LIFE & CULTURE

Well, We Now Have A New Mr. Big *And* An Aidan In ‘And Just Like That…’

The clues were there all along...

Warning: Major spoilers to And Just Like That…‘s season finale lie ahead. 

Producers really love to pull the old, here’s the love interest—they were in front of you the whole time!’ trick on us, don’t they?

The season finale of And Just Like That… certainly proved there’s power in the common plot rhetoric as Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) unexpectedly initiates a passionate kiss with her podcast producer Franklyn (played by Ivan Hernandez) in the studio elevator as the episode comes to a close. 

Of course, it wasn’t the first time we’d laid eyes on the handsome tech pro—he’d popped up throughout the season in the background, only making his proper entrance in episode 10 when he bumped into Carrie at their colleagues surprise wedding. 

It’s immediately obvious that there’s a connection to be explored there—just look at this guy’s expression when he talks to Carrie…

carrie-podcast-producer-and-just-like-that
(Credit: HBO)

Carrie’s smitten demeanour is literally no different. The foreshadow of all foreshadows. 

Carrie-bradshaw-and-just-like-that
(Credit: HBO)

Several scenes later (which includes Carrie finally scattering her ex-husband Mr. Big’s ashes in Paris and seemingly finding some closure), she records her first solo podcast with the big-shot producer, and as they leave the studio together, Carrie jumps at the opportunity to kiss him passionately as the elevator doors close. 

carrie-elevator-kiss
(Credit: HBO)

It’s certainly one way to end the series with a bang, as well as give us something to look forward to in the rumoured second season

Now the producers have finally revealed who Carrie’s next great love (or loves?) could be, we’re calling it:  Franklyn is the new Mr. Big—and her other love interest is Peter the teacher (more on him here). 

While little more is known about each guy’s character arc, there’s no doubt that Peter represents security and safety for Carrie—he was the first guy she dated after Big’s death, and his sensitivity to her feelings as she umm’d and ahh’d over their potential romance isn’t to be understated. The Aidan vibes are real here. 

Meanwhile Franklyn represents spontaneity, something Mr. Big was, well big on. We don’t know where it’s going, but there’s a firey chemistry between him and Carrie that can’t be denied. Here’s hoping he’s not nearly as terrified of commitment, nor as unreliable as Big was… 

Who is Ivan Hernandez?

While you mightn’t have noticed the actor’s brief appearances in AJLT until the finale episode, he’s actually got quite a familiar face. 

Hernandez has scored numerous guest appearances in popular television shows including Gossip Girl (spot him in episode 12 of season five, Father and the Bride), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (he played Javier Arenas in a 2015 episode), and other brief guest roles in NCIS and the film, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. 

ivan-hernandez
(Credit: HBO)

Hernandez is also a frequenter on Broadway, he played Larry Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Sal in The Capeman. 

While little more is known about the actor (he doesn’t have any social media presence), we’ve no doubt we’ll learn more about him as his character in AJLT gets some long-overdue airtime. Seriously, when are they going to confirm season two? 

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