Where Do SJP & Kim Cattrall Stand Now? Jacopo Raule - Getty ImagesThe very first episode of Sex and the City premiered 25 years ago, and the series is remembered for its larger-than-life fashion and flings. But even more controversial than some of the episodes is the enduring offscreen drama between stars Sarah Jessica Parker (who played Carrie Bradshaw) and Kim Cattrall (who played Samantha Jones). Even since the early days of SATC, there have been rumors of infighting between the pair and speculation has only strengthened with Cattrall's absence from And Just Like That... an HBO Max revival about Carrie, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis).
Here, a deep dive into the history of this supposed feud.
December 2004Back in 2004, Cattrall appeared on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, where she admitted money was part of the reason the show ended. "I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall of Sex and the City," she said. "When they didn't seem keen on that I thought it was time to move on." At the time, the show did not move forward with a seventh season or a movie.
Getty ImagesMay 2008A report in the Telegraph addressed the rumors that Parker and Cattrall long had tensions over money. Parker was given an executive producer title back in the second season, which bumped her salary up to $300,000, causing Cattrall to reportedly negotiate for a higher salary. The Telegraph reported that crew members said the girls were not happy about this and "wouldn't even sit with [Cattrall] at mealtimes."Getty ImagesMay 2008The report also addressed the 2004 Emmy Awards where Parker, Nixon, and Davis all sat together while Cattrall sat by herself. In response, Cattrall said, "Are we the best of friends? No. We're professional actresses. We have our own separate lives."Getty ImagesMay 2008Though in the same report, Parker said the cast were friends: "Honestly, we are all friends and I wish I saw more of Kim. She mentioned money and no one should vilify her for it. People made a decision that we had vilified her."Getty ImagesAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJune 2008Marie Claire asked Cattrall about the rumor that she was the holdout on making the first movie. In response, Cattrall said, "Four years ago I was going through a painful public divorce, the series was coming to an end, and my father was diagnosed with dementia. I felt it was time to be with my real family. A year-and-a-half ago, when I was sent the script, I was ready and strong enough to revisit Samantha. In some ways, I'm glad we waited. The script and the experience of making the movie was the best possible reunion."Getty ImagesJune 2008In the same interview, Darren Star, the creator of the series touched on the rumored drama: "I think you have to draw the line between what's happening in gossip columns and what's happening on a set. You can't create that kind of chemistry. When you do a series for so many years, you can't fake it completely."Getty Images2009As reported by the New York Post, a 2009 article in New York magazine said Parker and Cattrall were no longer speaking, "making everyone on the set of the new Sex and the City movie uncomfortable." Sex and the City 2 was released in 2010.
Getty ImagesNovember 2009When ELLE asked Parker about the rumors that Cattrall didn't get along with the other cast members, she said, "I don't think anybody wants to believe that I love Kim. I adore her. I wouldn't have done the movie without her. Didn't and wouldn't."Getty ImagesAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJanuary 2010Then when the Daily Mail brought up Parker's ELLE comments to Cattrall, she said, "I think Sarah was right: People don't want to believe that we get on. They have too much invested in the idea of two strong, successful women fighting with each other. It makes for juicy gossip and copy. The truth of us being friends and getting along and happily doing our jobs together is nowhere near as newsworthy. I think Sarah is fantastic. She is a born leader and she guides the crew and the cast in such a strong but gentle way. She and I are sick of this. It's exhausting talking about it, and a real bore."Getty ImagesMay 2010The cast did an interview for Marie Claire, where Parker said sometimes "feelings get hurt" on set, and Nixon said, "it hasn't always been smooth sailing, but the idea that we're somehow adversarial is ludicrous."Getty ImagesMay 2010In the same interview, Cattrall shared her disappointment at the perceived feud: "...the press has to put women in these boxes, rather than show them as the movie portrays them: working together and being powerful. Things just have to be explosive for no other reason than for people's imaginations."Getty ImagesMay 2010Davis also talked about a tabloid story that said she and Cattrall would eat in their hotel restaurant but not sit together: "When I would get back from the set, I would go to the gym and get room service. I'm