In June 1998, a show that was to revolutionize the entire world hit television:Sex and the City. This production, created by Darren Star and based on the work of Candace Bushnell, follows four women from New York City who stick together as they go through the ups and downs of life, undergoing the most varied situations.Sarah Jessica Parker,Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon were the stars chosen to portray the four women in a project that skyrocketed their careers, most notably Parker’s, to stardom.
In no time,Sex and the Cityshattered the mold and became one of the audience’s favorite shows, and remained so for six seasons, until the end of its run in 2004. The success of the show was so significant that, besides being the recipient of several awards, it kicked off a franchise that was topped off with two movies, a prequel TV series titledThe Carrie Diariesand the revivalAnd Just Like That…, which was released 17 years after the original show’s finale. This TV series is developed by Michael Patrick King and revisits the lives of the women from the original show, who are now in their 50s, but keep their bond as strong as ever.
WhenAnd Just Like That…premiered in 2021, there was something in particular that caught the audience’s attention: Cattrall’s absence from the project. This new show, whose second season is due to arrivelater this month, features Parker, Davis, and Nixon, but the fourthSex and the Cityleading lady is not a member of the cast (though she is set to make a cameo appearance this season). And, as much as Parker and Cattrall played best friends Carrie and Samantha on-screen, the actresses' relationship in real life is quite different from their characters', and both of them have been embroiled in a never-ending feud for years. Here’s what happened between them.
The Show Ends, the Rumors Begin
To the surprise of all fans,Sex and the Citycame to an end in February 2004, with 94 episodes on the air. And almost simultaneously, rumors concerning the show’s conclusion and the relationship between the main actresses spread like wildfire. It seems that, within the set, there was a noticeable rift between Cattrall and the rest of the leads, who had built up a strong friendship, and this isolated her and created tensions among the group. This became even worse after Darren Star, the creator ofSex and the City, stopped being involved in the show and Michael Patrick King gained prominence in it.
On top of the bad blood between the cast actresses, there is something that reportedly played an even major role in the fight between Parker and Cattrall and, furthermore, in the show’s finale: money. As ofSex and the City’s second season, Parker became an executive producer of the show, which considerably increased her salary. As a result, rumors indicate that Cattrall tried to negotiate a raise in her salary, which would not have gone down well with the rest of the cast. The same yearSex and the Cityended, Cattrall was interviewed onFriday Night with Jonathan Rossand confirmed that the termination of the show had to do with money issues: “I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall ofSex and the City,” the actress said. “When they didn’t seem keen on that, I thought it was time to move on” (viaDigital Spy).
Related:Sex and the City: Samantha’s Best Fashion Moments in the Franchise, Ranked
A Third Movie That Never Happened
No matter the reasons that led to the show’s demise, Cattrall stated, back then, that she would play Samantha again “if the deal was right and the script was fabulous.” Thus, in 2008 she joined the cast of the movieSex and the City, as well as Parker, Nixon, and Davis. At the time, there were renewed rumors about Cattrall’s salary negotiations delaying filming, but the movie still made it to theaters. Two years later, a sequel was released, earning horrible reviews, but becoming a massive box-office hit.
Fast-forward a few years after these releases, and audiences were once again thrilled by rumors of a thirdSex and the Citymovie. However, although the project was greenlit, it was eventually canceled after Cattrall opted to skip it. At the time, her decision was reportedly related to disagreements with the film’s script and different requirements she demanded to join the project. However, the actress addressed the matter on Twitter, stating that her only demand was not to do the film, making it clear that she was simply not interested in the project.
The Feud Goes Public
Although rumors of a feud between Parker and Cattrall grew louder and louder, both actresses spent years denying them, although in several interviews, they hinted that there was some truth in them. However, speculations came to an end in 2018, because following the death of Cattrall’s brother, the quarrel between the two actresses went public. In the wake of the incident, Parker took to social media to publicly express her condolences and best wishes to Cattrall, something that the latter did not appreciate at all.
In response to Parker’s message, Cattrall 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” — setting the record straight that things between them were far from fine.
Related:Sex and the City: Does the Series Promote Feminism or Stereotypes?
And Just Like That… Kim Cattrall Comes Back to the Franchise
While the thirdSex and the Citymovie never happened, its script was adapted in order to spawn the show’s revival. But, based on Cattrall’s comments regarding Parker, producers decided to leave her out of the new TV series, focusing exclusively on Parker, Nixon, and Davis' characters. In an interview withTVLine, Max chief content officer Casey Bloys attempted to explain the show’s focus, embodying the fact that “friendships fade” and that “just as in real life, people come into your life, people leave”. The departure of Cattrall’s character is quickly explained in the show’s first episode, letting audiences know that Samantha moved to London after a quarrel with Carrie.
When discussing this project, Cattrall stated that she had not watched it, nor was she interested in taking part in it. However, she recently made headlines following the confirmation that the actress will bereprising her roleas Samantha in the show’s second season. She will be making a brief cameo appearance, and won’t be featured with any of the main actresses, but even so, fans are eager to see her back on-screen.
While this raises the audience’s hopes that she will continue to be involved in the show, it seems that this may not be the case: according toElle, Cattrall agreed to do the scene under the condition that she would not cross paths with any of her former cast mates or showrunner Michael Patrick King. Only time will tell if the feud between these actresses will finally settle down, or if there will be more situations adding fuel to the fire.
