (Lily Goldenblatt)...

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

In a very special episode, Kristin is joined by her television daughter Cathy Ang aka Lily Goldenblatt.  From getting the part as Lily to working alongside Kristin and Sarah Jessica Parker, getting recognized by fans and all the fabulous fashion…Cathy shares her unique perspective about becoming a part of the Sex and the City universe!!  Plus, Cathy got to wear the iconic Carrie poncho but had a wardrobe malfunction while trying to put it on.  Thanks to #HyundaiPartner #HyundaiIONIQ9 for this conversation.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. The new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts, where we dive into the stories that shape us on the page and off. Each week, I'm joined by authors, celebs,

book talk stars, and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR pile. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Kristin Davis, and I want to know, are you a Charlotte? All right, we are here with Kathy Ang,

and today we had the most wonderful day running around Manhattan in our Hyundai, having a fun day in our Hyundai together. Yes. It was a dream. I'm so excited to have you here. in our Hyundai, having a fun day in our Hyundai together. It was a dream. I'm so excited to have you here. I feel so grateful that I got to just spend some time

going around the city with you. This was really fun. I know. We don't get this opportunity to just like kind of hang. I know it. You're a busy gal. I am a busy gal, but so are you. And we're normally together, we're at work.

So obviously it's a little bit different. So it was really fun. And now we're here at the podcast, which is also really fun because I have so many questions for you. And I'm really excited to talk to you because Kathy, as I'm sure our listeners know, plays my daughter on and just like that.

And she plays Lily. Now Lily, we were just reminded earlier by one of our producers who watched the first movie on the plane. Lily is the reason the first wedding didn't happen. I know. Kind of. Well, you know, there's some magic juju around my character believing that Carrie is meant for other things. You know, like, so I don't know why my Aunt Carrie isn't supposed to be.

You do have a really special relationship with Aunt Carrie. Sometimes I feel jealous. Well, I mean, I have a relationship with her, but we have so much time together. It's true. And like, you as mom on this show are much like closer to a friend in ways that like, I mean like, okay, it's true though. It's like you are kind of, your character is so open and communicative with Lily about

things that I think I would have been really uncomfortable talking about with my mom. For sure. Yeah, you know, and I think it's like, it's a wonderful window into what both someone who is protected, protecting someone and like, truly also having to teach someone life lessons, like how you can balance also being their friend. It's a, it's, they do it well. I'm so glad. It's a hard thing, they do it well. I'm so glad. It's a hard thing to balance, so like.

I'm so glad to hear that, yeah. I mean, Charlotte's motherhood journey is quite something, and ongoing, ongoing, which we love, we love so much. I mean, I've been doing the rewatch, and it's like so lovely to watch that, to go through that journey with you. Right, to know that you're starting way back and where we've been able to go is incredible.

Yeah. I agree, I agree. It's incredible to play her. When people are saying, oh, you know, doesn't it become boring to play the same character? I'm like, no, not in our world. No, you're so different. Right?

Like you have the same dreams and goals and standards, but like we were talking about in the car, in our Hyundai, like, you are talking about in the car in our in our Hyundai like You are so grounded in like a different way. Thank you as a mom and like Watching it is different than also experiencing it as an actress Which is very fun But I love Charlotte. Thank you. I'm so glad you do. So let me ask you this. Let's talk about, okay, so when did you first see Sex in the City? Okay, guys, I watched Sex in the City after I had...

No way! What? Yeah. You had not seen it when you auditioned for Just Like That? No. Did you tell us that you hadn't seen it? Like before I auditioned? Am I going to make you cry already? Wait, what? No!

Okay, so here's the thing. Again, it's like I kind of grew up in a more conservative environment where like my parents would not have been comfortable with me watching the show. Of course. When also I really wish my mom had watched this show. You know, like there's so many things that I feel like, actually, I think my mom is a Charlotte, you know? And so, like, there's many ways where I feel like

she could have found, like, more freedom in her life. And like, anyway, it doesn't matter. But I didn't get to watch the show. And then watching the show, actually, after already being cast, I was like, holy guacamole you can say whatever you want sure sure but just like so so kind of taken aback by the world that I was about to enter I didn't understand how great of an opportunity I had and that probably would have freaked me out more.

To a fully known. Yeah, to a fully understood. Because it was like, it is so revolutionary. I mean, everyone has said this, but you know, I know it. Like, everyone knows that it has changed so many women's lives forever. So like, a lot of pressure coming in. Oh. In a good way.

Of course, no, but I get that. I get that. I mean, it must be, I can't really imagine what it would be like to come in, in the trajectory of the life of the show, you know, being Sex and the City, then doing the films, then coming back to doing just like that. And so you had auditioned already,

gotten the part, and then watched Sex and the City. Yeah. Wow. Okay, I watched, I watched the pilot because you know you do some research. Sure. I watched the pilot and the second episode. Okay. Because also everything changes after the pilot. But you know you also just have to get your self-tape in. Of course. And your self-tape was super brilliant. Thank you. Because you played the piano which was one of the key parts of Lily, because Michael Patrick had already planned what was gonna happen at the beginning of the show.

And so Lily being able to play the piano was so important. And you were so impressive, you're acting. And then you're playing, and did you sing for us then? Or did we not know you could sing then? I don't know. I mean, my agents might have sent something in with it because they always, like, you know, I have pieces where I'm playing piano and singing. But I know that I played like a really beautiful jazz piece from the Happy Ending the Musical.

And I just love that kind of music and it's different from what Lily plays. Of course. But you know, I found some musicality and like, I grew up with music first. That was my first like art expression, you know? And it was very exciting anytime that I could audition and like have a little music be a part of it. Yeah. And so Lily was just like, oh, I am digging this. And I didn't even know how big this world,

how juicy this world that she was gonna enter would be. So then you do a deep dive on the show. Oh yeah. And then you were like, oh my gosh. Yeah, then I was like, oh. You can say anything. Oh, whatever words. Yeah, but I think what was lovely is that,

I mean, working with you every day. Okay, everyone's going to come on the podcast and talk about how like lovely you are, but it's just true. And the thing is, like you also- I pay them all you guys, secretly. I'm paying them under the table right now. Go ahead. But you know, like I hadn't ever been on a production.

Honestly, I came from a theater background. So first of all, it was like, this is just like a big change in the style. Yeah, yeah. And then also the level of production here, it's intimidating. I get it. It's big. It's a big show.

It's big, it's big. It's a big show. And everyone cares very deeply about every little detail. Yeah. Yeah. But our first day together, I don very deeply about every little detail. Yeah. Yeah. But our first day together, I don't know if you remember, our first day together was with Richard Burton on my chest. Oh my God.

Oh my God. Yes. That's a great day. That was really fun. I have cute pictures from that day. We'll put them up on the Instagram. Okay. Perfect.

Yeah. Yeah. And you just like immediately were warm in a way that like not everyone is as warm. Thank you. And people, it takes energy to do that and I just could appreciate that like you were making a space for me. Yeah, absolutely. I mean you and Alexa were very important and it was a big deal for us that you guys were

now like functioning individuals in our story. After me, my character trying to get pregnant for so long, then having you as little children, which was one thing and played by different actresses, obviously, and like a whole thing. And now to have you as like people we were planning to write storylines for. It was crazy to think about.

And you were so perfectly cast both of you, which was wonderful. Like you've grown into, you know, the parts, and you're, like, so at ease. And, you know, it's wonderful to see. I mean, it took some time. Because it was also, like, my nerves, my confusion, my... I... first season, my goodness. You were not confused. Come on.

I was... I didn't know who I was. And I felt so grateful for how patient everyone was on. Everyone was very patient on set, but also like there were a million things going on. First of all, I need to interrupt. You are so easy. You might not inside feel this way, but you are very easy. It does not take any work to be patient with you. Or a little dream.

All you want to do is be perfect, which, you know, you're Charlotte's daughter, it's perfect that you want to be perfect, but also, like, we just try to reassure you, like, you already are perfect. That's all we have to do. That's the only thing, you're so easy, Cathy. Well, okay, so I think something that has been really lovely,

just being able to be, like, a recurring, and then now a series regular. It's like, I get to go on set and like, I watch you guys. I watch the three women, you know? And you're wearing so many hats and you're like, watching the way that you are paying attention to everything going on, you know? And like, you just know everyone's job,

you know where every there's just an awareness there that like I didn't have the first season exactly. I was just learning. We've been doing this thing for 30 years. I know, but like it's I'm so like not everyone can watch someone and like learn from them like you guys. And so it's it's been an awesome journey for me just like Kathy to now feel way more confident season three. Like I'm actually like I feel good about season three. You should. Yeah, I feel really good about it. You should. Absolutely. I mean, I think you've been a dream the whole time and you should be proud of all of it. I know it's hard to watch yourself as we talked about earlier, but I love season three and it's so great to see you kind of about earlier. But I love season three and it's so great to see you kind of stretching in different ways, you know, and getting to do different things. And, you know, as your

mom on screen, I am like, oh my God, she's like a woman. You know, crazy. I know, I know. But it's really fun and funny. And when we have those family scenes, it is a complex, you know, day and kind of picture because there's so many people and so many different vibes going on and you know It's always a big day for the crew for us to be in Charlotte's apartment because everything is so wonderful and perfect Blah blah blah, but like you're very very easy. You need to know that you're very solid. Oh, thank you We just stop complimenting each other. We can just keep talking. It's fun. I enjoy it. I enjoy it It's fun, I enjoy it, I enjoy it. Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never

forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcasts from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcasts. Every week I sit down with your favorite book lovers, authors, celebrities, book talkers, and more to explore the stories that shape us, on the page and off. I've been reading every Reese's Book Club pick, deep-diving book talk theories, and obsessing over book-to-screen casts for years.

And now, I get to talk to the people making the magic. So if you've ever fallen in love with a fictional character or cried at the last chapter or passed a book to a friend saying, you have to read this, this podcast is for you. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. ["The Show on Have You Be Part of It?" by The Bachelorette plays.] Okay, so you watched the show, then you came on to and just like that, and then what was it like to just go about your life and have the show on and have you be part, like, was it weird?

How did people react in your life? The show has opened up, like, so many opportunities for me. Good! I mean, that's just what happens. Like, it's, there's a huge community, you know. And so, like, I think, first of all, I learned about the fashion world, you know? Just, I just started to.

And it was a whole other form of expression that I, as Cathy, was really uncomfortable with. Oh! I didn't really know... You know, I've been in costumes before, but I've never really thought about myself like, hey, this is who I want to be today. I didn't really think about it so hard.

Like from a creative standpoint. Yeah, and thinking about like, hey, I can actually be an art piece myself. Yeah. And that art that is on me can also actually like, let me be a different person. I mean, okay, that's obviously what a costume does. Right, but it's the power. Yeah, when you get to choose it every day.

And so like, I think it was just really cool to start finding a new medium, you know, to express myself. Definitely. And like, coming from music and then going to acting and then... I don't know, it's just like, I feel like that's what every artist wants to be doing, just kind of learning about something new. So there was that aspect of it. And then it was also strange that, like, I would ever be recognized, you know? I went to a bachelorette party for my friends in Texas.

Okay, and I gotta say, I got recognized like three times down one street. And it was really cool. And you know, like, it's exciting. It's nerve-racking, but like, it's exciting to be a part of something that brings so many people joy, which you just know. And it's true.

Yeah. And so it was joy, which you just know. And... No, it's true. Yeah, and so it was cool. That part's cool. I also just, you know, I think like I'm learning about acting still, of course. We all are. We definitely are. And like, I think every day just trying to be more grounded

on set is a fun experience for me. Everyone is constantly trying to challenge us. Yes. I had fun, especially this season. Yay. Testing. I mean, look, this is the whole job, I think, is showing up, being grounded,

trying to deal with whatever different thing that day is going on. It might be the props. It might be that it's too hot, like we were talking about earlier. It might be that it's too hot, like we were talking about earlier. It might be that we're on Governor's Island and we're too hot. There's so many different challenges

that you don't necessarily know until that day when you show up, right? So the whole work is to ground yourself and to be able to be present and then to do your part as best as you can from a place of being present. And you do that. It's a nice set. Everyone is so supportive.

And you know, like, it's a high pressure environment. Like, time is money. And so, like, yes, there's people who are like, we got to go, we got to do things. And like, when things go wrong, I'm really amazed, like, how everyone still manages, still manages to find a solution and also be quite gracious. It looks, you know, as an actor too, like you get some nice treatment. Yeah.

You get some nice treatment and like I feel lucky to be on this kind of production where like I can talk to the crew and everyone just smiles. They're so nice. They've been nice as a crew. They're so, so good. I agree, they're really good. And I can't believe that they've like, I mean, they've stayed all together,

like so many people have been here for 20 years. It's true. I mean, we're lucky. A lot of people have also, we were talking earlier to another guest, John Benjamin Hickey, who you met, about people who have like gone on to be huge deals. Like we can't get them anymore on our show.

You know what I mean? Which is wonderful, right? Because they're so talented. And we're just like, oh wow, they're over there directing. They used to operate camera A. You know, but it's a wonderful thing. But you know, it's been great just in New York City to be able to, you know, the crews here are incredible

and they've been together. Some of them to be able to, you know, the crews here are incredible and they've been together. Some of them are like fifth generation, you know, union members. Fifth generation. Yeah, like it's incredible. Teamsters, you know, so many whole families. Like you'll have brothers and cousins and you know, the dad will have retired

and you know, it's amazing. And also they just work such crazy long hours. Dude, I don't understand. Every time I get into a car and we have a conversation about just like being away from your kids that long, it's a huge commitment. It's true, it's true. So many of them have kids.

It's true. I know the only good thing is that then you get time off and you get to choose whether you work or not. So that's the positive of the job is that you might, for instance, get a summer off, right? Or you might just choose to work. So you can sometimes pick and choose, which is great. And I know for myself as a mom, it's great

if you are having the luxury to be able to make those choices. Sometimes it's just not a great time, so you don't do it. Not counting our show, of course, which I go when I'm called. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, okay, we will make it work.

But obviously our show is a special situation. So wait, talk to me a little bit about working with Sarah Jessica. Because you have some incredible scenes with Sarah Jessica. So you had watched the show by the time you came, so you knew, you knew. And were you scared? Were you intimidated? Oh yeah. Okay, also, I feel like kind of embarrassed about the first.

What? What? Well, just the first couple of times that we got to work together. Again, it's like I am coming from like a theater background and she's just such a pro. I didn't know like, oh, I don't have to cheat out. Like, you know, it's like these things. These like so, oh my god.

That's adorable. I know. Wait, I didn't ever see you cheating out. Well that's because Sarah Jessica knows how to help you like just like, calm down girl. Oh my god, that is so cute. They care what's going to follow you. They're going to be. Oh cute.

Just like these little things. Oh my god. You know, there was one, okay so in our first scene together is after that we shot together. Right. Oh, actually, no, it was the recital scene. But like one of our first like one-on-one scenes that we shot together was I was talking about I was mad at you about, I'm always mad at you about something. Yeah, you are mad at me often.

It's true. So sad. Something about our privacy. I'm not, I don't remember, but I went over to her house and was kind of complaining. Yeah, you have those special scenes with Aunt Carrie. Exactly. You're always so like, you have these special scenes. I'm like, you get to wear the poncho.

Well, OK, so. I don't even get to wear the poncho. Well, OK, let me tell you, though. I made this comment where I was like, because I had been struggling to figure out where the arms were in the poncho been struggling to put, to figure out where the arms were. And then I told her, I said like, oh yeah, that was a hard one to put on. Don't, I think I even said like, don't worry about if like you can't figure, I don't know what I was thinking. Oh funny. Oh oh my god I'm so

embarrassed about this now and I said like don't worry about it if you can't figure it out I don't know what I was cute came out of my mouth I'm sure she understands oh no she wasn't she was so lovely and she was like laughing in such a charming way like oh I don't have any problem with it she's the master of her clothes for sure but also the props. Like give that woman 12 props and she can handle it. I don't know how. And she can match her continuity every single time.

What is that special gift? So that's, okay, that was actually on our first day or maybe on a recital day. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I went over to Video Village and I was like trying to figure out what I had done with my left arm, on what line, and then I remember, that's when I first... Oh, this was the time.

That was the time that Michael Patrick King was like, he wants everything to just be natural and real, and you shouldn't be thinking about how you look on camera. And then he was like, no, no, no, no, I just don't want you to think about anything and just be Lily. Hold on for one second. Let's tell our viewers what we mean because I do realize we're using inside words. So video village on a set is when so like the director and the writers sit around in

chairs around the monitors where they can see what's happening on all the different cameras that are rolling and the actors were in the set usually, but then we also between scenes between action and cut, we can come over to the video village. But in Sex and the City world and just like that, we don't watch playback. Now some films, some television shows, maybe an actor might say, hey, I want to watch playback because they're going to learn from that. Like if they're happy with it, if they're not happy with it, if they want to change their, what they're doing or recreate something that they did.

None of us ever do that. And Michael Patrick doesn't really want us to be doing that. Also, we don't have time to do that. Oh no. Cause it takes a lot of time to roll things back and then rewatch them. Sometimes the director, Michael Patrick or Julie or Cynthia or whoever it is, might need to watch something back

to make sure we did something correctly, like if we're moving the camera correctly or some technical thing. So sometimes they'll watch it back. But if I ever hear my voice coming from Video Village, I run the other way. I'm so scared. You're a good actress.

Yeah, I don't want to see that. I don't want to see that. But I did work with a director, Robert Rodriguez, where he has these huge digital monitors, like kind of a wall of them. And he would bring you over as an actor and be like, let's watch it together. I'd be like, no, no.

He'd be like, let's watch it together. I'd be like, oh, do I have to? And he'd be like, I want you to watch it together. And you're like, okay, Robert. So you had to watch it. Very stressful. I mean, it's a very,, people like it. People hate it. Yeah.

People... I mean, we were talking about this. Like, whether or not you actually watch the final product, too, it's a very... It's a very personal thing for every actor. It's true. Because you don't want your performances to be about the final product, obviously. No. Right. But also, like, you want to celebrate, to celebrate what you guys have all made together. And for me, coming onto the show and not really knowing who Lily quite was at that moment,

I had to watch everything in season one. God, it was really painful! But I needed to learn more about Lily. And also like to understand, you hear a note from a director, you do take a certain way. And like, you don't always know like why. Right, right, right. And then once you watch it later on, you can kind of understand, oh, that's what they've got cooking for her.

Or, oh, that's why he, that's something that he keeps asking me or she like keeps asking me to lean into right so then now now maybe I won't watch myself. I do I feel like there's different times in my career that I felt different ways about it and different jobs that I felt different ways about it and for for and just like that part of why I want to watch is because I want to see what everyone else was doing yeah because we're not always with everybody else right yeah we're so sad I want yeah yeah I want to watch is because I want to see what everyone else was doing. Yeah. Because we're not always with everybody else, right? Yeah, we're so sad. I want... Yeah. Yeah. You want to see Serita and, you know, that there's stuff that Nicole's in that I'm not in.

I want to see it. But sometimes it is hard to watch yourself. It really is. It really is. I feel you on that. Let's go back to you. So we come on the show and in the beginning, when we were first coming on the air, and I mean this was right after COVID also, like when we first started the show, we were just getting out of COVID where people could work again and we were, I think, all felt so lucky to be working. Yes. I mean, I know for those of us who have been doing this job forever, we were just so thankful to be able to make a new show,

to come back together. And then when it came on the air, we were so nervous about what everyone would say. And of course people have a lot of things to say. You know, how was that experience for you? Well, okay, so you know that I am like really less on social media at this point. Right.

Which I think has been like good for my brain. Good for my brain. But also I feel sad about some of the connections that I have like missed because it is like such a thing to celebrate being a part of a show like this. But I mean, I think that like the reactions, I don't really care as much unless I feel like you know it's something where I feel like oh that's something that we could work on later on

you know and yeah I mean I that's not that's not very specific really. No but that's it's well put it's basically saying you know that it's well put. It's basically saying, you know, that it's not necessarily healthy for you to be on all the chatter because there's a lot of opinions out there. Yeah, and I did feel as though like people, especially right after the first season, honestly, like I didn't feel like people were giving everyone a chance to be a different version of themselves. Right. I think that's true. And I do kind of understand now, I have to say, at the time, I just knew what we wanted to do, right? So my eye was on that, like what our mission was.

But now that I'm rewatching the show for the podcast, I have a lot greater understanding of kind of what we've asked of the audience over this time. Yeah. Because it's a long time, right? And so for people who grew up with us the first time or were our age and coming along, whatever it was,

or newer people who are just seeing it, our characters have gone quite a distance. Yeah. And we killed a character that some people loved, some people didn't, some people did. I mean, we really have asked so much of our audience. And I'm so grateful that we even get the chance, right? Like it's so crazy that we even get to do the show.

It is. This feels like, I mean, it's unheard of. Exactly. So I just try to focus on that. I'm trying to think of like, there's not. No, there isn't. No, especially if you count the movies. You guys are just like, every single, oh my goodness.

I know, but it's never easy. I mean, Michael and Sarah had to go pitch the show, like to HBO, like, you know, please, can we explain the show to you? This is what we wanna do. It's like whatever those two wanna do. I feel like the world. I agree, give it to them. I agree

Let me say this. Let me say this Casey Plays who runs HBO who we've known forever to him You know, we are a much much beloved Entity so he really needed to know what is the new mission? Is there a new mission? How are we gonna push the envelope in this day and age, right? So he had some really really valid questions because he cares so much. So it wasn't like, well, you guys have to prove yourself. It was more just like, what do you want to do creatively? What is the creative idea? And in that way, he's totally right. Oh yeah.

Yes. But that's just like, that's meeting already about production. Yeah, absolutely. I'm with you, Kathy. I'm with you. All right. Are you a Charlotte? I really think I am. Yay! No, I mean, okay, so I didn't think this before, actually. I mean, okay, there's... But the core, this desire of hers to, like, build a family

and take care of people is something that I've always wanted to do. I've, like, looked forward to that. There is something exciting about watching a woman who cares about that very traditional value who isn't really that traditional in the end. Yeah. And she's just so... Yeah, so at least I aspire to that kind of... Oh, I think you absolutely are. I knew you would be. But there were elements, you know, come on.

I'm a New Yorker, so like I also, now at least, and I am a working woman in this field, so like I feel like there's elements of me that I've just pulled from each of these characters at this point, but that like core, that's in me. That's in me. I'm so glad. Yay, Cathy's a Charlotte.

We cast her well. Yeah, I guess so. You're a mini Charlotte. I guess so. I didn't think so, but maybe I am. You are, you're sometimes trying to pretend like you aren't, but you really are. Yeah.

Okay, good. This is going to conclude the first half. Oh goodness, we barely even, okay. The first half of our time with Cathy. And now we're going to come back and we are going to re-watch a really excellent episode called The Freak Show. Ah. Dun, dun, dun, dun!

Dun, dun, dun, dun! Please come back, everybody. Thanks for being here. Just like great shoes, great books take you places. Through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget. I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies. I'm Danielle Robay and this is Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from Hello Sunshine and iHeart Podcast, where we dive into the stories that

shape us, on the page and off. Each week I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars, and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR pile. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.