Kim Cattrall’s return to the Sex and the City universe counts among the reasons Max’s And Just Like That… is one of the most anticipated shows this summer. A revival and sequel to Darren Star’s Sex and the City, the sex comedy-drama developed by Michael Patrick King premiered for Season 1 in December 2021 without Cattrall. Her acclaimed portrayal of Samantha Jones in the original series, which was adapted from Candace Bushnell’s newspaper column, remains the main highlight of a career spanning over four decades. The role earned the British-Canadian actress multiple nominations for coveted awards, including five Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and four Golden Globes for Best Supporting Actress.
Having won the 2002 Golden Globe nomination for her role in the show, Cattrall reprised the character in two feature films, Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010). A third film was proposed for the franchise, but Cattrall publicly declared that she would no longer play Samantha Jones. This decision was sustained when HBO Max green-lit And Just Like That…, which explains why the self-proclaimed try-sexual featured as an unseen character in season 1. As Samantha Jones is central and unique to the Sex and the City story, the excitement surrounding her return to the franchise is palpable. However, she would only appear in the finale of And Just Like That… Season 2.
Kim Cattrall Had a Very Public Falling Out With Sarah Jessica Parker
Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, convinced Kim Cattrall to reprise her iconic role in And Just Like That… Season 2. Be that as it may, the actress is far from resolving her differences with Sarah Jessica Parker and other principal stars of the original show. Cattrall’s decades-long feud with Parker came to light when she disclosed on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross that money was why a third movie never happened. Parker had been an executive producer since Season 2; this reflected in her salary, and Cattrall wanted to be included in the financial windfall.
Sources disclosed that Parker, alongside other stars of the show, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, became unfriendly towards Cattrall for attempting to re-negotiate her earnings. This was why she sat alone while the other three were together at the 2004 Emmy Awards. The hostility lingered for years, albeit subtly, culminating in 2017 when Kim Cattrall was interviewed by British talk show host Piers Morgan. She asserted that she had never been friends with her co-stars and described her relationship with Parker as toxic. Cattrall lost her younger brother Chris Cattrall to suicide the following year, and Parker sent her condolences. This didn’t sit well with Cattrall who denounced Parker in a social media post that read:
“…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.”
The Actress Swore Off the Sex and the City Franchise
The pay disparity and the hostility between Kim Cattrall and other stars inspired her decision to move on from the franchise. She refused to reprise her character for a third movie, saying she “went past the finish line playing Samantha Jones” because she loved the franchise. Cattrall ruled out the possibility of another portrayal and advised getting another actress for the role. Adding that she’s now particular about the people she allows around her, the actress upheld that she would never put herself in a situation where she’s not enjoying herself.
Given that, she wasn’t contacted when And Just Like That… was ordered as King opted to feature Samantha Jones as an unseen character. He attempted to fill her unique aura with other characters, but it wasn’t quite the revival fans anticipated. The show premiered to mixed reviews and that likely prompted Bloys to approach Cattrall. While the actress reached an agreement with the CEO of HBO, she maintained her decision to stay away from Parker and other stars of the show. She reportedly shot her scene without meeting or speaking with them, including the showrunner, Michael Patrick King.
Sarah Jessica Parker Previously Said She Would Not Be OK With Kim Cattrall Returning
Kim Cattrall’s return to the Sex and the City universe for And Just Like That… Season 2 is only for a scene. Yet it means a lot to fans committed to the franchise, who had hitherto embraced the notion of never seeing the four major stars of the original show together. Following Cattrall’s several declarations that she was done playing Samantha Jones, Sarah Jessica Parker disclosed in an interview with Variety that she wouldn’t be comfortable with Cattrall returning for the role.
According to Parker, Cattrall has said a lot about how she feels, and it’s no longer comfortable working with her. In another interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Parker denied mistreating Kim Cattrall, adding that they are not fighting as widely reported. “There is not a fight going on… no public dispute… or allegations made by me or anybody on my behalf… So I just wish that they would stop calling this a catfight…There has been one person talking,” she said.
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