With the news that the Sex and the City revival is coming to HBO Max, fans have been questioning why Kim Cattrall is no longer associated with the series.
In the initial series order announcement of And Just Like That, the new name for the series, Cattrall was not mentioned, seemingly confirming that she would not be reprising the role of Samantha.
The actress previously confirmed she had no intention of returning to the franchise amid claims of a feud between her and co-star Sarah Jessica Parker.
A fan commented on Instagram Cattrall would not be returning because “they dislike each other,” prompting Parker to write the following in response.
“No. I don’t dislike her. I’ve never said that. Never would.” the series lead wrote, adding:
”Samantha isnt part of this story. But she will always be part of us. No matter where we are or what we do.”
Cattrall was a pivotal part of the original series and its two movie sequels, but it later emerged that she had said no to returning in a potential third movie.
In a 2017 interview with Piers Morgan, the star said that her answer to the third movie was “Thank you, but no.”
She also addressed rumors that she had been “demanding or a diva,” and opted to blame her co-stars.
“This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City, specifically Sarah Jessica Parker. I think she could have been nicer.”
“It’s a great part,” she said of Samantha, before saying that the show should recast the character with an African-American actress.
“I played it past the finish line and then some, and I loved it. And another actress should play it. Maybe they could make it an African-American Samantha Jones, or a Hispanic Samantha Jones.”
The new HBO Max Original series is based on the book, Sex and the City, by Candice Bushnell and the original TV series created by Darren Star.
The series will follow Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s.
The ten-episode, half-hour series is scheduled to begin production in New York late spring.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.