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Sarah Jessica Parker has spoken at length about the rift in their relationship for the first time Kim Cattrall – who, like Parker, was one of the four main stars of the seminal HBO comedy series Sex and the City and its two theatrical adaptations, playing Samantha alongside Parker’s Carrie — and why Cattrall wasn’t asked to be a part of it And just like thatthe SATC Revival series that recently had its first season on HBO Max.
Speak with Scott Feinberg on THR‘s Awards Chatter Podcast Parker acknowledged that “it’s very hard to talk to Kim about the situation” but that she “kinda wanted to go through how it happened” to clarify why it’s not actually the mutual “catfight” which the media have portrayed it to be. As she put it, “One person spoke.”
According to Parker, the problems with Cattrall could date back to 2017, when a third Sex and the City The film was considered, but fell apart over contractual demands Cattrall made to Warner Bros., the studio charged with financing and distributing the film. (Reportedly, Cattrall made her participation conditional on the studio greenlighting an independent project of hers.) I don’t want to do it without Kim,” Parker said. “We were [she and costars Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon] disappointed? Secure. But it happens.”
However, Cattrall then began publicly beating Parker and accusing Parker of being cruel to her during the original run Sex and the CityShe claimed the two were never really friends [and saying the same of her relationship with Davis and Nixon] and even dismissed Parker’s condolences after Cattrall’s brother died in 2018.
“There was just a lot of public conversation about how she felt about the show,” Parker said Awards Chatter — Conversations that Parker found “very painful” because they didn’t reflect “our experience.” [meaning hers, Davis’s or Nixon’s] and because she added: “I’ve spent many years working really hard to always be decent to everyone on set, caring about people, taking responsibility to and for people, both my employers and I also feel responsible for the people I am as the producer of the show. And there’s just no one who’s ever spoken of me like that.”
While Parker readily acknowledged that Cattrall was “a huge contributor to the success” of the Sex and the City Series and movies, she also explained: “We didn’t ask her to be part of it [And Just Like That…] because she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want to pursue this any further, and it doesn’t feel comfortable for us anymore, so it didn’t occur to us. This isn’t “slamming”, it’s just learning. You have to listen to someone, and if they’re speaking publicly about something and it doesn’t indicate that it’s a place they want to be, or a person they want to play with, or an environment they want to be in, You’re getting to an age where you’re like, ‘Well, let’s hear that.'”
Parker further noted, “We felt comfortable going on without her and without that part because we knew what Michael [Patrick King, the AJLT showrunner] wanted to do it. And we thought he handled it beautifully.” [On AJLT, Samantha’s absence is attributed to a falling out that she had with Carrie after Carrie informed her that her services as a publicist were no longer needed.]
Parker concluded her remarks about Cattrall by asking the media to stop mischaracterizing what happened: “I just want to say one thing because you’ve given me this opportunity: it’s so painful for people to keep talking about this ‘catfight’ to speak. – a “fight”, a “fight”, a “fight”. Never in my life have I uttered combative words about anyone I’ve worked with – ever. There is no “fight” taking place. There was no public dispute or spit or talk or accusations made by me or anyone on my behalf. I would not do it. I wouldn’t have it like that. So I just wish they would stop calling this a “catfight” or an “argument” because it doesn’t reflect [reality]. A person spoke.”
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You can listen below [starting at 58:20] or read Parker’s full, unedited notes on Cattrall…
It’s pretty easy you know? I will be as clear as possible. It’s very difficult to talk to Kim about the situation because – I’ve been so careful never to say anything uncomfortable because I don’t like having complicated conversations like that, you know? So I’ll kind of go through it – I think, honestly, the best way to do it is kind of go through how it happened.
The studio, when we were going to do the third film, there were things they asked for that they couldn’t do. They weren’t comfortable meeting where she wanted to meet, so we didn’t do the film because we didn’t want to do it without Kim and the studio didn’t want to do it, so it fell apart. It wasn’t like she said no to the film; It’s like the studio said no to the film, which you know is happening. And every actor has the right to ask for things, to have a contract that feels good to them. I would never have disputed that, because to be honest, it’s none of my business. Were we disappointed? Secure. But it happens.
And then there was just a lot of public talk about how she felt about the show. And again, it’s not my place to say, “You’re wrong,” you know, “it was a great thing for you,” I don’t know. [But] this is not our experience. And I’ve spent many years working really hard to always be decent to everyone on set, to care about people, to be responsible for and for people, both my employers and the people for which I feel responsible as the producer of the show. And there’s just no one who’s ever talked about me like that, so it’s very painful.
She made a big contribution to the success I think you know? Your performance of the role was wonderful and filling, wasn’t it? There were four points in the picture and they were all important. But we didn’t ask her to be there because she made it clear that she doesn’t want to pursue this any further and it doesn’t feel comfortable for us anymore, so it didn’t occur to us. This isn’t “slamming”, it’s just learning. You have to listen to someone, and if they’re speaking publicly about something and it doesn’t indicate that it’s a place they want to be, or a person they want to play with, or an environment they want to be in, You’re getting to an age where you’re like, “Well, we hear that.”
We depended heavily on Michael [Patrick King] address it [on the show] and figuring out how we can talk about Samantha’s absence because we have such affection for Samantha, and we wouldn’t have affection for Samantha — I mean, it’s all connected to Kim, so you can draw the natural conclusion that it’s there because of Kim’s work. But we felt comfortable going on without her and without that part because we knew what Michael wanted to do. And we thought he handled it beautifully – that she was there and she was present – and that was kind of nice for all of us and, I think, the audience.
I hope I’ve discussed this in a way that makes sense.
And I just want to say one thing because you’ve given me this opportunity: It’s so painful for people to keep talking about this “catfight” – a fight, a fight, a fight. Never in my life have I uttered combative words about anyone I’ve ever worked with. There is no “fight” taking place. There was no public dispute or spit or talk or allegations made by me or anyone on my behalf. I would not do it. I wouldn’t have it like that. So I just wish they would stop calling this a “catfight” or an “argument” because it doesn’t really reflect – There was a person speaking. And I’m not going to ban her or anyone, so that was kind of painful for me too.
