Kim Cattrall has officially returned as her Sex and the City character Samantha Jones.
Cattrall’s previously announced comeback occurred in the season two finale of And Just Like That, which aired on Thursday (24 August).
The actor’s appearance was first reported in June, much to the chagrin of her former co-star Cynthia Nixon, who was hoping Cattrall’s cameo would be a surprise for fans.
Cattrall, who has been embroiled in a feud with Sarah Jessica Parker for years, is believed to have recorded her dialogue in March without seeing or interacting with the other stars of the series.
In the very first episode of the show, Cattrall’s absence is addressed in a scene that sees Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw reveal that Samantha ended their friendship. “It’s kind of like she’s dead – we never talk about her,” Carrie says, adding: “She stopped returning my calls.”
Miranda (played by Nixon) replies: “Her pride got damaged,” with Carrie stating: “I thought I was more to her than an ATM. I always thought the four of us would be friends forever.”
*Spoilers follow – you have been warned*
Samantha’s return, however, sees Carrie bury the hatchet with her friend over a phone call. Samantha calls Carrie from her home in London, revealing that she was “f***ing furious” to not be able to make a farewell dinner at Carrie’s old New York apartment. Carrie, stunned to hear from Samantha, discovers that “Miranda and Charlotte told me all about it” and that Samantha “was going to surprise” her.
Samantha says: “It is your apartment, and I have to pay my respects.” Following this, Carrie puts her on speaker so she can tell the apartment: “Thank you for everything, you f***ing fabulous, fabulous flat.”
Ending the call, she tells Carrie: “Ta, and cheerio – and have a great night.”
Fans have expressed their approval of the scene, with many saying that the on-screen moment was much better than they feared it would be.
“My eyes lit up seeing Samantha/Kim Cattrall back tonight on #AndJustLikeThat. I missed her sm. Thank you for bringing her back even for a cameo!” one fan wrote, with another adding: “Seeing @KimCattrall back as #SamanthaJones was everything.”
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £6.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Kim Cattrall in the ‘And Just Like That’ season two finale— (Max)
One viewer called it *f***ing fabulous”.
Fans will be disappointed to hear that the brief appearance will likely be the last they ever see of Samantha.
In June, Cattrall said of the cameo: “This is as far as I’m going to go. I don’t think I’ll ever say goodbye to Samantha. She’s like a lot of other characters that I’ve done over the years. She gave me so much, and I’m so appreciative of her.”
In 2016, the actor similarily stated that she was finished with the character of Samantha, amid talk of what was then envisioned as a third Sex and the City film.
Cattrall’s relationship with other members of the cast is said to have been strained following a highly publicised feud with Parker.
Sarah Jessica Parker in ‘And Just Like That’— (Max)
During an interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories in 2017, Cattrall claimed that Parker “could have been nicer” about her decision to turn down a role in the prospective third Sex and the City film, and stated that the show’s four lead actors were “never friends”.
Last year, Parker responded to Cattrall’s public comments for the first time, telling The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast that hearing them had been “very painful”.
Parker said: “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.”
And Just Like That is available to stream in the US on MAX and in the UK on Sky Comedy and NOW. The reboot has been renewed for a third season.
