EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Jessica Parker's Pain Over 'And Just Like That' Ending — 'She Never Wanted to Give Up Playing Carrie'
Sarah Jessica Parker felt pain over 'And Just Like That' ending as she never wanted to give up playing Carrie.
Aug. 14 2025, Published 12:52 p.m. ET
Sarah Jessica Parker is "absolutely heartbroken" over the end of And Just Like That – telling pals she "never wanted to give up playing Carrie Bradshaw" after 27 years in the role, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 60-year-old actress learned earlier this year that the Sex and the City spin-off, which began in 2021, would end with its third season.
The Show's Dramatic Ending
The actress has been playing the role for decades.
The news became public only two weeks ago, when showrunner Michael Patrick King said in a statement: "While I was writing the last episode of season three, it became clear to me that this might be a wonderful place to stop."
He added he and Parker had delayed the announcement so the word "final" would not overshadow the remaining episodes.
Speaking about the decision, Parker has told pals: "I wasn't prepared for this. I would have gladly stayed in Carrie's world for years to come – she's been at the center of my life for nearly 30 years."
The Show's News Hit SJP 'Hard'
Friends of the actor say the end of the series has hit SJP hard.
Friends of the actor say the end of the series has hit her hard.
One told us: "She's devastated – this is not the ending she pictured. She felt there were plenty more stories left. It's as if something she gave her all to was cut short."
Parker marked the approaching finale with an emotional Instagram post, writing: "Carrie Bradshaw has dominated my professional heartbeat for 27 years. I think I have loved her most of all."
Those close to her say she has also been "basically in mourning" since learning the news.
Friends said she has been in mourning since the news broke.
Kim Cattrall shaded the finale news with a cryptic Instagram post.
Not everyone in the Sex and the City universe expressed sadness.
Kim Cattrall, 68, who played Samantha Jones in the original series, appeared to make a thinly veiled comment on Instagram after the finale was confirmed, posting a photo of a sunset with the caption: "It's the end of a very long week."
Cattrall, who has had a long-running public rift with Parker, declined to join the And Just Like That cast apart from a one-minute cameo in season two, for which she was reportedly paid around $1million.
The original Sex and the City ran from 1998 to 2004, followed by two films in 2008 and 2010.
Cattrall turned down a third movie in 2017, citing pay disputes and a desire to move on from the role.
The spin-off gave Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis the chance to continue the story without her, expanding Carrie's world to explore themes of aging, friendship, and loss.
SJP's Looking Ahead After The Ending
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Parker is planning new projects despite the show’s end.
While the show's end has been difficult, Parker is already looking ahead.
A source said: "She's not looking at this as the final chapter of her career. She's considering a range of very different projects that might catch people off guard. She's ready to pour her energy into something fresh, even though letting go is hard."
Parker also hasn't dismissed the idea of returning to the role of Carrie someday, but for now she's concentrating on work outside the Sex and the City world, intent on showing she's much more than one character.
"She's working hard to embrace the thrill of ending one story and starting another in her life and career," the source said.
