The first season of And Just Like That was much anticipated, endlessly discussed, and at its conclusion, significantly dissected, as we anticipated a Season 2 announcement (the season was recently green-lit for a second season). While her presence (and text messages) were seen throughout the run of And Just Like That, the character of Samantha Jones (and her portrayer Kim Cattrall) were both conspicuously silent about the re-imagination of Sex and the City. In a new interview with Variety (to promote her roles on both How I Met Your Father and the Peacock reboot of Queer As Folk), Cattrall spoke openly about her decision to not return to the next chapter of the HBO show, saying about any discussions of her stepping back into Samantha Jones’ stilettos that “I was never asked to be part of the reboot. I made my feelings clear after the possible third movie, so I found out about it like everyone else did — on social media”
While Cattrall did confirm some of the rumors about the script from the third movie (calling rumors that she would receive unwanted pictures from Brady Hobbes “heartbreaking”), she also plainly said that “the series is basically the third movie. That’s how creative it was”). While Cattrall seemed surprised about seeing Samantha return (via text message) in And Just Like That, she expressed her wishes for what she wishes the third Sex and the City film that never happened would have been. Cattrall said “I would have preferred for all of us to have some kind of event to warrant a third film. That didn’t happen. But also, I was ready. And this is exactly what I wished for: to be in different places playing different characters because I’m a character actress. And as difficult as it was, and as scary as it is to stand up and not be bullied by the press or the fans or whomever — to just say, I’m good. I’m on this track. It was so great working with you. I so enjoyed it, but I’m over here”.
As for the future, Cattrall seems eager to dive into the new role of Brenda on the Peacock reboot of Queer As Folk, who is a well to do grand dame-and grandmother-in the Big Easy (the reboot of the 1999 Showtime series is set in New Orleans). Cattrall (who says she is “so proud to be a part of it, because it is daring”) describes Brenda as “a real combination of a couple of women I know, just with their fortitude. So I just channeled that, and also I felt for her because she was lonely. Women who have an empty nest, who have too much time, too much money, where do they go”. As for the signature smolder that Cattrall has perfected on screen in a multitude of her characters? That will also be front and center on Queer As Folk, with Cattrall teasing about Brenda “Oh, my God, she goes crazy. I had my first nonbinary love scene”.
As for ever returning to the Sex and the City quartet as Samantha, Cattrall was professional, yet steadfast. While the text messages throughout the show did lean into a possible return of Ms. Jones, when she was asked Cattrall said in part “I think the original show is really amazing, but that was a different time….That’s a no. It’s powerful to say no”.
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She’s moved on and I think fans should too. She’s said that they should pick another person to join the other women. Maybe they should? Someone not like the Samantha character, but a new character. Saw that first episode of AJLT and I can say, maybe they should’ve not done that show. It really made those women really old and out of touch. Plus HD didn’t do them any favors.
wgaf what these demented degenerates think?
Having seen Ms. Cattrall onstage in Private Lives on Broadway, I hope she’ll do more theater work. She’s an outstanding actress!