Samantha Jones had a super short cameo in the Sex and the City spin-off, And Just Like That. That brief appearance crumbled Sarah Jessica Parkers' direction in the new season. Samantha's appearance garnered more hype and attention than pretty much anything else which a source described as a 'perfect play' on Kim Cattrall's end.
Kim's AJLT moment was a blow for SJP's public image. A source told Heat Magazine: "The way she structured her cameo made it look like Sarah Jessica doesn't have control of her own franchise. That sucks for SJP in more ways that one."
Kim's strategic move may be related to her longstanding claims that SJP was "cruel" to her back in the day. Plus, Kim has emphasised time and time again that she keeps SJP at arms lengths. She has previously noted on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2017: "We've never been friends; we've been colleagues."
The insider explained: "Kim played the situation perfectly. She had loads of exciting projects, while still being a part of the AJLT conversation. "
Initially, she didn't return to that first season. Now, though, she's retained her independence while still appeasing fans. SJP, on the other hand, is searching for a way to restore the spin-off show to its legacy's glory. She thought she had done that by bringing on Kim and having Aidan return, but it doesn't look promising.
Major And Just Like That teaser shows Carrie snogging her ex after Big's deathThe source told: "Sarah had bragged that bringing Kim back into the fold — on Kim's terms — would be good for the show, but the truth is this season hasn't had nearly as much buzz as season one, despite Aidan's return."
SJP isn't going down without a fight and the ball is now in her court. She certainly isn't going to let the world see her take this blow. The insider said: "Sarah puts on a brave face because, at the end of the day, that's really her only choice. But what's sucked for her most of all throughout this — and especially now — is that Kim's going to get all the headlines."
Sex and the City fans shouldn't fret, though. SJP seems to be cooking up a plan to move past this drama and try a new strategy to boost the show's buzz. She's reportedly trying to bring Lisa Kudrow onto the project, with whom she has a much better relationship with.