Even more famous than Sex and the City, is perhaps the now infamous feud between former co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall – who played Carrie Bradshaw and Samantha Jones. Kim once even wrote these iconic words on social media: 'My mom asked me today, when will that hypocrite @sarahjessicaparker leave you alone?' Dirty laundry has been aired, shows have been spoiled (when Kim initially refused to sign up for reboot And Just Like That) and our favourite quartet turned to dust. But the main problem is, SJP has never explained her side of the story.
Until now. Following the bombshell revelation that Kim Cattrall's character will make a cameo in the season two finale. In a new interview with the New Yorker, SJP finally broke her silence, telling writer Rachel Syme: 'It’s the weirdest thing, to be told we’re in a catfight. I would never speak poorly about Kim. I just wouldn’t.' She also said that Michael Patrick King, the show's writer, had 'begged' her not to discuss the Cattrall cameo in the interview, but she did admit, 'I am in the scene.'
Fans are understandably delighted at Cattrall's triumphant return, albeit a fleeting one. They were devastated when, after six seasons and two films, Samantha Jones bowed out of the franchise. Kim famously said: 'I don't want to be in a situation for even an hour where I'm not enjoying myself.' Then when the show's most recent spin-off And Just Like That launched in 2021, Samantha Jones was nowhere to be seen (although she was ever-present in the story)
Kim confirmed the news by sharing the Variety story on her Instagram page with the caption, 'happy pride'. It is reported to be one of the most expensive cameos in television history.
Speaking to British Vogue, Michael Patrick King, said he'd hoped to leave an empty chair between Charlotte and Carrie in the season two promo poster so that fans would predict who the chair was for. 'Is the chair for Steve? Is it for Aidan? Is it for Samantha? Because you would immediately think it's for Samantha.'
Then back to his usual ambiguity, he added, 'I don't tell people what I'm giving them for a gift until they open it. You can know you're getting a gift, but what's in the box is still [my] secret.' Nevertheless, he was quick to dispel rumours that the season will be anchored by the 'is Samantha coming back?' storyline. 'Samantha has been in And Just Like That – her personality, her vibration, her friendship. So she's in it again, and it's now going to be more.'
Does that mean the cameo will mark her return to the show? Or will his insistence that Samantha's spirit lives on even if Kim's quit the show and fallen out with the cast be all we get? Unfortunately, we still don't really know.
In terms of tea, it's more of a drop than a steaming hot cup, but it will do. Season two airs on Thursday 22 June on HBO and NOW TV, so fans don't have to wait long to find out how (and why) Samantha returns.