Sarah Jessica Parker thinks divorce is "scary".

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker

The 51-year-old actress - who is married to actor and singer Matthew Broderick - stars in the new black comedy 'Divorce' and has revealed she sees plenty of parallels between the struggles of her on-screen character Frances and those of one of her real-life friends.

She shared: "Someone I am very close to is living right now in the same house as the person she is getting divorced from.

"That's economic circumstances right now. To separate is so costly and scary and, in this case, she has given up her career for her family, and now she is going back to work, but can she really support the children on her own? It must be devastating."

The former 'Sex And The City' star - who has a son, James, 13, and seven-year-old twin girls, Tabitha and Marion, with her husband - revealed she regularly discusses the challenges of long-term relationships with her friends.

She told the Metro newspaper: "I was saying to someone recently: I can't counsel you. You can only make these decisions for yourself. But it's really important to think what you want for the future. Who do you want to be with and travel with and sit in that chair with?

"Sometimes, just asking yourself that can help you stop for a second, and perhaps not step outside the boundaries of your relationship."

'Divorce' was Sarah's idea and the acclaimed writer explained she was keen to star in a TV show that explores the troubles of separation.

She said: "I wanted to tell the story of a marriage. There's not a lot that's been portrayed on television about an ordinary middle-class family living at a particular time, economically and emotionally.

"There's so much to say about this period in a life, this attempt at divorce. There are things that are hilarious and devastating and disappointing, and people make bad choices and listen to bad counsel. Friendships shift and change. Children are hurt, ruined. People behave in ways that are surprising and awful."