'And Just Like That' Stars and Staffers Agreed Chris Noth Should Be Removed From Series, Source Says

A source tells ET that, thankfully, it wasn't a 'major overhaul.'

The decision to remove Chris Noth from the And Just Like That finale was a collective decision agreed upon by the cast, writers and producers, with a source telling ET the united front stems from their full support behind the group of women accusing the embattled actor of sexual assault. Noth has denied all allegations.

A source tells ET that a decision was made to remove the 67-year-old actor -- who played Mr. Big, the love interest of lead character Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), in Sex and the City and And Just Like That -- from future episodes of the HBO Max reboot following recent accusations. The source adds that "thankfully, it wasn't a major overhaul since Chris was killed off early and was to reappear later in the series finale."

A second source tells ET that the decision to remove Noth from the series was agreed upon by the cast, including the show's leading ladies, and staffers. To reiterate, the source says they all support the women who have bravely come forward.

"The show is and was always about the relationships between the women, and that continues to be the case now," the second source added. 

The source says that there were "plans to have [Noth] appear in a flashback during the finale." That scene has since been cut from the episode, but it "did not impact the plot." What's more, the second source says "Chris' role was always going to be small" because "his storyline was wrapped up in the first episode where he died."

Mr. Big was set to reunite with Carrie in the last episode, scheduled to air Feb. 3. Those plans, however, were derailed amid Noth's sexual assault allegations, which he vehemently denied.

The scene was set to feature Carrie finding closure after her husband's death, with TVLine reporting that the moment would have included both actors in Paris, France, where they were previously photographed filming the scenes. 

The Hollywood Reporter initially published a report in which two women alleged that Noth sexually assaulted them, with The Daily Beast publishing another woman's account. Shortly after, Noth was fired from his role on The Equalizer. Singer Lisa Gentile later came forward, also accusing Noth of sexual assault.

Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis then released a joint statement, expressing their sadness over the allegations leveled against Noth, and their support for the women who have come forward.

"We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth. We support the women who have come forward and share their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it," the post read, before Nixon, Parker and Davis signed off on the joint statement.

As for a second season of the Sex and the City reboot, the second source tells ET, "The truth is no one really knows what the plan is going forward."

RELATED CONTENT:

 

Latest News