Quick Links
It's been nearly a year since Sarah Jessica Parker has stepped in Carrie Bradshaw's beloved Manolo Blahnik pumps for And Just Like That..., the revival of HBO's iconic series Sex and the City.
The undeniable face of SATC (she was the only cast member to appear in the opening credit sequence), Parker took a consistently pay cut to play Carrie again. Fret not, as the actress' still received a seven-figure salary per episode of And Just Like That... so she's probably doing just fine.
The Samantha-less series also marked the return of Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon as Charlotte York and Miranda Hobbes, while Kim Cattrall was famously absent from this new chapter. While the HBO Max series received mixed reviews and was originally billed as a limited series, it was renewed for a second season, proving that fans have enjoyed its chaotic energy.
Love it or hate it, And Just Like That... season two is officially in the works, meaning SJP & co. might be in for a pay rise.
How Much Did Sarah Jessica Parker Make For Sex And The City?
According to website Celebrity Net Worth, Sarah Jessica Parker made, well, a lot of money from Sex and the City.
The Hocus Pocus star earned about $50 million for the first three seasons of the series, but things changed when she served as a producer from season four through six. Then, she would make $3.2 million per episode, meaning that she received $147 million for the last three seasons, for a total of 46 episodes.
This figure seems even wilder if we compare it to the salary of her co-stars. Davis, Nixon and Cattrall were paid "just" $350,000 per episode for the final three seasons of the show. The difference in pay can be partly explained by the fact that none of the other leading ladies was a producer on the original show.
The Salary Difference Between Sarah Jessica Parker And Kim Cattrall Might Have Ended Sex And The City
Cattrall reportedly asked to be paid $1 million per episode in the seventh season of Sex and the City. As fans know, a seventh chapter never happened, which might mean that Cattrall's request for a pay rise wasn't approved and lead to the end of the show.
The How I Met Your Father star confirmed in a 2004 interview that money was among the reasons why the original show didn't continue past season six.
"I felt after six years it was time for all of us to participate in the financial windfall of Sex and the City," she said on an episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
"When they didn't seem keen on that I thought it was time to move on," she continued, adding that she would reprise the role of Samantha Jones if the script was "fabulous".
And she did return as Sam in two SATC movies, released in 2008 and 2010. Both helmed by SATC director and co-writer Michael Patrick King, the two films earned all actresses a comparatively higher salary. Yet, Parker still pocketed a significantly bigger cut than her co-stars.
Cattrall earned $7 million for the first movie and was offered a raise to $10 million to return for the (frankly, terrible) sequel. Parker, who was an executive producer on both movies, earned $15 million for the first and $20 million for the second. On their part, Davis and Nixon only made $3 million for the first film and $4 million for the second.
Sarah Jessica Parker Made Less Money For And Just Like That... Then For Sex And The City
The situation changed drastically on And Just Like That... where Parker, Nixon, and Davis all received the same salary per episode.
Parker earned significantly less compared to her Sex and the City days, going from the aforementioned whopping $3.2 million to $1 million per episode. Nixon and Davis earned the same figure as they were also made executive producers on the series alongside Parker.
The And Just Like That... main cast's salary is proof of a more equitable production decision, honoring all actresses' contributions to the original show and their characters.
It might also reflect a shift in the entertainment industry and elsewhere to bridge the gender pay gap and guarantee fair pay to women workers, while simultaneously dismantling female competition in the workplace, a consequence of having to fight for fewer opportunities compared to those available to their male peers.
What And Just Like That... Season Two Is About?
As Davis, Nixon, and Parker are officially returning for a second season of And Just Like That..., it will be interesting to see whether they will be paid more and if a raise will apply to all of them.
The second season of the SATC revival will continue focusing on the lives of Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda, now in their 50s and dealing with a whole new set of challenges across the bustling background of New York City.
Creator Darren Star has confirmed that, much like in season one, Samantha will be present in spirit — and via text messages —in this upcoming chapter.
And Just Like That... is streaming on HBO Max. A second season is officially in production.
