Cynthia Nixon says gun control, legalizing marijuana among reasons she's running for office

New York -- Former "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon gave her first TV interview since announcing her run for Governor of New York on "The Wendy Williams Show," which aired today.

After touching upon the Emmy-winning actress' stories career, the conversation quickly turned to her run for office, as Williams asked, "Why take on politics?"

Speaking about her love for New York, Nixon called Donald Trump's election a real wake up call.

"If we don't like the direction our government is going in, we have to step up and get involved like never before," Nixon said. "That's what I'm doing."

She also addressed the chatter over a celebrity entering politics.

"People talk a lot to me about being a celebrity entering this race. I have to say, when Andrew Cuomo ran eight years ago, he was a celebrity because he was the son of Mario Cuomo," she said about her Democratic opponent and current governor.

Nixon discussed gun control too, saying there's more the state of New York could be doing.

When Williams asked if the death of Stephon Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old black man shot and killed by police in his grandmother's backyard in Sacramento, California, was a "black thing," Nixon responded, "Yes, I think it is."

She also hinted at why she chose Williams for her first TV interview when she discussed the importance of black women voters.

"They are the cornerstone, they are the backbone of the Democratic Party and we need to let them lead," Nixon said. "Black women are going to stop showing up for the Democratic Party if the Democratic Party doesn’t show up for them."

She also voiced support for the legalization of marijuana. "Let’s capture some of that revenue," she said.

In a video message on March 19, Nixon announced her primary challenge to Cuomo, having been an outspoken critic of his administration.

This would be Nixon's first bid at political office, but the native New Yorker has long been an activist on political and social issues, particularly for LGBT and education issues.