And Just Like That... No more Che Diaz as Sara Ramírez ‘exits’ Sex and the City spin-off

Standup comic Che was one of the most divisive characters in the series, and Ramírez defended them online on several occasions

Sara Ramírez will not return for the forthcoming third season of And Just Like That, according to reports published Monday (26 February).

The Independent understands that the news has not been confirmed by Max.

The reports come weeks after Ramírez appeared to hint at their exit from the Sex and the City spin-off in a cryptic Instagram post.

The 48-year-old actor has played the divisive role of Che Diaz in the series since its launch in 2021.

Introduced as a co-worker of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw, and then a love interest of Miranda Hobbes (played by Cynthia Nixon), standup comic Che is one of the series’ most disliked characters, and Ramírez has defended them online on several occasions.

Citing multiple sources, Variety reported on Monday that Ramírez is exiting the show before filming commences later this year. Season three is expected to premiere on Max in 2025.

Ramírez has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on social media; however, Variety’s sources dispute that their political advocacy played a role in their departure, stating that the Che character had merely reached a natural conclusion since their relationship with Miranda had ended.

Sara Ramírez as Che Diaz in ‘And Just Like That’ season two (HBO)

The Independent has contacted Ramírez’s representatives for comment.

In an Instagram post shared 17 January, Ramírez called out Hollywood executives for what they believe to be unfair treatment of performers who use their platforms to share support for people in Gaza amid the current war.

“Our industry is so duplicitous,” Ramírez began, before accusing Hollywood executives of “making blacklists of actors and workers who post anything in support of Palestinians in Gaza to ensure they will not work again”.

“While they lift up some of their own clients who have spoken up against this genocide, they are firing and letting others who have smaller platforms go.”

Ramírez continued their message by criticising the focus on awards season while not paying adequate attention to the violence in the Middle East, before making a reference to their And Just Like That character.

They wrote: “I get it. Awards are shiny and people need to pay their rent or feel special and powerful. Meanwhile, we are beyond the 100-day mark on this ‘war’ that has been acknowledged by many, including the ICC, as a genocide.

“It’s wild how performative so many in Hollywood are. Even more performative than the last character I played,” they continued, adding a painted nails emoji.

Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Che (Sara Ramírez) in ‘And Just Like That’ (HBO)

And Just Like That was renewed for a third season in August last year despite a string of negative critical reviews.

In the UK, the series is available to watch on Sky and NOW.

And Just Like That is set years after the events of Sex and the City, and sees a number of the original cast members reprise their roles, including Parker, Nixon and Kristin Davis (as art dealer Charlotte York), although Kim Catrall (who played Samantha Jones) was notably absent.

In a two-star review of the show’s second season, The Independent’s chief TV critic Nick Hilton wrote: “There’s always a pleasure in the reunion of beloved TV characters, and there’s no denying the chemistry between Parker, Nixon and Davis (though Nixon’s coastal move upsets that trio). But the show still seems uncertain about its place in the world.

“Is it a throwback? A reimagining? An update? Or an entirely new thing? Caught between all these potential aspirations, And Just Like That… has ended up a toothless imitation of its ancestor. Where Sex and the City gave a voice in prestige TV to a generation of women, And Just Like That… is giving little more than pay cheques to its well-coiffed stars.”