Sarah Jessica Parker has ruled out any possibility of a return for Kim Cattrall to the Sex and the City family, saying there’s ‘just too much public history of feelings on her part’ for any peace-making.
Kim, who so memorably played Samantha Jones in the SATC series and films, rejected Sarah’s sympathy when her brother died in 2018, posting on Instagram: “I don’t need your love or support at this time”.
The ill feeling between the two was an open secret, but this time it became very public.
Fast forward three years and it was no surprise to see that Kim wasn’t involved in the SATC follow-up series, And Just Like That…, although the presence of Samantha was alluded to many times in the series, which has been a hit since launching on Sky Comedy and NOW in the UK in December.
In fact, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah) is busy texting Samantha in the finale as she tries to arrange a make-up meeting with her friend, for they've fallen out in fiction as well as fact. But this is as far as Samantha’s presence will ever go in any future series.
“We didn’t go for Kim for this,” Sarah told Variety. “After we didn’t do the [third] movie and the studio couldn’t meet what she wanted to do, we have to hear her and listen to her and what was important to her. It didn’t fit into what was important or needed for us."
Sarah added: “I don’t think I would [invite her back], because I think there’s just too much public history of feelings on her part that she’s shared.
Sarah clarified that there was a big distinction between Kim and Samantha. “Samantha’s not gone. Samantha’s present, and I think handled with such respect and elegance. She wasn’t villainised. She was a human being who had feelings about a relationship, so I think we found a way to address it which was necessary and important for people that loved that character. But I think we’ve also discovered there are lots of voices that can be meaningful to Carrie in new ways, but also in familiar ways.
“So I think we would carry on as we have.”
It's not confirmed that there will be more And Just Like That..., although Sarah says she ‘definitely’ wants to make more episodes while there is ‘momentum’.
