The Real Story Behind Kim Cattrall & Sarah Jessica Parker's Explosive SATC Feud

Summary

The feud between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker has overshadowed the legacy of Sex and the City, but both actors deny any real animosity between them.

Cattrall attributed her decision not to reprise her role as Samantha to both pay disparity and personal factors, including a messy divorce and her father's dementia diagnosis. While she debunked rumors of a feud during the making of two Sex and the City movies, she was held responsible for the cancellation of a potential third film. However, Cattrall clarified that creative disagreements and an unsatisfactory script were the primary concerns. Additionally, she did not appear in season 1 of the spinoff series And Just Like That..., but she is scheduled to make a cameo appearance in season 2.

The legacy of Kim Cattrall on Sex and the City, particularly her portrayal of Samantha, has been partly overshadowed by her ongoing feud with co-star Sarah Jessica Parker. Premiering on HBO in 1998, Sex and the City revolves around four distinct women living in New York City, bonding over their romantic and personal escapades. With its progressive and sex-positive storylines, the show became a significant television phenomenon of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its popularity continued even after its conclusion in 2004, leading to the creation of two feature films and a spinoff series.

However, the ongoing feud between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker has cast a cloud over the show's entire legacy. Speculation and media coverage surrounding their supposed animosity has persisted for decades, evolving and intensifying with time. This feud even extended to the production of the SATC spinoff series, And Just Like That.... Despite the show's conclusion after its sixth season, rumors and allegations about the long-standing battle between Cattrall and Parker remain ever-present.

Kim Cattrall Cites Pay As A Reason Why It Was "Time To Move On" From Sex And The City

Despite achieving significant cultural success in 2004, Sex and the City surprisingly wrapped up its run after just six seasons. Although the show left a lasting impact on popular culture, fans were left wanting more as it concluded prematurely. In that same year, Cattrall mentioned pay as one of the reasons for her decision not to reprise her popular role as Samantha (as reported by Digital Spy), which ultimately led to the show's end. Cattrall highlighted a disparity in pay when she stated, "it was time for all of us to share in the financial success of Sex and the City".

While pay played a significant role, Cattrall was not completely opposed to returning to the role after 2004. She expressed that if the conditions were favorable and the script was exceptional, she would consider coming back. Cattrall also revealed in an interview with Marie Claire that her personal circumstances, including her public divorce and her father's dementia diagnosis, were additional factors that influenced her decision to step away from the spotlight for a while. Finally, in 2008, she reunited with the rest of the main Sex and the City cast to reprise her role as Samantha in the first film adaptation.

Kim Cattrall & Sarah Jessica Parker Deny Feud As The 2 Sex And The City Movies Are Released

Despite the pay dispute, Cattrall and Parker managed to collaborate smoothly on the productions of the movies Sex and the City in 2008 and Sex and the City 2 in 2010. Rumors of their feud had been circulating since their days on the TV show, but both actors made efforts to dismiss any talk of discord between them. In an interview with Elle in 2009, Sarah Jessica Parker expressed her affection for Kim, stating, "I don't think anybody wants to believe that I love Kim. I adore her. I wouldn't have done the movie without her."

Cattrall echoed Parker's sentiment, attributing the feud rumors to blatant sexism in the media. She argued, "They have too much invested in the idea of two strong, successful women fighting with each other." The beef between them seemed to be put on hold when the TV show successfully transitioned to the big screen, with both movies gaining significant financial success. Sex and the City grossed over $400 million, and its sequel also performed well financially. The success of the movies had fans eagerly anticipating a third installment, but this would ultimately reignite the supposed feud.

Kim Cattrall Blamed For Sex And The City 3 Movie Not Happening

The potential for Sex and the City 3 seemed like an obvious choice, but the project was officially announced as cancelled in 2017. The Daily Mail and other sources pointed fingers at Kim Cattrall, stating that her "outrageous demands" were the main reason why the movie never came to fruition. Cattrall took to Twitter to deny these claims, stating that she never had a genuine desire to be a part of the project in the first place.

Cattrall later defended her decision by explaining that it was due to creative differences between herself and the rest of the production regarding her character. She believed that the script did not warrant a third film, stating, "I would have preferred for all of us to have some kind of event to justify a third film. That didn't happen" (via Hello!). Despite blame placed on Cattrall, Sarah Jessica Parker dismissed rumors of a feud surrounding Sex and the City 3, acknowledging that the film would be essentially impossible without Cattrall's involvement (via Vanity Fair).

Cattrall's Samantha Jones Does Not Appear In And Just Like That Season 1

With the years passing by, it became evident that Sex and the City 3 was not going to materialize, leaving fans disappointed. However, their excitement was revived with the introduction of a spinoff series called And Just Like That... in 2021, season 1. While the Peloton incident received considerable media attention, the absence of Kim Cattrall's character, Samantha, became the most talked-about aspect of the show's first season. It was explained that Samantha had distanced herself from Carrie and relocated from New York City to London.

Kim Cattrall addressed the storyline involving Samantha in And Just Like That... and confirmed that she had never been approached to appear on the show. Expressing surprise that her character was even featured in the story, Cattrall stated, "I was never asked to be a part of the reboot. I had made my feelings clear after the possibility of a third movie... I found out about it just like everyone else did - through social media." She further mentioned that she had not watched the first season of And Just Like That..., indicating her lack of interest in the project or reprising the role of Samantha.

Kim Cattrall To Make Samantha Jones Cameo In And Just Like That Season 2

Kim Cattrall, who was notably absent in the first season of And Just Like That..., will be reprising her role as Samantha in the show's second season in 2023. It was made clear from the beginning that her return would be a cameo and not a full-time commitment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cattrall's cameo in the season 2 finale was filmed with a small crew, and she did not interact with her former co-stars. Cattrall insisted on a "Samantha style" return and requested the return of former SATC costume designer Pat Field.

Despite previous comments expressing her reluctance to have Cattrall back in the cast, Sarah Jessica Parker had a more positive outlook on her former co-star's cameo appearance. Parker described it as an opportune moment in the story and a nod to the 25 years of Sex and the City, although she did not provide details about the nature of Cattrall's cameo. The feud between Cattrall and Parker did not prevent the show from including a Samantha moment, although it may not have met fans' expectations.