How Cathy Ang became the breakout star in And Just Like That: the Asian-American actress plays Charlotte’s adopted daughter in the HBO series, sings and plays piano, and advocates for representation
- Cathy Ang is one of the fresh faces on HBO’s And Just Like That, starring alongside actresses Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis
- She plays the teenage version of Lily Goldenblatt in the show, and has also starred in Oscar-nominated Netflix film Over the Moon with John Cho, Sandra Oh and Ken Jeong
Remember the adorable little girl Lily that Charlotte York and Harry Goldenblatt adopted in Sex and the City? Well she’s all grown up, as we learned when HBO’s hit series (and SATC spin-off) And Just Like That introduced us to her teenage incarnation, played by breakout star Cathy Ang, in 2021.
In the show, Lily has a grown up wardrobe – possibly taking cues from her mum and her famous friends – and looks fabulous in Oscar de la Renta, Miu Miu, Zimmerman, Staud and Chanel. As one of the few Asian faces to join the franchise, long-time fans have watched Ang’s character grow up over the years, though she’s been played by different girls to reflect her age.
And now, after wrapping up its second season this summer, And Just Like That has been confirmed for a third season, according to its creators, meaning we can only hope for more Lily on TV.
So who’s the talented newbie that plays her?
Cathy Ang’s Chinese-Filipino background
Cathy Ang was born in January 1996 in the US state of Iowa to Chinese-Filipino immigrant parents, according to Vogue. Although they moved from the Philippines, Ang told the publication that “at home, we are very culturally Chinese”.
She plays Charlotte’s adopted daughter in And Just Like That
Ang plays the teen version of Charlotte and Harry’s adopted daughter Lily in the series. Despite being 27 years old, she convincingly embodies the essence of a teenager. As one of the fresher and younger faces in the cast, Ang confessed to Vogue that she regularly felt “star-struck” on set alongside actresses Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis.
