American actress Cynthia Nixon, known for her role as lawyer Miranda Hobbs in the television series Sex and the City, has taken the post of one of the 12 members of the Commission on Judicial Nomination in New York. As the Times Union notes, the artist, who unsuccessfully ran for governor of New York in 2018, joined the commission as part of a quota of four people who do not have to be professional lawyers.
The choice in favor of Nixon's candidacy was made by the chairman of the New York Court of Appeals (the highest court in the state), Rowan Wilson. In addition to the actress, he also proposed including two lawyers and the head of a charity center on the commission. The state governor and the leader of the opposition in the local Senate also have the right to appoint commission members.
As the name of the body suggests, its competence includes the selection of candidates for the position of judges, but not all, namely the New York Court of Appeals. The commission then submits the selected candidate to the governor for consideration.
The artist will have to take up government work in February next year, when the term of office of Judge Jenni Rivera expires, writes the Times Union. Commission members are appointed for four years, and Nixon will remain on the body until 2030.
Judicial Nominating Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth Fine, who previously served as Gov. Kathy Hochul's top lawyer, welcomed Nixon's appointment.
“She has distinguished herself for decades in the arts and public life of New York. The commission will be stronger because of the diversity of opinion and professional experience that is mandated by the state constitution,” Fine said.
In addition to Sex and the City, Nixon, 60, is known for her theatrical roles on Broadway, for which she won two Tony Awards. The actress recently completed filming the fourth season of the historical series The Gilded Age. As part of the commission, Nixon will presumably become the first actress and director in history, adds the Times Union.
In 2018, a native of New York City ran for governor of the state of the same name from the US Democratic Party, but lost the primaries to then-current chief of staff Andrew Cuomo. Nixon, who adheres to left-wing positions, received 34% of voter support versus 66% for Cuomo. In 2025, she supported the election campaign of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who eventually took the post.
