One week after making headlines for his (brief) role in the Sex and the City revival, Chris Noth has been accused of sexual assault.
Triggered by the promotions of And Just Like That, two women came forward and made allegations against the 67-year-old actor to The Hollywood Reporter.
One woman, who goes by Zoe in the Thursday, December 16, report, alleged that Noth “rape[d] her from behind” in 2004 after meeting him at a high-profile firm with celebrity clients. Zoe, who was 22 at the time, alleged that he would “flirt” with her at the Los Angeles office and invited her to his West Hollywood apartment. After he kissed her, Zoe claimed he assaulted her and “laughed” when she asked him to put on a “condom” amid the “painful” experience.
“I realized there was blood on my shirt. I got out of there. I went to my friend’s apartment [in the same building],” she told the outlet, claiming that she went to the hospital after the alleged encounter. “I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldn’t say who it was.”
The second woman, Lily, allegedly met Noth when she was 25, working as a server at a New York City nightclub in 2015. He invited her to his NYC apartment after a night of drinking.
“He said marriage is a sham. Monogamy is not real,” Lily claimed, telling the outlet that the next thing she knew Noth, who is married to Tara Wilson, “was having sex with me from the back in a chair. We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened. … I went to the bathroom and put on my skirt. I was feeling awful. Totally violated. All of my dreams with this star I loved for years were gone.”
Noth declined the claims in a statement to Us Weekly: “The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. These stories could’ve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago — no always means no — that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual. It’s difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don’t know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.”
Earlier this month, Noth reprised his role as Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) husband, Mr. Big, for the premiere of And Just Like That, which started streaming on HBO Max on Thursday, December 9. At the end of the first episode, Big has a heart attack and dies after riding his Peloton bike.
“[I asked,] ‘You wanna come in and die?’ And then he was like, ‘Of course, no, who wants to?’” creator Michael Patrick King told Us Weekly and other reporters about Noth’s reaction to the story line. “We started talking about the character and what it would mean. Then Chris and I worked a lot, and it was a thrill because he has great instincts, great story instincts.”
Despite initial hesitation, the showrunner said Noth was “really pleased” with Big’s role in the revival of the drama, which originally ran from 1998 to 2004.
“Together, what we came up with is exactly how he left and why he left and how he would leave and what their last moments would be,” King said. “We’re both very happy with the daring choice to have Mr. Big come back and go.”
Following the episode’s release, Peloton stock dropped as fans were outraged over Mr. Big’s death. Teaming up with the brand and Ryan Reynolds, Noth poked fun at the fake tragedy, starring in an ad with real-life Peloton instructor Jess King (who played fake fitness instructor Allegra in And Just Like That).
“To new beginnings,” he told King in the commercial. “I feel great. Should we take another ride? Life’s too short not to.”
In a voiceover, Reynolds explained: “And just like that, the world was reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cycling strengthens your heart muscles, lowers resting pulse and reduces blood fat levels. He’s alive!”
Known for being Parker’s onscreen husband, Noth married Wilson in 2012. The couple share sons Orion, 13, and Keats, 21 months.
If you or someone you know have been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
