For six seasons of Sex and the City, Cattrall played the boldest member of television’s most famous New York friend group. Samantha Jones was confident, funny and open about sex in ways few female characters had been before.
When the franchise returned without her, some viewers assumed Cattrall had disappeared from Hollywood. The truth is less dramatic. She made a firm choice to close one chapter and began selecting projects on her own terms.
Beyond Samantha: At a Glance
Remember Her For Playing the confident publicist Samantha Jones throughout all six seasons of Sex and the City and its two movies. What Changed Cattrall declined a proposed third movie and chose not to return as a regular cast member for And Just Like That. Life After Samantha She continued acting in projects including Sensitive Skin, Filthy Rich, How I Met Your Father and Glamorous. She also worked as a producer and returned to theater and radio. Where She Is Now Cattrall married Russell Thomas in December 2025 and remained publicly active in 2026. She divides her time among London, New York City and Vancouver while choosing projects selectively.Samantha Jones made Kim Cattrall a television icon
Cattrall already had a long screen career before Sex and the City. Her earlier films included Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Still, Samantha changed her public identity.
Sex and the City ran from 1998 to 2004. Cattrall then returned for two movies, released in 2008 and 2010. Her performance turned Samantha into a symbol of sexual confidence and friendship.
The role almost never happened. Cattrall later said she initially resisted playing Samantha because she questioned whether audiences would accept a sexually confident woman in her 40s.
That concern proved misplaced. Samantha became one of the show’s most recognizable characters.
Why did Kim Cattrall leave Sex and the City?
Cattrall did not leave the original series midway through its run. She completed all six seasons and both movies.
The break came when discussions moved toward a third film. In 2017, she publicly rejected reports that she had made unreasonable demands. She described her refusal as a “clear decision” to end one part of her career and begin another, according to Time’s account of the dispute.
Cattrall has also spoken openly about her difficult relationship with some former cast members. However, it would be misleading to treat an alleged feud as the only reason she left.
Her own explanation has focused heavily on choice, boundaries and the direction of Samantha’s story. In a 2022 Variety interview, she said there was wisdom in knowing “when enough is enough.”
She also said she was never asked to join the first season of And Just Like That. By then, she had repeatedly made it clear that she considered her regular time as Samantha complete.
She kept acting after Samantha
Leaving the franchise did not mean leaving the profession.
Cattrall moved toward roles that explored aging, power and identity. She starred in and executive produced Sensitive Skin, a Canadian comedy about a woman questioning her life in middle age. The series ran for two seasons from 2014 to 2016.
She also returned to the stage. Her theater work included Private Lives, Antony and Cleopatra and Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth.
Later television roles included the thriller Modus, the anthology series Tell Me a Story and the Fox drama Filthy Rich. She played the future version of Sophie in Hulu’s How I Met Your Father and appeared in Peacock’s 2022 reimagining of Queer as Folk.
In 2023, she starred as beauty executive Madolyn Addison in Netflix’s Glamorous. That same year, she appeared with Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco in the comedy About My Father.
Several of those television shows lasted only one or two seasons. Taken together, however, they show that Cattrall remained professionally active. Her work simply attracted less attention than Samantha Jones.
Her brief return as Samantha was not a full comeback
Cattrall surprised fans in 2023 with a short appearance in the second-season finale of And Just Like That.
It was a carefully limited return. Samantha called Carrie Bradshaw from London but did not meet the other characters in person. Variety reported that Cattrall filmed the scene separately from the principal cast and showrunner Michael Patrick King.
The cameo gave viewers one more glimpse of Samantha. It did not signal that Cattrall had rejoined the series.
When another return was rumored in 2024, Cattrall publicly denied it. And Just Like That eventually ended with its third season in 2025. Cattrall did not appear again.
What is Kim Cattrall doing now?
Cattrall’s recent work has extended beyond conventional screen acting.
In 2024, she played intelligence officer Eloise Page in the BBC Radio 4 audio drama Central Intelligence. Cattrall told The Guardian that she appreciated radio because it allowed listeners to use their imaginations.
She also explained that age and personal loss had changed how she selected work. Instead of taking every available opportunity, she asks how and where she wants to spend her time.
Her personal life entered a new chapter in December 2025. Cattrall married audio engineer Russell Thomas at Chelsea Old Town Hall after about nine years together. The couple first connected after meeting through BBC Radio 4.
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Cattrall remained publicly active in 2026 through fashion and beauty campaigns. In a May 2026 interview, The Guardian reported that she divided her time among London, New York City and Vancouver.
No later acting project had been publicly confirmed by the reliable sources reviewed as of Aug. 28, 2026. That does not mean she has retired. Her recent career suggests she prefers selective projects, producing opportunities and work that offers something different from Samantha.
Kim Cattrall did not disappear
Kim Cattrall’s story is not about an actress who lost her career after one famous role.
She chose not to keep repeating that role.
Since leaving the regular Sex and the City franchise, Cattrall has acted on television, appeared in films, produced her own work and returned to theater and radio. She even gave Samantha one final phone call without reopening the door completely.
For fans wondering what happened to Kim Cattrall, the answer is clear: She continued working, built a life across several cities and gained more control over when she steps into the spotlight.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Kim Cattrall is alive and remained publicly active in 2026. She turned 70 on Aug. 21, 2026.
Cattrall had already decided she was finished playing Samantha Jones regularly. She said she was not invited to join the first season and had previously rejected a proposed third Sex and the City movie.
Yes, but only briefly. She appeared in one phone-call scene during the 2023 second-season finale of And Just Like That. She did not return for the third and final season.