How ‘And Just Like That’ Star Beat Cancer in His 20s and Rebuilt His Life

Evan Handler brings warmth and stability to the screen as Harry, Charlotte’s devoted husband in “And Just Like That“. It won’t be an exaggeration to say he’s one of the favorite characters. However, the current season threw a curveball at fans as Harry recently faced a cancer diagnosis.

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But what many fans don’t know is that Handler has faced that same fear in real life—and his story is even more powerful.

Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max

Long before he became a familiar face on “Sex and the City“, Handler was just 24 when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, which is a rare and aggressive form of cancer that. At the time, this form of cancer came with little hope for survival.

Evan Handler Recalls the Shocking Diagnosis That Changed His Life at 24

Handler was in his early 20s, building a career on Broadway, when persistent flu-like symptoms led him to consult an ear, nose, and throat specialist. That visit quickly escalated.

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“He was a little suspicious of some of my symptoms and sent me to a hematologist for blood tests,” Handler told Science Goes to the Movies. The result? A diagnosis of AML—and a long road ahead. “Ages 24 through 29 were pretty much chewed up and spit out with that,” Handler recalled.

As per a report in Patient Resource, after a brief remission and return to Broadway, the cancer came back. Handler described how landing a lead role on Broadway gave him a much-needed sense of hope during a difficult time.

“When I was cast to take over the lead role in Neil Simon’s play Broadway Bound on Broadway, it felt like a tremendous vote of confidence from outside myself that such a success was possible,” he said.

“Of course, the producers didn’t know the statistics like I did, and the leukemia did recur during the run of that show.” After the recurrence, Handler underwent more chemotherapy and an autologous bone marrow transplant, which brought him into remission once again.

How Handler Made Humor and Resilience His Lifelines

Even in the darkest moments, Handler credits comedy with helping him survive.

Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max

“Humor continued to exist right alongside the tragedy,” he explained on a radio show in 2012. “It didn’t stop funny things from occurring, and it didn’t stop my family and me from finding things funny.”

That perspective eventually became the foundation of his first memoir: Time on Fire: My Comedy of Terrors, which recounts his cancer fight from ages 24 to 29. His follow-up book, It’s Only Temporary, details his journey back into everyday life.

Three Decades Later, Still Standing Strong

Now 61, Handler has been cancer-free for decades. Despite terrifying odds—an 80% recurrence rate at the time, and less than 5% survival after relapse—he beat the disease and went on to thrive.

“Acute myeloid leukemia that I had—AML—was a very grim diagnosis in 1996,” he told Sciene Goes to Movies. “It’s not a cheerful diagnosis now, but it is much more survivable than it was then.”

Handler credits advancements in treatment for the progress. “Bone marrow transplantation has become the first line of treatment now, whereas then, it was still considered somewhat experimental.”

Having survived a cancer diagnosis that once seemed hopeless, Handler now uses his voice to raise awareness and advocate for young cancer patients. Handler has worked closely with organizations like Stupid Cancer and continues to share his story to inspire others.

Art Imitates Life in “And Just Like That…“

In the June 26 episode of “And Just Like That”, Handler’s character, Harry, reveals to Charlotte that he has prostate cancer.

Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max

Handler sees this plot not as his spotlight, but a meaningful narrative for the women around him.

“I have long existed on Sex and the City and in that world in service of the women in their storylines. And I think that’s the way it should be,” Handler told Bustle in an interview published on 26th June.

“This is one of the few shows on the air dealing with women in their 50s… and how relationships affect them.”

Harry and Charlotte’s Story Isn’t Over

‘AJLT’ fans can now take a sigh of relief! The cast has hinted that Harry is NOT going to die.

Though Harry’s fate is uncertain, Handler remains hopeful—and grounded in what his character represents.

“The natural result of that is that Harry endures,” he told Bustle. “That Harry and Charlotte endure.”

Photograph by Craig Blankenhorn/Max

“And Just Like That”… Evan Handler proves that sometimes, fiction and real life align in ways that remind us of the strength of the human spirit.

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