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‘And Just Like That...’ star’s real-life hearing loss influenced his character’s story

The show's writers opened up about Steve Brady's storyline, including the decision to incorporate David Eigenberg's hearing loss into the plot.
Steve Brady (David Eigenberg) and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) in "And Just Like That..."
Steve Brady (David Eigenberg) and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) in "And Just Like That..."HBO Max

Steve Brady’s hearing loss in “And Just Like That…” was inspired by actor David Eigenberg’s hearing issues in real life.

Two of the show’s writers, Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky, opened up about Steve's storyline, including the decision to make the character partially deaf in the “Sex and the City” reboot on HBO Max after learning that Eigenberg now wears hearing aids.

“When (showrunner) Michael Patrick (King) reconnected with David Eigenberg about the show, the very first thing that David said was, ‘I got hearing aids.’ It was literally what he led with,” Zuritsky told Vanity Fair. “That actually wound up being Steve’s tone about his aging (in the show).”

Eigenberg, 57, played the boyfriend and eventual husband of Miranda Hobbes, who's portrayed by Cynthia Nixon, in the original HBO series from 1999 to 2004, and he has returned as Steve for multiple episodes of “And Just Like That…” 

His hearing loss has been woven into the plot of the reboot, with Steve strategically removing his hearing aids in one episode to avoid hearing his son, Brady, hooking up with his girlfriend.

Steve and Miranda’s marriage has been rocky in the new series, and some fans have been critical of Steve’s portrayal in the reboot. But Zuritsky wholeheartedly defended Steve, and Eigenberg, to Vanity Fair. 

“Everyone on the show, every single person, loves David Eigenberg as a human being,” she said. “We love him as an actor. We love Steve. We are really invested in the Steve-ness of him. He’s so full of life, and the Steves out there are good guys.”

Eigenberg, who has also starred as Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann on NBC’s “Chicago Fire” since 2012, shared his appreciation on Instagram for the chance to work on two hit shows over the years.

“Just a little mention of another wonderful Show I’ve had the privilege of working on and off for the last 20 something years,” he captioned a photo of himself alongside Nixon in the “Sex and the City” reboot. “thank you #chicagofire For giving me the opportunity to be a part of two amazing beautiful shows. I’m a really lucky and grateful guy.”