SJP Joins 2025 Booker Prize Jury

Sjp Steers Into Literary Waters

Sarah Jessica Parker is swapping scripts for submissions after Hollywood Life revealed that she’s been appointed as a juror for the 2025 Booker Prize. In a recent Instagram post from @hollywoodlife, the outlet shared a Getty Images shot of Parker leafing through two hefty books, captioned, “Reading two books a day? No problem. SJP is stepping into the literary spotlight as a juror for the 2025 Booker Prize and thriving in the challenge.” The news confirms Parker’s new role alongside acclaimed novelists, critics, and publishers on one of the world’s most prestigious literary panels.

A Lifetime Of Literary Love

Parker’s affinity for books is far from a newfound hobby. In 2008, she co-founded the East Hampton Book Company in New York, carving out a space for local authors and readers before the shop closed in 2020. More recently, she launched an Instagram book club, inviting followers to tune in for monthly chats on debut novels, memoirs, and essays. Her posts often reveal an impressive pace—sometimes tackling two books in a single day—which clearly caught the attention of the Booker Prize Foundation.

In announcing her appointment, the Foundation praised Parker’s “deep insight into contemporary fiction and her dedication to elevating diverse voices.” Jurors will spend the next several months reading dozens of submissions from authors across the English-speaking world, narrowing entries first to a longlist, then a shortlist, and finally selecting the overall winner in October 2025.

Understanding The Booker Prize

Since its inception in 1969, the Booker Prize has been awarded annually to the best original novel written in English and published in the UK. Past winners include Salman Rushdie for Midnight’s Children (1981), Margaret Atwood for The Testaments (2019), and Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall (2009). The prize carries a £50,000 award, but its true value often lies in the global recognition and sales boost authors receive.

Each year, a panel of five judges—typically a mix of writers, critics, and public figures—undertakes the task of reading through all eligible works. The jury’s debate is famously rigorous: judges meet for marathon sessions to defend their favorite titles, debating narrative style, thematic boldness, and cultural impact. With Parker on board, readers can expect her unique perspective as both a storyteller and book lover to factor into those discussions.

What Comes Next

Over the coming months, Parker and her fellow jurors will convene in London for roundtable sessions. They will announce the longlist in July, the shortlist in September, and finally crown the winner at a ceremony in October 2025. Fans who follow Parker’s Instagram may get occasional peeks at her reading progress, but the deliberations themselves remain tightly guarded until the official announcements.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s new role underscores a growing trend of celebrities championing literature—from book clubs to podcast interviews—bringing fresh eyes to the publishing world. As an actress famed for her wit, style, and cultural curiosity, she’s poised to add star power to one of the globe’s most celebrated literary prizes. Whether she’s devouring novels or debating their merits with fellow jurors, Parker’s bookish side is officially center stage.

This appointment marks another chapter in her eclectic career, proving that for Parker, the story never ends—it only gets richer.

Reporter

Reshmi Das

 

Reshmi Das has over four years of experience as a content writer, covering parenting and films. She writes for Hollywoodjunction and Momjunction. Her interest in journaling and writing made this biotechnology postgraduate to take up content as her full-time profession.

Read full bio of Reshmi Das