In light of recent sexual assault allegations made against Chris Noth, the actor has been removed from the And Just Like That… finale. The Sex and the City spin-off series premiered on HBO on December 9. The series reunites the original Sex and the City cast—Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis—with the exception of Kim Cattrall. As the reboot follows the Sex and the City characters into middle age, it necessarily deals with relationships, unexpected tragedy, and the vicissitudes of life in middle age.
Chris Noth has played Carrie’s on-again-off-again love interest since 1998, appearing in the entire Sex and the City franchise. His character, Mr. Big, dies suddenly in the first episode of And Just Like That…. On December 16, shortly after Noth’s departure from the series, two women came forward alleging sexually abusive behavior in separate incidents, one in 2004 and one in 2015. Three other women have since followed suit, each detailing her own experience of assault and discomfort.
Now, a planned cameo from Chris Noth has been scrapped by HBO, TVLine reports. In the finale episode of And Just Like That…, a sequence was set to include footage of a posthumous Mr. Big. Ultimately, the series’ creative team decided that the footage wasn’t integral to the rest of the scene. It’s likely, however, that press surrounding the actor colored the decision-making process.
Noth continues to experience fallout in the wake of the allegations against him. Advertisers pulled a cheeky Peloton ad poking fun at Big’s death. When a third woman, the actress Zoe Lister-Jones, came forward with her own account of Noth’s behavior, he was subsequently dropped by his agency. Additionally, Noth was fired from The Equalizer part way through the crime drama’s second season.
Noth’s cancelled cameo appearance marks just one way the actor’s indiscretions have impacted And Just Like That… and his co-stars. In December, Parker, Nixon, and Davis issued a joint statement, putting their full support behind the women who had come forward. Even though Noth’s character is dead, his presence looms large over the fate of the series. Talks of And Just Like That… season 2 are currently on hold. In the meantime, fans and cast members alike can take solace knowing that the finale won’t cause additional distress to viewers.
Source: TVLine