Spoiler Alert: The following article contains details from the Season 2 finale of "And Just Like That."
Oh, what a delightful cameo that was!
Kim Cattrall gracefully stepped back into her iconic role as Samantha Jones—reimagined as Annabelle Bronstein—in the Season 2 finale of "And Just Like That." Her appearance was met with enthusiasm from fans who had been yearning for the return of the vivacious publicist celebrated for her brazen humor and unapologetic sensuality. For a brief moment, the enchantment of the original "S*x and the City" was rekindled.
In the much-anticipated but all-too-brief scene, which marked the opening of the episode titled "The Last Supper Part Two: Entree," Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) is preparing for a farewell dinner in her soon-to-be-vacated apartment when her phone rings. On the other end is Samantha, calling from London to explain that her plan to surprise Carrie with a spontaneous visit to New York for the night has been foiled by a flight delay.
Samantha, presumably in a car on her way home from the airport, requests to be put on speakerphone to bid farewell to Carrie's apartment: "Thank you for everything, you fabulous, f***ing fabulous flat."
Noticing a difference in Samantha's tone, Carrie inquires, "Samantha, do you have a British accent now?"
"Who's Samantha? It's Annabelle Bronstein... from India," Samantha responds, pronouncing it as "Inn-juh," humorously recalling a moment from a "S*x and the City" episode in 2003 when she pretended, rather unconvincingly, to be a British woman named Annabelle Bronstein to gain access to the Soho House pool. "Cheerio and ta-ta — have a splendid evening." With that, Samantha hangs up and even bestows a kiss on her phone.
While the scene beautifully served as a heartfelt farewell to Samantha, it did not definitively shut the door on the potential of her more lasting return to the "S*x and the City" world—unless, of course, her character met her end while riding a stationary bike. The show has been renewed for a third season.
This cameo, lasting just over a minute, marked the first time Samantha appeared in person on the Max series, as opposed to just being a text message on Carrie's phone. The surprise appearance, announced prior to Season 2's premiere, was unexpected due to Cattrall's well-publicized conflicts with her co-stars and her repeated statements that she had no interest in revisiting the role. The scene was reportedly filmed in March and required no interaction between Cattrall and other cast members or the showrunner, Michael Patrick King.
However, if we accept Cattrall's consistent declarations at face value, this is likely her final appearance as the character. She is unequivocally done with it. So, let's respect her decision!
For her return—and her goodbye—Samantha donned a gold jacket, a red dress, and a vibrant green clutch. The look was crafted by Patricia Field, the renowned costume designer who played an instrumental role in transforming "S*x and the City" into a fashion phenomenon during its original run from 1998 to 2004, but who wasn't involved in the revival.
Samantha's appearance was the standout moment of anticipation in Season 2 of "And Just Like That," perhaps even surpassing the anticipation for Carrie's ex-fiancé Aidan Shaw's return (played by John Corbett), who put his renewed romance with Carrie on pause in the season finale.
Despite—or perhaps due to—the intense buzz surrounding it, Cattrall's supposed farewell will likely do little to quell the ongoing speculation about her departure from the franchise.
During the original airing of "S*x and the City," reports often surfaced regarding Cattrall's strained relationship with her co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon (who portrayed Miranda Hobbes), and Kristin Davis (who portrayed Charlotte York-Goldenblatt). While Cattrall received five Emmy nominations and was a fan favorite, she didn't hold a producing role in the original series, unlike Parker. In 2004, Cattrall attributed the show's conclusion to a salary dispute, stating, "After six years, I believed it was time for all of us to reap the financial rewards of 'S*x and the City.' When the others didn't seem enthusiastic about that, I decided it was time to move on." She shared this sentiment with English broadcaster Jonathan Ross in 2004.
Despite these grievances, Cattrall participated in both movies—though the sequel, in which her character was arrested in Abu Dhabi, received critical backlash. However, tensions escalated around 2016 when she declined to be a part of a third "S*x and the City" film.
As per news reports, Cattrall walked away from the project due to financial reasons. In 2017, she told Piers Morgan that she had moved on from the character. "It's a fantastic role. I played it with all my heart and then some, and I loved it," she stated. However, in an interview with Variety last year, Cattrall elaborated further, explaining that the script for the potential movie included a storyline in which Miranda's teenage son sent her unsolicited n*de photos—a development she found "heartbreaking." She remarked, "Imagine returning to a job you did 25 years ago. And the job didn't get easier; it became more complex in terms of how to evolve these characters. Everything has to grow, or it withers."
The divide between Cattrall and Parker remained evident in the following years, with Cattrall delivering a clear message to her former co-star via Instagram in 2018: "You are not my friend. You are not my family."
Cattrall wasn't invited to participate in the revival, which premiered in late 2021. She learned about it through social media. Parker conveyed to the Hollywood Reporter, "We didn't invite her to join because she had expressed her disinterest, and it no longer felt appropriate or comfortable for us."
The absence of Samantha in "And Just Like That" ignited social media chatter, often focused on criticisms of the revival's awkward attempts at diversification and the handling of Samantha's absence, attributed to a falling-out with Carrie after Samantha stopped serving as her publicist. Many fans missed Samantha's humor and audacious spirit, which had been a hallmark of the show. Samantha and Carrie communicated sporadically through text messages in Season 1 and seemed on the cusp of reconciling, but even "Virtual Samantha" made infrequent appearances in Season 2.
During promotions for Season 1, both Parker and King expressed doubts about Cattrall's return. However, in May, Variety reported that Cattrall would indeed make a one-night-only return, with her outfit styled by Patricia Field.
During a June appearance on "Today," Cattrall teased about the "fantastic outfit" she and the stylist had chosen for the scene after a shopping trip to Bergdorf Goodman.
Describing the shooting experience, she remarked, "It felt like dipping my toe back into the past, enjoying a wonderful afternoon, and then savoring a great martini." Cattrall cautioned fans not to expect anything more, stating, "That's the extent of it."
Still, she added, "I don't think I'll ever say goodbye to Samantha."
And clearly, she isn't the only one.
