Everyone knows Sarah Jessica Parker as the ultimate New York City icon. You see her and you think of Manolo Blahniks, the West Village, and cosmopolitan cocktails. But if you actually talk to her—or catch her on a late-night podcast like Call Her Daddy—she’ll set you straight pretty quickly. SJP isn't just a New Yorker. She’s a girl from the Midwest who still carries a torch for the Queen City.
The Nelsonville to Cincinnati Pipeline
Kinda surprising, right? Most people assume she was born with a subway map in her hand. In reality, Parker was born in Nelsonville, Ohio, in 1965. Her family moved to Cincinnati when she was just four years old. That move basically changed everything. It was here, in the hilly streets of Cincinnati, that the groundwork for "Carrie Bradshaw" was actually laid, though back then it looked a lot less like fashion shows and a lot more like free ballet classes and local theater.
Her childhood wasn't exactly a fairytale. Honestly, it was tough. We’re talking about a household with eight kids. Her mother, Barbara, and her stepfather, Paul Forste, were often struggling just to keep the lights on. Parker has been very open about the fact that they were sometimes on welfare. She remembers the phone being shut off. She remembers not having birthdays or Christmases some years.
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But here’s the thing that’s really cool about her Cincinnati years: even when money was tight, her mom was "intrepid" about culture. They didn't have cash for toys, so they went to the theater. Cincinnati provided the perfect backdrop for a kid who had nothing but talent and a lot of siblings.
SCPA and the School for Creative and Performing Arts
If you're from the 513, you know the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). It’s legendary. SJP attended SCPA during its early years, back when it was establishing itself as a powerhouse for young talent. She also took classes at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
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Where the Magic Actually Started
- The Little Match Girl: This was her big TV debut in 1974. It was a production for WLWT-TV (Channel 5). She was nine. She got paid $500, which was a fortune for her family at the time.
- The Nutcracker: She played a mouse for the Cincinnati Ballet.
- Showboat Majestic: She did Annie Get Your Gun and South Pacific on the famous riverboat theater.
- Cincinnati Bell: She even did a commercial for the local phone company. Talk about full circle.
She wasn't just "participating." She was working. By the time the family moved to New York when she was 11 so she could do The Innocents on Broadway, she was already a seasoned pro. Cincinnati was her training ground.
Why She Still Shows Up for the Queen City
You might think someone as famous as SJP would leave Ohio in the rearview mirror. Nope. Not her. Just recently, in early 2026, the Golden Globes announced she’d be receiving the Carol Burnett Award, and the buzz in Cincinnati was electric. Why? Because she still calls it her hometown.
She’s been spotted back in town for everything from launching her wine brand, Invivo X, SJP, to visiting the Clifton Public Library for genealogy research on Who Do You Think You Are?. It turns out her roots in the city go deep—all the way back to her mother’s German ancestors who were part of Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine community.
The Skyline Chili Factor
You can tell a real Cincinnatian by what they eat. During the Bengals' Super Bowl run, Parker posted her "spread" on Instagram. It wasn't fancy caviar. It was Skyline Chili. Specifically, the signature chili, oyster crackers, and hot sauce. You can't fake that kind of brand loyalty.
The Cincinnati Lesson
Sarah Jessica Parker’s story in Cincinnati is a reminder that "success" doesn't usually start in a penthouse. It starts in drafty rehearsal rooms and public libraries. She credits the city’s accessibility to the arts for her entire career. Basically, if Cincinnati hadn't offered those free theater programs and affordable ballet classes, we might never have gotten Sex and the City.
She’s often said that "not having everything you want is a blessing." That mindset? That’s pure Ohio. It’s that Midwest work ethic mixed with a deep appreciation for "beautiful things" that her mother insisted on, even when they were poor.
What you can do with this info
If you're an aspiring performer or just a fan, there’s a lesson here. Don’t sleep on "smaller" cities.
- Support local institutions: Look at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park or CCM. These places produce world-class talent every single year.
- Visit the history: If you're in Cincy, check out Over-the-Rhine or the School for Creative and Performing Arts. The ghost of SJP’s early career is all over those streets.
- Eat the chili: Seriously. If it's good enough for an Emmy winner, it's good enough for you.
Next time you see her on a red carpet in New York, remember she's likely thinking about a 3-way from Skyline and the hills of Clifton. She’s a Queen City girl through and through.
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Practical Tip: If you're looking to explore SJP's Cincinnati, start at the Cincinnati Museum Center. She spent time there researching her family's Hodge family roots, and it's one of the spots she mentions as a "must-visit" for anyone wanting to understand the city's soul.