Sarah Jessica Parker is speaking out about her rift with former Sex and the City co-star Kim Cattrall.
On the latest version of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, the And Just Like That… star said that “it’s very hard to talk about the situation with Kim,” but that she wanted “to kind of run through how it happened.”
The star said that her intention in speaking out is to show that this isn’t a two-way “catfight.”
Parker believes the issues date back to 2017, when the widely-reported third Sex and the City movie was revealed to be in the works.
There were reports at the time that Cattrall didn’t sign on for the movie due to contractual demands.
“They didn’t feel comfortable meeting where she wanted to meet, and so we didn’t do the movie because we didn’t want to do it without Kim,” Parker recalled.
“Were we [she and co-stars Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon] disappointed? Sure. But it happens.”
Shortly after, Cattrall claimed that she and Parker had never been friends, and that the latter had behaved cruelly while shooting the original HBO series.
“There were just a lot of public conversations about how she felt about the show,” Parker said, adding that these were “very painful” because they did not reflect “our experience.”
“I’ve spent a lot of years working really hard to always be decent to everybody on the set, to take care of people, to be responsible to and for people, both my employers and the people that I feel I’m responsible for as a producer of the show.”
“And there just isn’t anyone else who’s ever talked about me this way.”
Parker added that Cattrall was a big part of the success of the franchise, but that she wasn’t asked to be a part of And Just Like That… because she had been so adamant about not returning to the franchise.
“It no longer felt comfortable for us, and so it didn’t occur to us. That’s not ‘slamming’ her, it’s just learning,” Parker added.
“You’ve got to listen to somebody, and if they’re publicly talking about something and it doesn’t suggest it’s some place they want to be, or a person they want to play, or an environment in which they want to be, you get to an age where you’re like, ‘Well, we hear that.’”
Parker said that she believes And Just Like That handled Samantha’s exit well.
Parker also shared that she believes the events are being mischaracterized by the media.
“I just want to say one thing, because you’ve allowed me this opportunity: it’s so painful for people to keep talking about this ‘catfight’ — a ‘fight,’ a ‘fight,’ a ‘fight.’ I’ve never uttered fighting words in my life about anybody that I’ve worked with — ever,” Parker said.
“There is not a ‘fight’ going on. There has been no public dispute or spat or conversations or allegations made by me or anybody on my behalf.”
“I wouldn’t do it. That is not the way I would have it. So I just wish that they would stop calling this a ‘catfight’ or an ‘argument,’ because it doesn’t reflect [reality]. There has been one person talking.”
And Just Like That launched in December to a mixed reception from fans and critics, but it was said to be a strong performer on HBO Max.
As a result, the second season was ordered in March.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.