And then there were three. News of the Sex and the City revival series, And Just Like That, came with one major caveat: Kim Cattrall, who played PR maven Samantha Jones, would not be part of the new show.
In January 2021, Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed a “new chapter” of Sex and the City was in development at HBO Max with an Instagram video showing clips of New York City. “I couldn’t help but wonder … where are they now?” she wrote at the time.
The Family Stone actress was nominated for 10 Primetime Emmys during the show’s original run from 1998 to 2004, taking a home a trophy in 2001 for producing and winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004 for her role as Carrie Bradshaw.
When the revival series was announced, HBO confirmed that Carrie’s best friends Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) would be along for the ride too — without Cattrall. Though some fans were disappointed by the news that the quartet had become a trio, others weren’t entirely surprised given the Mannequin star’s highly publicized feud with Parker.
Rumors of tension began in December 2004 as the show was coming to an end. At the time, Cattrall said that she’d asked for a salary of $1 million per episode. “When they didn’t seem keen on that, I thought it was time to move on,” she told Jonathan Ross.
Later, Parker stood up for her former costar’s right to ask for more money, saying that “no one should vilify her” for wanting a pay raise. “People made a decision that we had vilified her,” the Divorce alum explained in May 2008. “No one bothered to say [to the rest of us], ‘Are you disappointed by not making the movie?’ Yes. ‘Do you respect and support her choice to not do it?’ Absolutely.'”
Nearly a decade later, however, things hit a boiling point when news broke that a third Sex and the City film wouldn’t be happening. After Parker said she was “disappointed” by the situation, the late Willie Garson retweeted an article claiming that Cattrall was the reason the movie was off the table. “And that, is that. And sadly, the reasons are true. Period,” he wrote in September 2017.
While the tension had largely been about professional endeavors until that point, things got personal following the death of Cattrall’s brother in February 2018. After Parker sent her condolences via Instagram, the Filthy Rich alum publicly called her out.
“Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “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.”
Though fans held out hope that a reconciliation might happen before the revival began production in spring 2021, there’s been no indication that the Golden Globe winner will make an appearance in the new series. Keep scrolling to see everything the Sex and the City cast and crew have said about Cattrall’s absence from And Just Like That:
When news of the revival first broke, Parker explained that no one person would be replacing Cattrall. “We’re not looking to bring in a fourth character," the former Broadway star told TMZ in January 2021. "We have New York City as a fourth character. There will be lots of interesting, new characters that we’re excited about.” The actress also responded to an Instagram commenter who claimed that Cattrall and Parker dislike one another. “No. I don’t dislike her. I’ve never said that. Never would," the Hocus Pocus star wrote via Instagram. "Samantha isn’t part of this story, but she will always be a part of us. No matter where we are or what we do." Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
“I have to tell you, I have absolutely no idea what her thinking is, or her emotions,” the Equalizer star told The Guardian in December 2021 when asked why he thought Cattrall wasn't participating in the reboot. “I do know that I’m very close with SJ and [Cattrall’s] descriptions of her don’t even come close.” The actor, who will reprise his role as Mr. Big in the revival, went on to say that he feels "protective" of Parker and was "not happy" about Cattrall's comments about her. “I liked [Cattrall], I thought she was marvelous in the show and some people move on for their own reasons," he explained. "I don’t know what hers were. I just wish that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable.” David Fisher/BIFA/Shutterstock
In December 2021, the And Just Like That executive producer said that there were "never" any plans to include Cattrall's character in the revival. “It never was on the radar as four because Kim Cattrall, for whatever reason, didn’t want to play Samantha anymore while we were doing the [third] movie,” King told The Hollywood Reporter. “I never thought, ‘Oh, there’s a hole I have to fill.' Samantha doesn’t not exist in their lives. The show was born of these three characters: What’s their life, and who can I bring in to inform it?” In a separate interview with The New York Times, King confirmed that "nobody's dead" in the new episodes. That includes Garson's character, Stanford Blatch. The White Collar alum died from pancreatic cancer in September 2021. "It wasn’t charming,” the produced explained of his decision not to write Garson's death into the show. “And I knew that the audience would know.” Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Bushnell, who authored the book series that served as a loose inspiration for the original series, wasn't bothered by the fact that Cattrall wouldn't be back for And Just Like That. “You know what, I think it’s fine," the writer told Page Six in January 2021. "Kim is a grown woman. She is 64 and she’s made a decision that I’m sure she has 10 very good reasons for and I respect her for that." Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
Bloys, the chief content officer for HBO and HBO Max, hinted that Samantha's absence would be a normal consequence of friends drifting apart rather than something catastrophic or tragic. “Friendships fade, and new friendships start. So I think it is all very indicative of the real stages, the actual stages of life,” the executive told TVLine in February 2021. “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.” Rob Latour/Shutterstock
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