Kristin Davis Says She Won’t ‘Waste Energy’ on Kim Cattrall Drama: ‘I Wish I Could Fix It, But I Can’t’
Even since the early days of Sex and the City there have been rumors of infighting between Sarah Jessica Parker (who played Carrie Bradshaw) and Kim Cattrall (who played Samantha Jones). Here, a deep dive into the history of this supposed feud:
December 2004 — Back in 2004, Cattrall appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, where she admitted money was part of the reason the show ended. "I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall of Sex and the City," she said. "When they didn't seem keen on that I thought it was time to move on." At the time, the show did not move forward with a seventh season or a movie.
May 2008 — A report in the Telegraph addressed the rumors that Parker and Cattrall long had tensions over money. Parker was given an executive producer title back in the second season, which bumped her salary up to $300,000, causing Cattrall to reportedly negotiate for a higher salary. The Telegraph reported that crew members said the girls were not happy about this and "wouldn't even sit with [Cattrall] at mealtimes."
The report also addressed the 2004 Emmy Awards where Parker, Nixon, and Davis all sat together while Cattrall sat by herself. In response, Cattrall said, "Are we the best of friends? No. We're professional actresses. We have our own separate lives."
Though in the same report, Parker said the cast was friends: "Honestly, we are all friends and I wish I saw more of Kim. She mentioned money and no one should vilify her for it. People made a decision that we had vilified her."
June 2008 — Marie Claire asked Cattrall about the rumor that she was the holdout on making the first movie. In response, Cattrall said, "Four years ago I was going through a painful public divorce, the series was coming to an end, and my father was diagnosed with dementia. I felt it was time to be with my real family. A year-and-a-half ago, when I was sent the script, I was ready and strong enough to revisit Samantha. In some ways, I 'm glad we waited. The script and the experience of making the movie was the best possible reunion."
In the same interview, Darren Star, the creator of the series touched on the rumored drama: "I think you have to draw the line between what's happening in gossip columns and what's happening on a set. You can't create that kind of chemistry. When you do a series for so many years, you can't fake it completely."
2009 — As reported by the New York Post, a 2009 article in New York magazine said Parker and Cattrall were no longer speaking, "making everyone on the set of the new Sex and the City movie uncomfortable." Sex and the City 2 was released in 2010.
November 2009 — When ELLE asked Parker about the rumors that Cattrall didn't get along with the other cast members, she said, "I don't think anybody wants to believe that I love Kim. I adore her. I wouldn't have done the movie without her. Didn't and wouldn't."
January 2010 — Then when the Daily Mail brought up Parker's ELLE comments to Cattrall, she said, "I think Sarah was right: people don’t want to believe that we get on. They have too much invested in the idea of two strong, successful women fighting with each other. It makes for juicy gossip and copy. The truth of us being friends and getting along and happily doing our jobs together is nowhere near as newsworthy. I think Sarah is fantastic. She is a born leader and she guides the crew and the cast in such a strong but gentle way. She and I are sick of this. It’s exhausting talking about it, and a real bore."
May 2010 — The cast did an interview for Marie Claire, where Parker said sometimes "feelings get hurt" on set, and Cynthia Nixon (who played Miranda Hobbes) said "it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but the idea that we're somehow adversarial is ludicrous."
In the same interview, Cattrall shared her disappointment at the perceived feud:"...the press has to put women in these boxes, rather than show them as the movie portrays them: working together and being powerful. Things just have to be explosive for no other reason than for people's imaginations."
Davis also talked about a tabloid story that said she and Cattrall would eat in their hotel restaurant but not sit together: "When I would get back from the set, I would go to the gym and get room service. I 'm not a put-on-decent-clothes-and-go-to-the-hotel-restaurant person, but Kim is. The story was that we don't like each other. Ridiculous!"
September 2016 — Years later, Parker did an interview with Time where she once again addressed the rumors: "It was always so heartbreaking to me that there was this narrative about Kim [Cattrall] and myself because it just didn’t reflect anything that happened on that set. They just didn’t do it to the Sopranos guys. It was so strange to me and upsetting. I posted something on Kim’s birthday and people were like 'Oh my God, I didn’t know you liked her!' What? We were all at liberty to walk away at any time! But nobody asked those questions of shows with men. Isn’t that interesting?"
October 2016 — Parker appeared on Howard Stern, where she said the rumors over the years truly bothered her. "Was every day perfect?" Parker said. "No, but this is a family of people who needed each other. This sort of narrative, this ongoing catfight... it used to really confound me and really upset me."
September 2017 — Daily Mail reported that the third Sex and the City movie was cancelled due to demands by Cattrall. According to the Daily Mail, "Warner Bros had given the much-anticipated project the green light after months of speculation and the movie was supposed to start filming in the coming days. However, the studio can no longer move ahead as Cattrall, 61, demanded they produce other movies she had in development or she wouldn't sign up for the project. Warner Bros refused to meet her demands and had to cancel production as the company decided it wouldn't be fair to fans to produce a movie with only three of the four main characters."
September 2017 — Cattrall tweeted that the only "demand" she made was not to do the movie; she claimed she said no to the movie back in 2016.
Woke 2 a @MailOnline ??storm! The only 'DEMAND' I ever made was that I didn't want to do a 3rd film....& that was back in 2016
— Kim Cattrall (@KimCattrall) September 29, 2017
September 2017 — Parker confirmed to Extra TV that there would be no Sex and the City 3: "It's over. We're not doing it... I 'm disappointed. We had this beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story. It’s not just disappointing that we don’t get to tell the story and have that experience, but I think more so for that audience that has been so vocal about wanting another movie."
September 2017 — Kristen Davis also confirmed the news on her Instagram, writing, "It is true that we are not going to be able to make a 3rd film. I wish that we could have made the final chapter, on our own terms, to complete the stories of our characters. It is deeply frustrating not to able to share that chapter (beautifully written by MPK) with all of you."
October 2017 — During an interview with Piers Morgan, Cattrall says she will not do another Sex and the City movie and that she was never really friends with her Sex and the City co-stars.
When asked by Morgan if there will ever be more Sex and the City, Cattral said, “Not for me. That was part of turning 60. That was a very clear moment of how many years do I have left and what do I want to do with it? What haven’t I done? I feel that the show was the best when it was the series and the bonus was the two movies.”
She went on to explain how she turned down an offer to make a third movie in December 2016. "The answer was simply thank you, but no, I 'm good," she said. "This isn't about more money. It's not about more scenes. It's not about any of those things. This is about a clear decision, an empowered decision in my life to end one chapter and start another... It's a great part. I played it past the finish line and then some, and I loved it."
When asked whether she was friends with her co-stars, she said they have "never been friends." She also addressed the rumors that the third movie didn't happen because Cattrall was acting like a diva and asking for more money. "This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City, and specifically Sarah Jessica Parker," she told Morgan. "I think she could've been nicer. I really think she could've been nicer. I don't know what her issue is."
October 2017 — A New York post article revealed information surrounding the rumored drama on the Sex and the City set. The article claimed that Nixon, Davis, and Parker formed a group together and left out Cattrall. New York Post also referenced an old Page Six report that said while on a shoot in Atlantic City, Parker rented a house for all the girls except for Cattrall (though an HBO spokesperson said Cattrall didn't stay with the other girls because her husband at the time was supposed to come).
Toward the end of the series, one insider told Page Six that no one was speaking to Cattrall.
January 2018 — Parker referenced the new "opening" in the Sex and the City cast while she was on Stephen Colbert.
January 2018 — Parker appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show, where Ellen asked her about the possibility of doing a Sex and the City movie without Cattrall. "I think there's a period of grief, a mourning process," Parker said. "And then perhaps we'll consider, say for instance, you playing Samantha."
February 2018 — Parker appeared on Watch What Happens Live, where she was asked how she felt about Cattrall telling Piers Morgan they were "never friends." "Heartbroken," Parker said. "The whole week... I was really, I found it very upsetting because that's not the way I recall our experience."
February 2018 — When Cattrall's 55-year-old brother was recently found dead in Canada, Parker wrote condolences on Cattrall's Instagram. According to US Weekly, she said, "Dearest Kim, my love and condolences to you and yours and Godspeed to your beloved brother. Xx."
When asked about her decision to comment, despite the feud, Parker told Entertainment Tonight, "If somebody in your life, whether you're in touch with them or not, [is] suffering for any reason, it's involuntary that you want to convey condolences or sadness or just let someone know you're thinking about them."
A source close to Parker also told PEOPLE that when Cattrall's brother was announced missing, Parker privately called and texted Cattrall.
February 2018 — However, in response to comment, Cattrall posted an Instagram slamming Parker for "exploiting" her brother's death.
February 2018 — US Weekly reported that a source close to Parker said, "Not sure why Kim had to take it to this level." Another source told US Weekly that the two "hated each other" and were "at odds" since the beginning of the show's second season.
A friend of Cattrall's told US Weekly, "Their costars can’t understand why Kim lashed out. It wasn’t this bad during filming," while a friend of Parker's said, "There’s no love there, but Sarah Jessica was just being polite. It’s sad."
February 2018 — In a recent cover story for PEOPLE, Parker said she never responded to Cattrall's conversation with Morgan. "We had this experience and it was amazing, and nothing will ever be like it," Parker said. "We had a connection with an audience, and we had a connection with the city and with this crew, and we got to tell these crazy stories with each other. So I don’t want to mess with that. I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing that part. So there was no fight; it was completely fabricated, because I actually never responded. And I won’t, because she needed to say what she needed to say, and that is her privilege."
February 2018 — Chris Noth, who played Mr. Big on the show, was asked by TMZ how his character would respond to the current fight. In true Mr. Big-fashion, Noth simply rolled up the window of his car:
lmao at Chris Noth’s response to SJP and Kim Cattrall’s blood feud pic.twitter.com/YgVYwfKJE2
— Cole Delbyck (@coledelbyck) February 13, 2018
The very first episode of Sex and the City premiered over 20 years ago, and the series is remembered for its larger-than-life fashion and flings. But even more controversial than some of the episodes is the enduring offscreen drama between stars Sarah Jessica Parker (who played Carrie Bradshaw) and Kim Cattrall (who played Samantha Jones). Even since the early days of SATC, there have been rumors of infighting between the pair and speculation has only strengthened with Cattrall’s absence from And Just Like That... an HBO Max limited series revival about Carrie, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis).
Here, a deep dive into the history of this supposed feud.
December 2004
Back in 2004, Cattrall appeared on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, where she admitted money was part of the reason the show ended. "I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall of Sex and the City," she said. "When they didn't seem keen on that I thought it was time to move on." At the time, the show did not move forward with a seventh season or a movie.
May 2008
A report in the Telegraph addressed the rumors that Parker and Cattrall long had tensions over money. Parker was given an executive producer title back in the second season, which bumped her salary up to $300,000, causing Cattrall to reportedly negotiate for a higher salary. The Telegraph reported that crew members said the girls were not happy about this and "wouldn't even sit with [Cattrall] at mealtimes."
May 2008
The report also addressed the 2004 Emmy Awards where Parker, Nixon, and Davis all sat together while Cattrall sat by herself. In response, Cattrall said, "Are we the best of friends? No. We're professional actresses. We have our own separate lives."
May 2008
Though in the same report, Parker said the cast were friends: "Honestly, we are all friends and I wish I saw more of Kim. She mentioned money and no one should vilify her for it. People made a decision that we had vilified her."
June 2008
Marie Claire asked Cattrall about the rumor that she was the holdout on making the first movie. In response, Cattrall said, "Four years ago I was going through a painful public divorce, the series was coming to an end, and my father was diagnosed with dementia. I felt it was time to be with my real family. A year-and-a-half ago, when I was sent the script, I was ready and strong enough to revisit Samantha. In some ways, I'm glad we waited. The script and the experience of making the movie was the best possible reunion."
June 2008
In the same interview, Darren Star, the creator of the series touched on the rumored drama: "I think you have to draw the line between what's happening in gossip columns and what's happening on a set. You can't create that kind of chemistry. When you do a series for so many years, you can't fake it completely."
2009
As reported by the New York Post, a 2009 article in New York magazine said Parker and Cattrall were no longer speaking, "making everyone on the set of the new Sex and the City movie uncomfortable." Sex and the City 2 was released in 2010.
November 2009
When ELLE asked Parker about the rumors that Cattrall didn't get along with the other cast members, she said, "I don't think anybody wants to believe that I love Kim. I adore her. I wouldn't have done the movie without her. Didn't and wouldn't."
January 2010
Then when the Daily Mail brought up Parker's ELLE comments to Cattrall, she said, "I think Sarah was right: People don’t want to believe that we get on. They have too much invested in the idea of two strong, successful women fighting with each other. It makes for juicy gossip and copy. The truth of us being friends and getting along and happily doing our jobs together is nowhere near as newsworthy. I think Sarah is fantastic. She is a born leader and she guides the crew and the cast in such a strong but gentle way. She and I are sick of this. It’s exhausting talking about it, and a real bore."
May 2010
The cast did an interview for Marie Claire, where Parker said sometimes "feelings get hurt" on set, and Nixon said, "it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but the idea that we're somehow adversarial is ludicrous."
May 2010
In the same interview, Cattrall shared her disappointment at the perceived feud: "…the press has to put women in these boxes, rather than show them as the movie portrays them: working together and being powerful. Things just have to be explosive for no other reason than for people's imaginations."
May 2010
Davis also talked about a tabloid story that said she and Cattrall would eat in their hotel restaurant but not sit together: "When I would get back from the set, I would go to the gym and get room service. I'm not a put-on-decent-clothes-and-go-to-the-hotel-restaurant person, but Kim is. The story was that we don't like each other. Ridiculous!"
September 2016
Years later, Parker did an interview with Time where she once again addressed the rumors: "It was always so heartbreaking to me that there was this narrative about Kim [Cattrall] and myself because it just didn’t reflect anything that happened on that set. They just didn’t do it to the Sopranos guys. It was so strange to me and upsetting. I posted something on Kim’s birthday and people were like, 'Oh my God, I didn’t know you liked her!' What? We were all at liberty to walk away at any time! But nobody asked those questions of shows with men. Isn’t that interesting?"
October 2016
Parker appeared on Howard Stern, where she said the rumors over the years truly bothered her. "Was every day perfect?" Parker said. "No, but this is a family of people who needed each other. This sort of narrative, this ongoing catfight…it used to really confound me and really upset me."
See the original post on Youtube
September 2017
The Daily Mail reported that the third Sex and the City movie was cancelled due to demands from Cattrall. According to the Daily Mail, "Warner Bros. had given the much-anticipated project the green light after months of speculation and the movie was supposed to start filming in the coming days. However, the studio can no longer move ahead as Cattrall, 61, demanded they produce other movies she had in development or she wouldn't sign up for the project. Warner Bros. refused to meet her demands and had to cancel production as the company decided it wouldn't be fair to fans to produce a movie with only three of the four main characters."
September 2017
Cattrall tweeted that the only "demand" she made was not to do the movie; she claimed she said no to the movie back in 2016.
September 2017
Parker confirmed to Extra TV that there would be no Sex and the City 3: "It's over. We're not doing it... I'm disappointed. We had this beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story. It’s not just disappointing that we don’t get to tell the story and have that experience, but I think more so for that audience that has been so vocal about wanting another movie."
September 2017
Davis also confirmed the news on her Instagram, writing, "It is true that we are not going to be able to make a 3rd film. I wish that we could have made the final chapter, on our own terms, to complete the stories of our characters. It is deeply frustrating not to able to share that chapter (beautifully written by MPK) with all of you."
October 2017
During an interview with Piers Morgan, Cattrall says she will not do another Sex and the City movie and that she was never really friends with her Sex and the City co-stars.
When asked by Morgan if there will ever be more Sex and the City, Cattral said, “Not for me. That was part of turning 60. That was a very clear moment of, how many years do I have left and what do I want to do with it? What haven’t I done? I feel that the show was the best when it was the series and the bonus was the two movies.”
See the original post on Youtube
October 2017
She went on to explain how she turned down an offer to make a third movie in December 2016. "The answer was simply thank you, but no, I'm good," she said. "This isn't about more money. It's not about more scenes. It's not about any of those things. This is about a clear decision, an empowered decision in my life to end one chapter and start another… It's a great part. I played it past the finish line and then some, and I loved it."
October 2017
When asked whether she was friends with her co-stars, Cattrall said they have "never been friends." She also addressed the rumors that the third movie didn't happen because she was acting like a diva and asking for more money. "This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City, and specifically Sarah Jessica Parker," she told Morgan. "I think she could've been nicer. I really think she could've been nicer. I don't know what her issue is."
October 2017
A New York Post article revealed information surrounding the rumored drama on the Sex and the City set. The article claimed that Nixon, Davis, and Parker formed a group together and left out Cattrall. New York Post also referenced an old Page Six report that said while on a shoot in Atlantic City, Parker rented a house for all the girls except for Cattrall (though an HBO spokesperson said Cattrall didn't stay with the other girls because her husband at the time was supposed to come).
Toward the end of the series, one insider told Page Six that no one was speaking to Cattrall.
January 2018
Parker referenced the new "opening" in the Sex and the City cast while she was on Stephen Colbert.
See the original post on Youtube
January 2018
Parker appeared on Ellen, where she was asked about the possibility of doing a Sex and the City movie without Cattrall. "I think there's a period of grief, a mourning process," Parker said. "And then perhaps we'll consider, say for instance, you playing Samantha."
See the original post on Youtube
February 2018
Parker appeared on Watch What Happens Live, where she was asked how she felt about Cattrall telling Piers Morgan they were "never friends." "Heartbroken," Parker said. "The whole week…I was really, I found it very upsetting because that's not the way I recall our experience."
See the original post on Youtube
February 2018
When Cattrall's 55-year-old brother was found dead in Canada, Parker wrote condolences on Cattrall's Instagram. According to US Weekly, she said, "Dearest Kim, my love and condolences to you and yours and Godspeed to your beloved brother. Xx."
When asked about her decision to comment, despite the feud, Parker told Entertainment Tonight, "If somebody in your life, whether you're in touch with them or not, [is] suffering for any reason, it's involuntary that you want to convey condolences or sadness or just let someone know you're thinking about them."
A source close to Parker also told PEOPLE that when Cattrall's brother was announced missing, Parker privately called and texted Cattrall.
February 2018
However, in response to comment, Cattrall posted an Instagram slamming Parker for "exploiting" her brother's death. In her caption, she wrote, "My Mom asked me today 'When will that @sarahjessicaparker, that hypocrite, leave you alone?' Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven’t already) You are not my family. You are not my friend. So I’m writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your ‘nice girl’ persona."
February 2018
US Weekly reported that a source close to Parker said, "Not sure why Kim had to take it to this level." Another source told US Weekly that the two "hated each other" and were "at odds" since the beginning of the show's second season.
A friend of Cattrall's told US Weekly, "Their costars can’t understand why Kim lashed out. It wasn’t this bad during filming," while a friend of Parker's said, "There’s no love there, but Sarah Jessica was just being polite. It’s sad."
February 2018
In a recent cover story for People, Parker said she never responded to Cattrall's conversation with Morgan. "We had this experience and it was amazing, and nothing will ever be like it," Parker said. "We had a connection with an audience, and we had a connection with the city and with this crew, and we got to tell these crazy stories with each other. So I don’t want to mess with that. I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing that part. So there was no fight; it was completely fabricated because I actually never responded. And I won’t, because she needed to say what she needed to say, and that is her privilege."
February 2018
Chris Noth, who played Mr. Big on the show, was asked by TMZ how his character would respond to the current fight. In true Mr. Big-fashion, Noth simply rolled up the window of his car.
February 2018
Jason Lewis, who played Samantha's hot boyfriend Smith Jerrod, admitted in an interview that he is Team Carrie. When he was asked by a KTLA anchor whose side he was on, he said, "Listen, I have to say that Sarah was always just so lovely and such a consummate professional and I think that people should remember their graciousness and the things that have been given to them. And I'm going to stop there. Because I've got nothing good to say."
When the anchor pressed on and said, "If there's a team Sarah or a team Kim, my sense is you're on team Sarah?" he replied, "I might just have to say yeah. What a gracious lady. She was always so good to me."
April 2018
Parker commented again on the situation and her relationship with Cattrall at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. "I’d just like to remind everybody that there is no catfight," she told Vulture at the premiere of Blue Night. "I have never uttered an unkind, unsupportive, unfriendly word, so I would love to redefine it. I also want to remind everybody that there were four women on the set and I spent equal time with all of them, so this was not a set with two women who didn’t get along. I’ve always held Kim’s work in high regard and always appreciative of her contributions. If she chooses not to do the third movie, there’s not a lot I can do to change her mind and we must respect it. That’s the only thing I’ve ever said about it, you know?"
August 2019
In an Entertainment Tonight interview for her new series, Filthy Rich, Cattrall was asked why people still hunger for Sex and the City.
"What I think people love about shows like Sex in the City and Filthy Rich is strong characters," she said. "You know, real strong characters. And this is a new chapter, this is another strong character. So I'm really enjoying that."
August 2019
In an interview with The Guardian, Cattrall expressed that she "went past the finish line playing Samantha Jones because I loved Sex and the City. It was a blessing in so many ways, but after the second movie I'd had enough. I couldn't understand why they wouldn't just replace me with another actress instead of wasting time bullying. No means no."
During the same interview, the actress also pointedly stated, "I don't want to be in a situation for even an hour where I'm not enjoying myself."
September 2020
More than a year after her last official remarks on the drama, Cattrall reflected on SATC for a Los Angeles Times profile. “I don’t think anybody really knew what it would become, or how it would be at that moment [part of the] zeitgeist—to open up doors…for women to express themselves in a very honest, forthright way about how they felt about sexuality, or how they even interacted with their girlfriends in a real way,” she said.
However, Cattrall admitted she “was being cast as a character of a certain likeness to Samantha” as her career went on and was plagued by the feud with SJP. She declined to comment further on their drama, instead offering: “Everything is on Google, so I encourage you to Google it, about anything that I’ve said. I feel that that was then, and when I look at what’s going on around me, I just don’t have any regrets.”
January 2021
And Just Like That… the series went on without Cattrall. On January 10, Parker, Nixon, and Davis all confirmed that a new 10-episode HBO Max revival is in the works—without Cattrall's involvement. Cattrall has yet to weigh in on this development. But Parker responded to a series of Instagram comments asking about Samantha's absence.
“Happy to see you back but will miss Kim/Samantha,” one comment read, to which Parker replied, “We will too. We loved her so. X,” while another insinuated that Parker and Cattrall dislike each other. Parker responded, “No. I don’t dislike her. I’ve never said that. Never would. Samantha isn’t part of this story. But she will always be part of us. No matter where we are or what we do.” As for one fan's suggestion that Jennifer Coolidge play the role of Samantha in the revival, Parker wrote, “We have some new stories to tell. We are excited.”
February 2021
We finally have answers why Samatha Jones/Kim Cattrall will not join Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte. In interview with TV Line, HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys explained how the reboot will focus on the three friends in their 50s.
“They’re trying to tell an honest story about being a woman in her 50s in New York. So it should all feel somewhat organic, and the friends that you have when you’re 30, you may not have when you’re 50,” Bloys said. “Just as in real life, people come into your life, people leave,” he said. “Friendships fade, and new friendships start. So I think it is all very indicative of the real stages, the actual stages of life.”
July 2021
On July 9, the first photos of the reboot, And Just Like That were revealed. The photo shows Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes, and Kristin Davis as Charlotte York walking down the streets in New York City—with, of course, Kim Cattrall missing from the group.
December 2021
In the lead up to And Just Like That, Noth spoke to The Guardian about the upcoming revival and, naturally, was asked about why Cattrall abstained from the new series. “I have to tell you, I have absolutely no idea what her thinking is, or her emotions,” he told the outlet. “I do know that I’m very close with SJ and [Cattrall’s] descriptions of her don’t even come close. I liked her, I thought she was marvelous in the show and some people move on for their own reasons. I don’t know what hers were. I just wish that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable.”
Then, when asked if the situation put the cast in an awkward position, he replied, “I just don’t like to see anyone talking down about SJ because she’s a target and people can be nasty. I feel very protective of her and I was not happy about that. That’s all I’ll say about that.”
December 2021
While doing press for And Just Like That, Davis spoke to the Today show about whether Cattrall’s absence would be explained on the show. “Yes,” she said. “We love Samantha. Samantha is never not going to be a part in some way, right? So there is respect for Samantha. It’s part of the story. We would never disrespect Samantha.”
December 2021
Finally, with the release of And Just Like That on Dec. 9, fans found out how the show managed to explain Samantha’s departure from the group. (Spoilers ahead!) In the first episode of the limited series, Carrie and Miranda discuss how Samantha moved to London for work after Carrie removed Samantha as her publicist. In the show, Samantha stopped returning calls and texts from all three women. “I always thought the four of us would be friends forever,” Carrie said. Turns out, forever only lasts so many seasons.
February 2022
In an interview with Variety, Sarah Jessica Parker discussed the season finale (spoilers ahead!) in which Carrie and Samantha resolve their differences—via text and off camera. The hinted reconciliation had viewers wondering if Cattrall might join a season 2, and Parker was asked if she’d want her back on the show if she was willing.
“I don’t think I would, because I think there’s just too much public history of feelings on her part that she’s shared,” said Parker. “I haven’t participated in or read articles, although people are inclined to let me know.”
Creator Michael Patrick King added, “Magically thinking, it’s great to have Samantha. I have no realistic expectation of Kim Cattrall ever appearing again.”
May 2022
In an interview with Variety published May 4, Cattrall revealed that she hasn't watched And Just Like That... and shared why she walked away from the SATC franchise. “It’s a great wisdom to know when enough is enough,” she said. “I also didn’t want to compromise what the show was to me. The way forward seemed clear.” Later, she added, “I certainly heard about it [And Just Like That...]. And I’ve come to the conclusion that really the greatest compliment I could have as an actor is to be missed.”
When asked whether she was ever friends with her SATC co-stars, or if the relationship was always contentious, Cattrall responded, ”I guess it’s how you define friends. I think we were colleagues. My colleagues aren’t my friends. It was professional.”
She also responded to Parker's previous comments, where the actress said she would not be okay with Cattrall returning to the SATC franchise because “there’s just too much public history of feelings on her part that she’s shared.” In her Variety interview, Cattrall said of the comments: “I don’t think I read it.”
However, Cattrall has nothing but love for her iconic character, Samantha. “I played her, and I loved her. I felt ultimately protective of her,” she said.
She also confirmed that she will not appear in AJLT. “That’s a no. It’s powerful to say no.” Read her full interview here.
June 2022
In the June 1 episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Parker discussed Cattrall’s absence from the reboot, saying, “It’s very hard to talk about this situation with Kim, because I’ve been so careful about not ever wanting to say anything that is unpleasant, because it’s not the way I like to conduct conversations that are as complicated as this.” She noted that, in response to Cattrall’s past comments about Parker, there hasn’t been “anyone else who’s ever talked about me this way,” and it’s “very painful.”
Parker then explained, “We did not ask her to be part of this [the reboot], because she made it clear that that wasn’t something she wanted to pursue, and it no longer felt comfortable for us, and so it didn’t occur to us. But that’s not ‘slamming’ her, it’s just learning. You’ve got to listen to somebody, and if they’re publicly talking about something, and it doesn’t suggest it’s someplace they want to be or a person they want to play or an environment in which they want to be, you get to an age where you’re like, ‘Well, we hear that.’”
The actor also added that it’s “so painful” to hear people refer to the situation as a “catfight.” “I’ve never uttered fighting words in my life about anybody that I’ve worked with ever,” she said. “There is not a ‘fight’ going on. There has been no public dispute or spat or conversations or allegations made by me or anybody on my behalf. I wouldn’t do it. That is not the way I would have it. So I just wish that they would stop calling this a ‘catfight’ or an ‘argument,’ because it doesn’t reflect [reality] actually. There has been one person talking.” Listen to the full episode here.
May 2023
And just like that... Cattrall is joining And Just Like That... albeit very briefly and without filming alongside Parker.
Variety published the bombshell report that Cattrall will be reprising her role as Samantha in the season two finale of the series. Cattrall will only be in one scene, the outlet reported, and per its sources, she “shot her dialogue on March 22 in New York City, without seeing or speaking with the stars of the series, including Sarah Jessica Parker, or with And Just Like That showrunner Michael Patrick King.”
Cattrall will be dressed by Patricia Field, Sex and the City’s original costume designer, who has not been working on the rebooted series. The outlet did caution fans that “Cattrall’s appearance as Samantha will not be a continuation of the character for now.”
Cattrall didn’t immediately confirm the news herself, with her rep not responding to Variety’s request for comment.
June 2023
During a new interview with The Telegraph, Davis spoke openly about the close connection between her, Parker, and Nixon—even mentioning a “secret text with code names” that the three employ. But when asked whether any members of the cast still keep in touch with Cattrall, Davis said: “You have to respect people’s wishes. I’m not gonna waste energy on it. I can’t change anybody.” She continued, “I do understand fans’ feelings—that they’re upset… I wish I could fix it, but I can’t, it’s not in my power.”
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