“I don’t know if the fans manifested it,” the two-time Emmy winner told PEOPLE of Samantha Jones joining the second season of the “Sex and the City” revival.
After going public that she doesn’t want to reprise her role as Samantha Jones, Kim Cattrall shocked fans by confirming earlier this month that she would be making a cameo appearance on And just like that… season 2.
Even writer and director Michael Patrick King couldn’t believe the news, which came just before sex and the city celebrating the 25th anniversary of its premiere earlier this month.
“I don’t know what happened because we didn’t start the season thinking about that,” King, 68, told PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “A kind of universal magic has changed. I don’t know if the fans manifested that. I do not know what happened. Maybe something about the 25th anniversary brought in a lot of energy, and all of a sudden Kim was like, “Okay, I’ll take a break.”
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In King’s mind, Samantha has always existed in the world of And just like that….
“I always had Samantha Jones in And just like that…,” he says. “In my consciousness and in my writing, in all of her writing, she’s always been in London and texting. I was like, ‘Samantha lives, so let’s keep her alive for me, l ‘writer, for Carrie, for Miranda, for Charlotte and for the public.'”
King referred to the possibility of bringing Samantha back to the screen as “a treat” for audiences and cast. “It’s nostalgic and emotional, and really, in my mind, they talk all the time,” the two-time Emmy winner said.
He just wants it to stay a surprise. “The only bad news is that you know about it,” King says. “Everyone on this is good news, except you know it happens. It would have blown your mind!”
Max confirmed Cattrall’s return to PEOPLE on May 31, and the next day Cattrall posted a screenshot of the news to his Instagram. The cameo will arrive AJLTThe Season 2 finale, when Samantha talks to Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) on the phone.
To know more And just like that…pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
Evan Handler, who plays Charlotte’s (Kristin Davis) husband Harry Goldenblatt, called Cattrall’s appearance “awesome” for PEOPLE earlier this month.
“Apparently, [her cameo] was shot in the garage somewhere with no contact with anyone, so the only place I have to have it is in my living room when it’s on TV,” Handler, 62, joked.
Related: Cynthia Nixon Involves ‘SATC’ Stars Were Walking On Eggshells Because Kim Cattrall Was ‘Unfortunate’
Ivan Hernández— And just like that…‘s Franklyn – also felt excited about Samantha’s return. “I think it’s something the fans have all wanted and missed,” he told PEOPLE. “She has such a great character, so I can’t wait to see it myself.”
Not only has And just like that… kept Samantha’s spirit alive in her absence, so did Stanford Blatch after actor Willie Garson died in 2021 at age 57.
“I think it’s important once the characters are established,” King says. “When a circumstance is postponed [to] you who is tragic and far from ideal, you can still keep these fictional people alive despite the fact that Willie is gone.
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And just like that… Season 2 premieres Thursday on Max.
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