Nicole Ari Parker Couldn't Help But Wonder... Am I Ready for a Radical Life Redo?

Her show, And Just Like That..., is part of the fabric of NYC — and now she’s moved there full-time. With two kids all grown up and a so-what-if-I’m-in-my-50s attitude, it’s time for Parker to reset and thrive

- CHRISTINA GARIBALDI & POLLY HUDSON

Once upon a time, actresses past a certain age were forced to accept small, dull background roles. Their best years were behind them, right? Thank goodness those days are over — and if you want living proof of that, here’s Nicole Ari Parker.

The 54-year-old’s career has never been hotter, starting with her role as vibrant Lisa Todd Wexley on the Sex and the City spinoff And Just Like That... (Max, May 29, 9 p.m.). Looking back, there's the critically adored film Boogie Nights (1997), Remember the Titans (2000) opposite Denzel Washington, the Showtime drama Soul Food (2000-04) — on which she met actor husband Boris Kodjoe (Code Black, Station 19) — and three seasons on Empire (2017-20). Last year, she won a Lead Actress Audelco Award for The Refuge Plays off Broadway. Ahead: DC Studios’ live-action drama Lanterns.

Parker's personal life is flourishing as well, including an exciting cross-country move with her husband of two decades, 52. “It’s going to be so fun,” she told Us two weeks after arriving in NYC as an official full-time resident. “I'm going to wear him out!”

Their kids, Sophie, 20, and Nicolas, 18, are thriving, too: Sophie attends Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Nico plays pro basketball in Germany. Despite her empty nest, when Us caught up with Parker, her enthusiasm and joie de vivre were infectious. She is grabbing life with both hands and making the most of her fresh start in the city that never sleeps. Here, she tells Us about “geeking out” over AJLT’s Sarah Jessica Parker, the secret to her long, happy marriage and why “no” is simply not an option.

You've lived in NYC before but moved to the West Coast. Tell Us about this 3,000-mile relocation!