Fans may be drowning their sorrows with Cosmopolitans as the final episode of And Just Like That… airs next week, but insiders have exclusively told Closer that a second series will go ahead.
The Sex And The City spin-off has been mired in controversy, thanks to the absence of leading lady Samantha Jones (played by Kim Cattrall) and rumours of backstage feuds. The show was also slated for being too “woke” and shocking sexual assault claims made against actor Chris Noth, 67, who played Mr Big – who’d left the show in the first episode after his character suffered a fatal heart attack – also cast a cloud over the revival.
But now, a network insider tells Closer that despite the backlash and scandal, plans are afoot for Sarah Jessica Parker, 56, Cynthia Nixon, 55, and Kristin Davis, 56, to return.
The insider reveals, “While the girls were initially hesitant and fearful of another backlash, they’ve realised how much so many fans have enjoyed their return. They want to continue telling their characters’ stories and go out on a high.
“The fallouts and scandals haven’t put them off because they feel they still have so much more to explore. They are already beginning talks about script ideas for the next chapter.”
Here, Closer gives the inside track on series two…
Carrie finds love again
The first series of And Just Like That… certainly didn’t shy away from big issues. Viewers saw Carrie deal with the shock death of husband Mr Big and navigate the dating scene as a widow, while Miranda Hobbes’ affair with a woman triggered the breakdown of her marriage to Steve.
Meanwhile, Charlotte York Goldenblatt coped with having a gender-fluid daughter, who is struggling with her identity.
READ MORE
Sarah Jessica Parker on Kim Cattrall: 'I don't have any regrets'
Now, insiders say the second series will continue to explore issues on an even deeper level.
The source says, “Sarah Jessica and the show’s producer, Michael Patrick King, are keen to delve deeper into Miranda’s new life as a gay woman after years of being married to a man. They hope to explore how her teenage son, Brady, copes with the ramifications of not only his parents’ divorce, but his mum’s newfound sexuality as well.
“They also want Carrie to find love again and give hope to those who have been in her situation. They’re hoping for a big star to take the role, which will be really exciting.
“There’s also talk of Charlotte’s daughter discussing gender transition far more seriously and how that is dealt with, not only by her family but also her friends and everyone around her.”
No more mentions of Samantha
The show’s debut was slammed for its “woke” and “cringe-worthy” attempts at tackling race issues in scenes between Miranda and her black lecturer. It was also criticised for the way it handled the absence of Samantha – saying she had cut herself off from her friends after moving to London. The real-life rift between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker is well-documented, but fans insisted it was “lazy writing” and not reflective of Samantha’s loyal character.
Now, insiders say producer Michael Patrick King has vowed to bring expert advisors onto the script-writing team to ensure they are better advised when handling sensitive subjects this time around.
CHECK OUT Sex and the City - where are they now?
Sex and the City cast - where are they now? slider
1 of 20Sarah Jessica Parker - aka Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie had a weekly column and managed to live in a New York City apartment - the dream. She chased Mr Big around NYC (even though he was trash) and she even cheated on Aidan Shaw with him - rude. The last time we saw Carrie she returned from Abu Dhabi after cheating on hubby Mr Big with Aidan - full circle, tbh.
2 of 20Sarah Jessica Parker - now
Sarah Jessica Parker has since starred in The Family Stone, Failure to Launch, Did You Hear About The Morgans and New Year's Eve. She's also starred on Glee, HBO show Divorce and she's produced her own independent drama. She's married to actor Matthew Broderick and they have three children; James and surrogate twins Marion and Tabitha.
3 of 20Kim Cattrall - aka Samantha Jones
Confident, outspoken and sexy AF - Samantha Jones is literally everything we want to be. She stayed away from long-term relationships but went on to fall for Richard Wright however he left her devo when she found him cheating on her. She then went on to date Jerrod and the pair moved to LA however she broke up with him in Sex and the City 2 and moved back to NYC.
4 of 20Kim Cattrall - now
Following SATC, Kim went on to continue acting in movies and Broadway productions. In 2018 she tweeted that her brother had gone missing and hours later it came to light that he had died by suicide. After SJP apparently wrote condolences on Kim's Instagram, Kim hit back and claimed Sarah was "exploiting" her brother's death.
5 of 20Cynthia Nixon - aka Miranda Hobbes
Miranda didn't trust men (classic) but after falling for Steve Brady (and having a few ups and downs) she fell pregnant with Brady. The pair co-parented their son and eventually gave in to their feelings and reunited. However, Miranda was left heartbroken during the first Sex and the City movie when Steve cheated. Luckily they made it through their rough patch and she even bagged a new job at a law firm during the second movie.
6 of 20Cynthia Nixon - now
Cynthia has continued acting and in 2018 she announced she was running for governor. She's since Christine Marinoni. In 2006 she was diagnosed with breast cancer but she beat it.
7 of 20Kristin Davis - aka Charlotte York
The easiest way to describe Charlotte York is as a hopeless romantic. All she wanted was a husband and kids and it appeared that she found that in Trey MacDougal however when she found out he couldn't "get it up" it took a toll on their marriage and they split. She then fell for Harry Goldenblatt who was not her type but they eventually tied the knot and welcomed Lily (through adoption) and Rose into the world.
8 of 20Kristin Davis - now
Following her time in the Sex and the City series, Kristin continued to star in films and TV shows. She's also an ambassador for Oxfam and she adopted her daughter Gemma in 2011 and her son Wilson in 2018.
9 of 20Chris Noth - aka Big
We had a love/hate relationship with Big because he was Carrie's true love but he was also the ultimate f--kboy. However, when Carrie moved to Paris and was finally ready to forget all about him, he soon changed his tune and they made things work. In the final episode of SATC we finally discovered that his real name was John James Preston.
10 of 20Chris Noth - now
Chris has continued acting in theatre, TV and film. He's also a co-owner of a New York music venue and a tequila company. He's married to actress Tara Lynn Wilson and they're parents to two sons.
11 of 20John Corbett - aka Aidan Shaw
Aww Aidan; the one that got away, tbh. We still think Carrie should have stayed with Aidan - he treated her like a queen, built furniture (hashtag handy) and gave her a second chance after she cheated on him. Despite almost making it down the aisle; Aidan moved on, got married and had three children - although he did kiss Carrie in Sex and the City 2.
12 of 20John Corbett - now
Not only has John continued acting but he's also released two country albums. He has been in a long-term relationship with actress Bo Derek since 2002.
13 of 20Evan Handler - aka Harry Goldenblatt
Harry is definitely the least problematic out of all the Sex and the City characters. He was 100 per cent himself and loved Charlotte despite the fact that she was going through a divorce. He remained faithful and the pair welcomed two daughters into the world.
14 of 20Evan Handler - now
Evan has continued acting and he's also released his own books and has written for magazines and The Huffington Post. He tied the knot with Elisa Atti in 2003 and four years later they welcomed her daughter Sofia into the world.
15 of 20David Eigenberg - aka Steve Brady
Steve and Miranda's relationship started as a one-night stand but they ended up actually dating. It didn't last and the pair split. When Steve discovered he has testicular cancer he ended up sleeping with Miranda and she fell pregnant. They planed to co-parent their son but eventually reunited as a coupe. In the first Sex and the City movie, Steve cheated on Miranda but by the end of the film they got back together.
16 of 20David Eigenberg - now
Just like the rest of the cast, Steve has continued acting. He's married to Chrysti and they're parents to son Louie and daughter Myrna.
17 of 20Willie Garson - aka Stanford Blatch
We always loved Stanford. He was Carrie's BFF and always had her back. He did not get on with Charlotte's pal Anthony but the pair went on to get married in Sex and the City 2.
18 of 20Willie Garson - now
Willie has continued acting in films and TV shows - including Wizard of Waverly Places. Despite playing Carrie's gay best friend, Willie is actually heterosexual and in 2009 he adopted son Nathan.
19 of 20Mario Cantone - aka Anthony Marentino
Anthony was actually Charlotte's wedding planner for her marriage to Trey MacDougal and despite that relationship not working out, Anthony and Charlotte stayed pals. Anthony went on to marry Stanford despite them not getting along for years.
20 of 20Mario Cantone - now
Mario has continued his acting career on Broadway and in 2011 he married musical theater director Jerry Dixon after dating for 20 years.
WATCH Chloe Brockett speaks out on Lauren Goodger returning | TOWIE Secrets
The source says, “Both the cast and crew have realised they could have handled certain subject matters better. They’ve agreed that they need to ensure they have writers with in-depth knowledge on sensitive issues for the next series.
“They will also most likely leave out any mention of Samantha now as it’s something they feel has been put to bed. They don’t want to stir up any more drama or controversy.”
The cast's secret meetings
The show’s three remaining leading ladies are still close, despite the infamous fallout between SJP and Kim Cattrall, 65. Their rift became very public in 2018 when Kim responded to an Instagram post from SJP, sharing her condolences over her brother’s tragic death. “Let me make this VERY clear,” Kim wrote. “You are not my family. You are not my friend.”
Thankfully though, SJP, Kristin and Cynthia have maintained a solid working relationship, and our source says the trio decided to go ahead with a second series over a dinner at SJP’s house.
A source says, “The girls all agreed that they wanted to come to a mutual decision about whether they’d go for another season. They agreed they wouldn’t go ahead if one had cold feet about it, and said they had to agree privately that they’d go ahead before giving it a green light with the network.
“They all met at Sarah’s townhouse for a private dinner just the three of them and, after hours of talks, they all decided they wanted to continue and are really excited about it.
“It’s been a rocky few months filled with heartache and disappointment, but they all feel they have so much more to give. They are excited to be able to continue telling their stories – and go out on a high when the time is right.”
Read more at Closer online, out now