Cali Dreamin': 'Sex And The City' Star Jason Lewis Reminisces On His Parisian Struggles

From City Lights to City Scrapes

LA might be the land of dreams, but for 'Sex and the City' star Jason Lewis, the City of Lights was where he faced his toughest challenges. Before gracing our screens as the charming Smith Jerrod, Lewis wasn't rolling in cash; instead, he was rolling out a sleeping bag on Parisian floors. The actor recently opened up about his early days of hardship on Kristin Davis' podcast, 'Are You a Charlotte?' Reflecting on his past, Lewis shared, “I starved for a while.”

“I think my first like decent money started coming in about a year and a half later,” Lewis said. “So there was like a six-month starvation period where I could buy this one cucumber and this piece of cheese.”

A Model in the Making

At just 21, Lewis swapped the SoCal sun for European skies, hoping to make it big in modeling. Yet, instead of designer clothes, he found himself making mustard sandwiches from stolen baguettes. Sounding like a scene straight out of a Hollywood script, Lewis explained how his fortunes turned around when he finally booked a gig.

A far cry from the glamorous life of Samantha Jones' beau, Lewis's real-life story is a testament to resilience. His eventual casting in 'Sex and the City' marked a turning point, with his character's relationship with Samantha (Kim Cattrall) even weathering the fictional storms of cancer.

Life After the City

While 'Sex and the City' wrapped its iconic run in 2004, Lewis reprised his role in the subsequent films, though he wasn't part of the 'And Just Like That' reboot. These days, the erstwhile model has traded in the Hollywood Hills for Costa Rican tranquility. After a stint on 'Dancing With the Stars,' he's announced a new venture – a nine-book fantasy series he penned over three years.

It's clear that whether he's in Paris or LA, Lewis knows how to reinvent and thrive. Stay tuned, because it sounds like there's another chapter in his story yet to unfold.