Image Source: Getty / Kevin Mazur [1]
Kim Cattrall is officially returning for a cameo in Max's "Sex and the City" revival, [2] "And Just Like That," but it sounds like things are still tense between the star and some of her costars. Rumors about a feud between Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker have swirled for years, and in a June 9 interview with The Telegraph [3], fellow "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis did little to lay those rumors to rest. "You have to respect people's wishes. I'm not gonna waste energy on it," she told the outlet about the "And Just Like That" cast's relationship with Cattrall. Davis also noted that none of the show's lead cast members are still in touch with Cattrall.
Whispers about tensions between Cattrall and Parker have been around for a long time, but things came to a head in 2017 when the latter revealed she was "disappointed" that there would not be a "Sex and the City 3" in an interview with Extra [4]. Shortly after, an article in the Daily Mail [5] blamed the movie's cancellation on Cattrall's "demands" and "ultimatums." Cattrall later told Piers Morgan [6] that she thought Parker "could have been nicer" about the whole thing and called the "Sex and the City" set "toxic." The pair never seemed to be able to resolve their issues.
It's unclear exactly how Cattrall was persuaded to join "And Just Like That" for its second season, as in a May 2022 interview with Variety [8], she seemed set on staying away from the show as she had in 2017. "Everything in me went, 'I'm done.' . . . And you can't go against that feeling," she said. "I don't ever want to be on a set and not want to be there." Still, it seems that Cattrall's surprising return to the "Sex and the City" franchise may be a tribute to Samantha's devoted fans more than anything else, as the actor celebrated the news on Instagram by sharing an article about it along with the caption, "Happy Pride."
Ahead, look back on her feud with Parker over the years.
— Additional reporting by Monica Sisavat [9] and Eden Arielle Gordon [10]
A Timeline of Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall's Feud
- Sept. 28, 2017: Parker announces there will be no "Sex and the City 3." After much speculation [12], Parker told Extra that the third movie installment of the beloved HBO series would no longer be happening. "It's not halted, it's over. We're not doing it," she said. "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 more so for that audience that has been so vocal in wanting another movie."
- Sept. 28, 2017: The Daily Mail [13] reports that Cattrall's "outrageous demands" were to blame. According to the publication, Cattrall made "demands" and "ultimatums" to Warner Bros. that caused "Sex and the City 3" to be shelved. Per Us Weekly [14], Willie Garson, who played Stanford Blatch, later seemed to confirm the reports when he retweeted the Daily Mail's article, writing, "And that, is that. And sadly, the reasons are true. Period."
- Sept. 29, 2017: Cattrall speaks out. Shortly after news about "Sex and the City 3"'s cancelation circulated, the actor responded to reports on Twitter.
Woke 2 a @MailOnline [15] 💩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 [16]
- Oct. 3, 2017: Cattrall tells her side of the story. During an appearance on Piers Morgan's "Life Stories," per the Daily Mail [17], Cattrall denied rumors that she made any demands for the movie and talked about her relationship with Parker. "It's quite extraordinary to get any kind of negative press about something that I've been saying for almost a year of 'no' that I'm demanding or a diva," Cattrall stated. "This is really where I take to task the people from 'Sex and the City' and specifically Sarah Jessica Parker in that I think she could have been nicer. I don't know what her issue is, I never have."
Cattrall also called her relationship with the other women from her franchise "toxic," adding that "the common ground that we had was the series and the series is over." She then revealed that she and the cast have never been close. "We've never been friends," the actor added. "We've been colleagues and in some way, it's a very healthy place to be." Cattrall also said that she couldn't remember the last time [18] she spoke to her former costars. "Another thing that's really disappointing is that nobody ever picks up the phone and tries to contact you and say, 'How you doing?' That would have been the way to handle it." She did admit, though, that she felt "a genuine affection" for Parker and that she wouldn't rule out a reconciliation — though she said that she had no plans to play sex-crazed PR guru Samantha ever again. "Me playing her, that I can assure you will never happen," she said. "For me it's over, it's over with no regrets. I just wish that Sarah had been nicer." Cattrall added, "I've moved on, this is what my 60s are about, they're about me making decisions for me, not my career, for me. And that feels frickin' fantastic."
- Jan. 10, 2018: Parker makes light of the drama. While promoting her show "Divorce" on "The Late Show," per Entertainment Tonight [19], Parker joked that Stephen Colbert could take on the role of Samantha. "According to just very recent documentation about why we're not making it ['Sex and the City 3'] is because the part usually played by Kim Cattrall has been vacated," Parker explained. "Perhaps you'd want to play Samantha?"
- Jan. 17, 2018: Parker also offers the role of Samantha to Ellen DeGeneres. During a stop on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," per E! [20], Parker proposed that DeGeneres audition to play Samantha. "There's a period of grief, a mourning process, and then perhaps we'll be able to consider, say for instance, you playing Samantha," Parker said. "I'll offer you the same opportunity."
- Jan. 17, 2018: Cattrall gets word of Parker's suggestion. Following Parker's appearance on "Ellen," Cattrall responded to the news on Twitter, writing, "She'd be fabulous! 👍👍."
She'd be fabulous! 👍👍
— Kim Cattrall (@KimCattrall) January 17, 2018 [21]
- Feb. 8, 2018: Parker sends her condolences to Cattrall following her brother's death. After finding out that Cattrall's brother passed away [22] in February, Parker offered her condolences to the actor and her family. "I can't begin to know how her family is managing such a loss," Parker told Extra [23]. "We all send her our love and condolences and grant her the privacy that she's asked for."
- Feb. 10, 2018: Cattrall lashes out at Parker. Just days after Parker publicly reached out, Cattrall called out Parker on Instagram [24], claiming her support was insincere. "My Mom asked me today 'When will that [Sarah], that hypocrite, leave you alone?'" Cattrall wrote. "Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now." She also included a link to the New York Post's [25] article that chronicled "the mean-girls culture that destroyed" the show.
- Feb. 14, 2018: Parker says there is "no fight" between her and Cattrall. In an interview with People [26], Parker denied that there was ever a fight between her and Cattrall because she never actually responded to Cattrall's comments. "I never talked about it, except [to say] that some of us were disappointed [about the movie not happening]," Parker said. "But I never responded to the conversation Kim had with Piers Morgan, where she said things that were really hurtful about me. We had this experience and it was amazing, and nothing will ever be like it. 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."
- Feb. 21, 2018: Jason Lewis weighs in. The actor, who played Samantha's boyfriend Smith Jerrod, was asked about the ongoing drama between Parker and Cattrall [27] in an interview with KTLA. "Sarah was so always so lovely and such a consummate professional," he said. "I think that people should remember their graciousness and the things that have been given to them. And I'm gonna stop there because I've got nothing good to say."
- August 10, 2019: Cattrall explains her reasons for leaving "Sex and the City" behind. In an interview with The Guardian [28], Cattrall said 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," she added. "I couldn't understand why they wouldn't just replace me with another actress instead of wasting time bullying. No means no." She also delivered the instantly iconic line, "I don't want to be in a situation for even an hour where I'm not enjoying myself."
- June 2, 2022: Parker explains why Cattrall wasn't invited back for "And Just Like That." In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter [29], Parker denied her involvement in the feud and said that she believed Cattrall did not want to return for the reboot. "We did not ask her to be part of this 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," Parker said. "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 some place 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.'"
Parker also said that her relationship with Cattrall has been a source of pain for her. "I just want to say one thing, because you've allowed me this opportunity: It's so painful for people to keep talking about this 'catfight' — a 'fight,' a 'fight,' a 'fight.' 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]. There has been one person talking."
- May 31, 2023: Cattrall agrees to star in "And Just Like That" season two. In a shocking move, Variety reported that Cattrall is making a cameo in the show's second season. According to the outlet, the scene will be a phone call between Parker and Cattrall's characters. Cattrall later confirmed the news in an Instagram post [30].
- June 12, 2023: Kristin Davis reveals that the "And Just Like That" cast still have issues with Cattrall. In an interview with The Telegraph, Davis said she doesn't want to "waste" energy on the tensions with Cattrall but also clarified that the "And Just Like That" cast haven't remained in touch with her. "I can't change anybody," Davis added, noting that to fans' chagrin, Cattrall doesn't actually appear onscreen with any of her costars in the cameo. "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."
"And Just Like That" season two premieres on Max on June 22.