Sex and the City: Kim vs SJP
A rift between Kim Cattrall and SJP is at the centre of the decision to scrap the third movie in the Sex and the City franchise
FOR fans of the fabulous foursome it was the best news: a third movie was on the way! Hooray! More magic and mischief from the fabulous four who made us covet a pair of Jimmy Choos and a bunch of besties we could talk to about anything from sex positions to work woes. But no sooner had we clinked a cosmopolitan in celebration and planned a shopping trip in solidarity than our hopes were crushed.
The third Sex and the City (SATC) movie wasn’t going to happen. And once again it became obvious that the façade of camaraderie between the quartet was just for the cameras.
Kim Cattrall, the woman who brought Samantha and her anything-goes-inthe-bedroom behaviour to life, has had enough. Finally.
It’s not news that there’s little love lost between Kim and Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP), who played Carrie of the overshare column, walk-in wardrobe to-die- for and Mr Big. There’s been talk of a feud between them for like, ever – but this time Kim has really taken the Gucci gloves off.
And you might need a cocktail for this one.
HOW THE CLAWS CAME OUT
Six years after the release of Sex and the City 2, Warner Bros film studio announced Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) would return to the big screen one last time.
But although all the main cast members were said to have signed on, no filming date was announced – and late last month SJP confirmed the movie had been called off amid rumours Kim’s outrageous demands were to blame.
The Golden Globe winner reportedly wanted the studio to produce other projects she had in the pipeline before she’d do the movie and when they refused she dropped out, leaving producers with no choice but to pull the plug. Kim Cattrall recently made scathing remarks about her Sex and the City co-stars during an interview with Piers Morgan.
But the 61-year-old actress says her decision not to be part of the third film had nothing to do with her career and everything to do with herself.
“I’ve moved on. This is what my sixties are about. They’re about me making decisions for me, not my career. For me. And that feels freaking fantastic,” she told British journalist Piers Morgan in a candid interview on his show Life Stories.
She also denied she’d ever agreed to do the film. “The answer was always ‘no’. A respectful, firm ‘no’.
“I never asked for any money. I never asked for any projects. To be thought of as some kind of diva is absolutely ridiculous.”
‘The answer was always “no”. A respectful, firm “no” ’
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE . . .
The cancelled movie and her alleged diva antics aren’t all Kim addresses in the interview. The British-born star bluntly brands her relationship with her former co-stars as “toxic”, saying other than the show they have little else in common.
“And another thing that’s really disappointing is that nobody ever picks up the phone and tries to contact you and say,
‘How are you doing?’ That would have been the way to handle it,” she complains, adding that she has no idea when last she’d spoken to her co-stars.
“That’s not what happened here. It feels like a toxic relationship.”
Sarah (52), Kristin (52) and Cynthia (51) are considerably younger than her, Kim says, which is creating more distance between them as she’s in a different phase of her life.
“They all have children and I’m 10 years older. The common ground we had was the series and the series is over.” Sarah has been married to actor Matthew Broderick (55) for 20 years. They have three kids, son James (14) and twin daughters Marion and Tabitha (8).
Cynthia wed activist Christine Marinoni in 2012. The couple have a son, Max (6). Cynthia also has two kids from her relationship with teacher Danny Mozes, Charles (14) and Samantha (21).
Kristin is a single mom to daughter Gemma, whom she adopted in 2011. Kim – who’s been divorced three times – ruffled quite a few feathers because of her sit-down with Piers, including those of Willie Garson (53), who played Carrie’s confidante Stanford Blatch.
“Dear fans, because I’m ‘toxic’ I’m going to negotiate a contract for six months, not come to terms, then say I never wanted to do it anyway,” he tweeted. “Facts are so much better and more respectful than lies. Every time.”
Sarah and Kristin both shared their discontent at the decision to scrap the film. “I’m disappointed,” SJP lamented.
“We had this beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, relatable script and story.
“It’s not just disappointing that we don’t get to tell the story and have that experience but more so for that audience who’s been so vocal in wanting another movie.”
Kristin called it “deeply frustrating not to be able to share that chapter”.
DOES KIM CARE?
SShe doesn’t. She’ll never reprise her role as Samantha, she says, no matter how much she might piss people off.
“Me playing her, that I can assure you will never happen. For me it’s over – it’s over with no regrets,” she says. “I just wish Sarah had been nicer.”
Still, the star does have a few suggestions for the producers. “Maybe they could make it an African-American Samantha Jones or a Hispanic Samantha Jones? Or bring in another character. This is what I really believe – that this franchise needs another point of view and this could be it.”
Kim does add she’ll cherish the years she spent in the stilettos of the sultry Ms Jones.
“It’s a great part. I played it past the finish line and then some, and I loved it.”
But like all good things, it’s come to an end. Pass the tissues – the ones infused with Chanel, please.