Fans are livid that Samantha Jones will not appear in the Sex and the City reboot. The closer it gets to the release of And Just Like That… the more upset they seem to get. Nicole Ari Parker, who will be debuting a new character in the reboot, said she has been yelled at on the streets by Samantha fans. While fans might care about Samantha’s absence, one person doesn’t care one bit. Candace Bushnell, the author whose columns were turned into the original series, revealed that she’s not concerned about the character’s absence.
Kim Cattrall, the actor who portrayed Samantha Jones in all six seasons and two Sex and the City movies, has decided not to return for the show’s reboot. Her decision to not reprise the role in And Just Like That… was announced early on, long before the show began filming. The revelation brought back up discussions of an on-set feud that plagued the series in the early 2000s.
So, did Cattrall opt out of the series because of her distaste for Sarah Jessica Parker, the actor who plays Carrie Bradshaw? While Cattrall has not confirmed nor denied that allegation, she has stated that she had plenty of reasons to decline the role. Long before And Just Like That… was conceptualized, she made it clear that she felt like she had grown out of the role. Fans of the series aren’t buying it through. Cattrall has been brutal about her experience on the set of Sex and the City and her feelings about Parker.
Fans might be angry that Samantha won’t join her pals in And Just Like That.., but Candace Bushnell has made it clear that she doesn’t really care about the character’s absence. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Bushnell said that she doesn’t understand the type of fandom that freaks out over one missing character.
Bushnell isn’t concerned about the show’s ability to succeed sans Samantha either. In the same interview, she made it clear that she has faith in Michael Patrick King to bring his vision to life, with or without the show’s original characters. King was the executive producer on Sex and the City and has worked closely with Bushnell over the years. King also has close ties to the three actors who will return for the show.
Sex and the City purists have questioned whether a reboot can succeed without one of its key characters. Their concerns have been consistent since HBO Max announced the revival. Samantha Jones, after all, was an important part of the shoe’s story. Fans worry that it will feel a bit odd to go forward without her. Still, if you think about it, the absence of one of the four pals does seem natural.
In May 2021, Casey Bloys, the chief content officer of HBO Max, told TV Line that Samantha will have moved away from the group due to the natural circumstances of friendships changing and growing apart. That feels realistic, even if Sammy Jones and her pals were previously close. When all is said and done, she had little in common with Charlotte York, Miranda Hobbes, and even Carrie by the end of Sex and the City 2. Samantha finding pals who were unattached and more open seems like a natural ending for the friendship.
So, can the show succeed without Samantha? Most likely. The series isn’t just a remake of Sex and the City. It’s a continuation of the story. That story doesn’t include Samantha, simply put. It will have plenty of new, interesting characters, though. The ultimate test will come in December 2021, when HBO Max releases the limited series.