Kim Cattrall reveals she turned down Sex And The City FOUR TIMES because of 'self-inflicted ageism' - after declining role in axed third film

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Kim Cattrall has revealed she turned down her famous role of Samantha Jones in Sex And The City four times when it was first offered to her.
The actress, 68, is best known for playing the sexually liberated PR woman on the HBO show but bosses had a hard time getting her to sign up.
Speaking to The Times, Kim explained she originally turned down the part because, at 41, she didn't believe audiences would find a woman that age sexy.
'Self-inflicted ageism' she said. 'Well, that changed — 40 became sexy. It became, 'Man, let's have more of that.''
On the show, Samantha had a preference for casual flings over relationships, but Kim insisted she is the exact opposite.
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'I'm the antithesis of her [Samantha] in many ways. I'm a serial monogamist, and then some,' she said.
She has been in a relationship with BBC audio engineer Russell Thomas since 2016 after they met while Kim recorded an essay about insomnia for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
Speaking about him during the interview, Kim said the couple have had 'so much fun' during their years together.
The actress is known for roles in 80s films like Mannequin, Porky's and Police Academy but she's fine with being most closely associated with Samantha.
'I created a fantastic character that I loved, and I put a lot of love in it and if I'm remembered only for that, then that's really OK,' she said.
Kim played Samantha for all six seasons of the show and reprised the role again in the Sex And The City feature films released in 2008 and 2010.
Kim memorably declined to appear in a third film in 2016 with reports claiming she was unhappy with Samantha's storyline of being sexted by a teenage boy.
In an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, she claimed she was never friends with her former co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis.
'We've never been friends - we've been colleagues. And in some ways that's a very healthy place to be, as you have a clear line between your professional life, and your personal, too,' she said.
Kim added that she thought Sarah specifically, 'could have been nicer' to her.
There was then a very public falling out between the two women after Sarah reached out to express her condolences when Kim's brother died in 2018.
In a scathing Instagram post, she wrote: 'Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven't already). You are not my family. You are not my friend.'
She then shared a link to a New York Post article titled 'Inside the mean-girls culture that destroyed 'Sex and the City'.
There was then a very public falling out between the two women after Sarah reached out to express her condolences when Kim's brother died in 2018
After making clear she had no desire to play Samantha again, Kim was not asked to return for the spin-off show And Just Like That.
She did however, make a cameo in the second season finale where she spoke to Sarah's character Carrie on the phone.
Kim filmed her cameo in a car and reportedly did not see or speak to any of her former co-stars during filming.
She was reportedly paid an eye-popping $1M to reprise her role for the 70-second cameo which was negotiated directly by Max chairman-CEO Casey Bloys.
May 2008: SJP defended Kim when she was asked whether she supported her decision to delay the filming of the first SATC movie due to salary disputes
December 2009: Kim and Cynthia Nixon attend SJP's premier for Did You Hear About The Morgans? in a show of support and SJP tells Elle that she wouldn't have done the SATC film without Kim
January 2010: In an interview with the Mail, Kim expressed her exasperation over the never-ending feud rumours saying 'People don't want to believe that we get on'
May 2010: Kim admits that 'sometimes feelings get hurt' during grueling filming hours due to the amount of time the women spent together
August 2016: SJP wishes Kim a happy 60th birthday and addresses her as her 'old friend'
October 2016: Kim once again defends feud rumours but admits not every day working together is easy or perfect
September 2017: SJP confirmed a third SATC movie... and then announced it was happening
Willie Garson, who played Carrie's BFF Stan tweeted, 'Disappointed for all crew holding on for negotiations to conclude for their jobs, and of course, for the fans. Leave it at that. #Truth.'