absent friends

Sarah Jessica Parker talks about Samantha Jones to Andy Cohen

Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall
Sarah Jessica Parker and (inset) Kim Cattrall (Photo: YouTube)

Spoiler alert: If you’ve not seen And Just Like That yet, this story contains mild spoilers.

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker sat down for a wide-ranging interview with her buddy Andy Cohen on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live last night.

Cohen praised her for the success of the recent Sex And The City sequel, And Just Like That, but inevitably, the elephant in the room was addressed: The absence of Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall.

Cohen said he loved the way Jones’ absence was handled on the show, and how the character was “kept alive”, even if she did not appear.

Parker said she could take no credit for how it played out, apart from her role as an actress in conveying the message. She credited showrunner Michael Patrick King and the other screenwriters.

“Samantha is not gone,” she said. “The actress that played the role is no longer playing that role, but people are absent from your life when you don’t want them to be. You know, and I thought that in typical Michael Patrick fashion, he threaded it through with grace and dignity and respect and love and affection for that character.

“I thought it mimicked many friendships that challenge each other and struggle and want to remain connected in a way, because it’s too painful.”

Cohen went on to ask about some other questions viewers had about the show, including why her character, Carrie Bradshaw, wasn’t shown calling 911 when her husband, Big, had a heart attack.

“Of course she called 911,” Parker replied, laughing. “Didn’t you see the people behind moving the body?”

Cohen said viewers never actually saw her make the call.

“That’s an understandable and logical expectation,” said Parker. “It’s suspended animation, this moment where everything stops and then whatever collapsing of time that happens does not stop her from taking care of somebody, in a fashion that you would want and expect from your partner, or husband or wife.”

She said Carrie, “found the phone at some point, let’s quickly walk through this together. So in my head, she struggled through this moment and tried to get him to be responsive and then she came to her senses. I’m going to say after about two to three seconds, and then of course she called 911 and got all the help she needed from professionals.”

Related: Kristen Davis gets very awkward and defensive when asked about Che Diaz’s polarizing comedy set

Cohen then asked if she had thought the comedy set from the new character Che Diaz (played by nonbinary performer Sara Ramirez) was actually funny. Parker, perhaps surprisingly, said she had not watched it.

“I’m going to make a confession to everybody,” said Parker. “I have not seen episodes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 yet. It’s my problem.

“I feel that I’m not in a position to declare whether Che’s comedy is funny or not.”

Last month, Cohen asked Parker’s co-star, Kristen Davis, the same questions, and she also avoided giving a direct answer.

“Oh Andy, don’t put me on the spot,” Davis begged. “You’re going to get me in trouble with Michael Patrick [King].”

Davis went on to explain that she didn’t think the stand-up set was supposed to be funny.

“You know, I think it’s meant to be more like ‘hmmm’ type comedy, you know, ‘oooh, oh’,” she explained, somewhat awkwardly.

Related: Sara Ramirez on the response to Che Diaz: “I have to protect my own mental health”

Cohen told Sarah Jessica Parker he welcomed the new characters on And Just Like That, and looked forward to seeing them more on Season 2. There’s been no official confirmation yet that a second season is definitely going ahead, although Michael Patrick King and Sarah Jessica Parker have both indicated they’re up for the idea.

Parker also dropped hints about some potential storylines, refusing to rule out fans seeing a return of ​​Aiden Shaw (played by John Corbett).

“I think he would be well… I’m not gonna, I mean, yes, all of it’s possible. All of it’s possible.”

Parker also talked about reuniting with Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy to film Hocus Pocus 2, and her relationship with husband Matthew Broderick. The two are currently appearing in Plaza Suite on Broadway together, and Parker revealed that on March 8th she and Broderick “Will have been together, ready folks, 30 years,” which prompted a congratulatory high five from Cohen.

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