Chris Noth has said he feels "very protective" of his Sex and the City co-star Sarah Jessica Parker when commenting on the actress's reported feud with former colleague Kim Cattrall.
Cattrall, who played one of the leading roles of Samantha Jones in the original TV series and movie spin-offs, is notably absent from the imminent reboot And Just Like That.
Rumours of disquiet between the two actress's have circled for years, but in 2018 Cattrall publicly hit out at her former co-star following the death of her brother. When Parker offered her condolences on Instagram, Cattrall issued a withering response, saying it was "a reminder of how cruel you really were then and now" and insisted "you are not my friend".
When asked by The Guardian why he thought Cattrall wasn't in the new series, Noth said: "I have to tell you, I have absolutely no idea what her thinking is, or her emotions.
"I do know that I’m very close with SJ and [Cattrall’s] descriptions of her don’t even come close.
"I liked her, I thought she was marvellous in the show and some people move on for their own reasons. I don’t know what hers were.
"I just wish that whole thing had never happened because it was sad and uncomfortable."
He added: "I just don’t like to see anyone talking down about SJ because she’s a target and people can be nasty.
"I feel very protective of her and I was not happy about that. That’s all I’ll say about that."
And Just Like That... will welcome back Parker as Carrie Bradshaw, Noth as Mr Big, as well as original stars Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbs and Kristin Davis as Charlotte Goldenblatt.
The 10-part romantic comedy drama will jump 20 years in the character's lives and follow them taking on a "new chapter" as they navigate life and friendship in their 50s in New York City.
And Just Like That… is available from December 9 on Sky Comedy and streaming service Now.
