famously walked off stage during the first act of a performance of the Broadway play I Hate Hamlet after co-star Nicol Williamson broke choreography during a sword-fighting scene and struck Handler on the backside. Handler responded later, "I removed myself from the production because from the first day of rehearsals I have endured the show's producers condoning Nicol Williamson's persistent abusiveness to other cast members." Handler's understudy continued the performance, for which Gregory Peck and Elaine Stritch were in attendance. In 2020, Handler appeared as a guest on the Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip marathon fundraiser episode of The George Lucas Talk Show. Writing Handler is also an author. His first book, Time On Fire: My Comedy of Terrors, tells the story of his unlikely recovery from acute myeloid leukemia in his mid-20s. His second, It's Only Temporary...The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive, tells the story of his long journey toward gratitude in the years after his illness. The book was released in May 2008. Handler has written for several nationally distributed magazines, including ELLE, O, the Oprah Magazine, and Mirabella. Handler contributes regularly to The Huffington Post. Personal life Evan married Elisa Atti, an Italian-born chemist, in 2003, and they have a daughter, Sofia Clementina Handler (born January 17, 2007). Handler has a brother Lowell and a sister Lillian. Lowell Handler, a writer and photographer, is the author of the book Twitch & Shout: A Touretter's Tale and the star, narrator, and associate producer of the Emmy-nominated PBS television documentary Twitch & Shout, in which Evan appeared. Activism In 2014 Handler starred in a public service announcement supporting DC Statehood. He attended the Creative Coalition's "DC Statehood Dinner" in December 2015 and participates in DC Shadow Senator Paul Strauss’ “51 Stars" campaign which aims to enlist 51 celebrities to endorse making Washington, DC the 51st state. Filmography Film Television References External links Evan Handler talks about being crass on Sex and the City, being Jewish, and his bout with leukemia Evan Handler: Living Through It 1961 births Male actors from New York City American male film actors American male television actors Jewish American male actors Juilliard School alumni Living people People from Cortlandt, New York 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American Jews