Kim Cattrall feud timeline: did And Just Like That… star fall out with Sarah Jessica Parker after SATC?

Kim Cattrall will return as PR guru Samanthan Jones, one of the best friends at the centre of the Sex and the City franchise.

Her time on the original show and film spin-offs was not as rosy as it appeared to fans, as she had a major fallout with cast behind the scenes, and later in public after the last movie aired in 2010.

The disagreement between Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker was one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood, and resulted in Cattrall refusing to return to the franchise when the hotly anticipated HBO sequel series And Just Like That… was announced back in January 2021. 

The show catches up with the main cast of Sex and the City, now in their 50s, as they continue to their New York lifestyle - Cattrall’s character was written out of the show with the explanation that she had moved to London. 

Cattrall is now making a limited comeback to the franchise after more than a decade away - but her feud with the cast is far from over.

Why did Kim Cattrall fall out with Sarah Jessica Parker?

Cattrall and Parker’s feud goes back years - despite playing best friends on the show, the pair did not see eye to eye during filming.

Cattrall starred in the Sex and the City series and both film sequels but did not feature in the first season of the new series And Just Like That… However, she is expected to reprise her role in the season two finale.

It was reported in 2017 that Parker, who plays Carrie Bradshaw, and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbes) had previously worked together on Broadway, and quickly became close. When Kristin Davis (Charlotte York) also became close with the pair, Cattrall began to feel left out.

Her feeling of isolation was compounded when original producer Darren Star was replaced by Michael Patrick King, another friend of Parker’s.

The feud is believed to have really got going when Parker became an executive producer on the second season, bringing her salary far ahead of Cattrall’s, who failed to negotiate a higher salary for herself.

It was widely reported that Cattrall did not sit with her co-stars between filming, and even sat apart from them at the 2004 Emmy Awards.

The actress also confirmed that a salary dispute was the cause of the series ending after its sixth season - speaking on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, she said: “I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall of Sex and the City. When they didn't seem keen on that I thought it was time to move on.” 

Despite the long-running feud, Cattrall reprised her role as Samantha in both Sex and the City films, reportedly making $17 million across the two movies. However, she claimed that she didn’t want to return to the franchise after Sex and the City 2.

Speaking on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in 2017, Cattrall said of her co-stars: “We've never been friends - we've been colleagues. I really think [Parker] could have been nicer.” She added that the relationships between the cast were ‘toxic’.

The fallout became even more public in 2018, following the death of Cattrall’s brother, Chris.  Cattrall shared a tribute to her late brother on Instagram, and Parker left a message of support on the post, writing: “My deepest condolences to you and yours. Godspeed to your beloved brother.”

But Parker’s olive branch didn’t go over well as Cattrall responded in a separate post, writing:  “Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven’t already). You are not my family. You are not my friend.”

What have the Sex and the City co-stars said about the Kim Cattrall feud?

The Sex and the City franchise cast have spoken about the rocky relationship between the stars over the years.

Chris Noth, who played Mr. Big but was killed off in season one of And Just Like That… and later hit by a wave of sexual assault allegations, which he denies, said: “'I just wish that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable. I just don’t like to see anyone talking down about SJ because she’s a target and people can be nasty. I feel very protective of her and I was not happy about that.”

Kristin Davis said: “I don't know that we're even trying for closure at this point, or resolution. I think we just thought, here is our character who's been gone. And we know people miss her and Carrie misses her [...] Then I think maybe hopes have been lifted, possibly higher than that. And that was not our intention. So I hope people aren't disappointed.”

Why is Kim Cattrall returning in And Just Like That… season 2?

Cattrall reportedly didn’t return for the first season of And Just Like That… due to disagreements over the storyline, although her feud with the main cast was likely a major factor.

Her return in season two has been confirmed, but the reason behind her decision to make a brief comeback is unclear as her feud seems to still be in full swing. Her return will be a treat for fans of the franchise, as Samatha was a huge part of Sex and the City.

But her appearance in the second season does not reflect an easing in tensions between Cattrall and her co-stars, in fact she is not even expected to share a scene with them in person.

Her cameo appearance, which will consist of one scene in the season two finale, will see Samantha have a phone conversation with best friend Carrie. Cattrall will appear on screen but won’t actually interact with Parker or other cast members. In fact, her scene was reportedly shot in a separate trailer.