“Our show has always been about breakups. The obstacle was that Kim moved on. She doesn’t wanna play Samantha. So what do we do about Samantha?”

It’s no secret that there’s always been drama on the set of “Sex and the City.” Since early on in the series, rumors have swirled that stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall didn’t get along, causing friction between the cast. Over time, the women have tried to clear things up but in the past 12 months, it became obvious that Kim just didn’t want to be a part of the cast any longer.

When the show’s reboot “And Just Like That…” was announced in early 2021, Kim was notably missing from the lineup. Obviously, fans had a lot of questions about what had gone down behind the scenes but Kim has remained mostly mum about her departure. But that definitely doesn’t mean there wasn’t drama!

Here’s every twist and turn of the Samantha drama in 2021…

“And Just Like That…” Is Announced

In January, the 10 episode “Sex and the City” reboot was announced. “And Just Like That…” was set to follow Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda as they navigated the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. Notably missing from the lineup was Kim Cattrall’s infamous character Samantha.

“I couldn’t help but wonder… where are they now?” Sarah Jessica wrote in her Instagram announcement.

Sarah Jessica Parker Responds to Comments About Kim’s Absence

Following the announcement of the reboot, many fans had questions about where Kim was and how her absence would be addressed in the show. While one fan commented that they would miss her, Sarah Jessica agreed, writing, “We will too. We loved her so.” Meanwhile, another commenter insinuated that the former co-stars still disliked each other and Sarah Jessica shot down the rumors once again.

“No. I don’t dislike her. I’ve never said that. Never would. Samantha isn’t part of this story. But she will always be part of us. No matter where we are or what we do,” she shared in the comment section.

“And Just Like That…” Begins Filming

In July, the “Sex and the City” reboot began filming in New York City where Sarah Jessica could be seen working alongside Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis. Despite many other original cast members joining the women on set, Kim was nowhere to be found, making it a near certainty that she wouldn’t be returning for the series.

Chris Noth Speaks Out About Kim Cattral & Sarah Jessica Parker’s Feud

Ahead of the show’s premiere in December, recently embattled Chris Noth, who plays Mr. Big in the series, spoke out about rumors of Kim and Sarah Jessica’s ongoing feud. While he said he “liked” Kim and believed she was “marvelous” as Samantha, he never understood her negative characterizations of Sarah Jessica. In fact, he expressed that he wished “that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable.”

“I have to tell you, I have absolutely no idea what her thinking is, or her emotions. I do know that I’m very close with SJ and [Kim’s] descriptions of her don’t even come close. 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. That’s all I’ll say about that,” Chris told The Guardian.

As for why Kim chose not to return to the series, Chris said he was sure she had her own reasons but he didn’t know them.

Kristin Davis Addresses Kim Cattrall’s Absence From “And Just Like That…”

Just days before the series premiered, Kristin was asked whether Kim’s departure from the show would be addressed. Kristen was happy to discuss the matter and let fans know that the series would explain where the former stars went and noted that she would never be truly gone from the show.

“We love Samantha. Samantha is never not going to be a part in some way, right? So there is respect for Samantha. It’s part of the story. We’d never disrespect Samantha,” Kristin said on the “Today” show.

The “And Just Like That…” Premiere Explains Samantha’s Absence

On December 9, “And Just Like That…” premiered and fans finally got answers as to just where Samantha went. Within the first few minutes of the first episode, it was revealed that Samantha had moved to London for work. The relocation came shortly after a falling out with Carrie, which stemmed from the writer removing Samantha as her publicist. Although the other women tried to reach out, Samantha never returned their calls or texts.

“I told her that because of what the book business is now, it didn’t make sense for me to keep her on as a publicist. She said fine and then fired me as a friend…I understand that she was upset, but I thought that I was more to her than an ATM,” Carrie said during a walk with Charlotte and Miranda.

Showrunner Michael Patrick King Explains Why They Chose To Have Samantha Move

After the show’s premiere, showrunner Michael Patrick King explained why they chose to have Samantha move to London. He noted that while it did leave room for her to return, “there was never a conscious thought of any return.”

“Our show has always been about breakups. The obstacle was that Kim moved on. She doesn’t wanna play Samantha. So what do we do about Samantha? No one wanted to kill her. We love Samantha. Samantha’s alive and vibrant somewhere. So how do we do this, and not have it be unbelievable in terms of like, ‘Oh, she’s just somewhere in the city. We never see her again’? I bump into people I don’t want to see in the city all the time. That’s not realistic,” Michael told Vanity Fair.

Kim Cattrall Likes Tweets Shading The Reboot

Although Kim hasn’t made any public comments about “And Just Like That…” she did let her opinions be known by liking a few very pointed tweets. While some fans applauded her for making the decision that was best for her, others expressed that they wouldn’t be watching the series in favor of shows that actually featured Kim.

“@KimCattrall I am such a fan. With the #SATC reboot happening, they keep bringing you up. I applaud you for making choices that are right for you. You are not required to do anything you don’t want to do or that won’t make you happy,” one tweet that Kim liked read.

Another added, “And just like that… I find myself only wanting to watch anything @KimCattrall is in. This is a Kim appreciation tweet.”

It certainly doesn’t sound like Kim will be returning to the series anytime soon.

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