It is what it is! Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell has no doubt that the upcoming revival will be a hit — even without Kim Cattrall involved.
“You know what, I think it’s fine. Kim is a grown woman. She is 64 and she’s made a decision that I’m sure she has 10 very good reasons for and I respect her for that,” the writer, 62, told Page Six on Wednesday, January 13, after news broke that a revival of the early 2000s dramedy based on her 1997 novel is heading to HBO Max. “I also think it will be interesting. But I also know there’s a lot of interesting characters like [Cynthia Nixon‘s] Miranda. We are all Mirandas. Miranda is an interesting character — but I don’t know what they’re gonna do.”
On Sunday, January 10, Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed that a new series, titled And Just Like That, will follow Carrie Bradshaw (Parker), Miranda Hobbs (Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) as they navigate friendship and relationships in their 50s. Cattrall played Samantha Jones in the original series and in the two films that followed, which hit theaters in 2008 and 2010. A third movie was in the works in 2016, but Parker, 55, later revealed that it had been scrapped.
Cattrall has been vocal about her desire to distance herself from the Darren Star series for years and has hinted at negative experiences with Parker behind-the-scene, telling Piers Morgan in 2017 that the designer “could have been nicer.” Weeks before the new HBO Max reboot made headlines, Cattrall admitted that she felt “lucky” to be excluded from the conversation.
“It was a lot of fun and I loved it and being in new territory is always exciting. I felt like we were,” she said of the original project in December on the “Women’s Prize for Fiction” podcast. “I’m lucky enough to have the choice, not that I haven’t worked for it. I have.”
While the Filthy Rich star hasn’t spoken out about the revival, she seemed to make her feelings clear after “liking” a fan’s tweet regarding her absence. “I absolutely love Sex and the City and whilst I am saddened that Samantha will not return, I applaud doing what is best for you and think this is [a] great example of putting yourself first. Well done @KimCattrall,” the post read.
Despite fans’ disappointment, Bushnell thinks Cattrall made the right decision by stepping back from her iconic character. “Kim should be happy — and I think she is happy,” she said on Wednesday, adding that Samantha Jones will continue to be “an inspiration” for the show’s creators and viewers alike. “So somehow, I imagine she’ll be there in spirit and as an inspiration that gives them a chance of exploring sexuality with different characters.”
Rumors of bad blood between Cattrall and Parker are continuing to spread in the wake of the new series’ announcement. When one fan claimed that the former costars “dislike each other” after noticing that Cattrall wasn’t tagged in Parker’s post, the Emmy winner was quick to clear the air.
“No. I don’t dislike her,” the Hocus Pocus star replied. “I’ve never said that. Never would. Samantha isn’t part of this story, but she will always be a part of us. No matter where we are or what we do. X.”
