In a nutshell:
Following the Aidan-resurrecting, Big-denying, abortion-dodging, Nya-ignoring, wildly divisive second instalment of Michael Patrick King’s And Just Like That, the series will be back for another round of ill-advised and frequently baffling shenanigans.
Will the cast of And Just Like That season 2 be returning for season 3?
“We are delighted to share that since the launch of season two, And Just Like That ranks as the number one Max Original overall, and is the most-watched returning Max Original to date,” said Max’s head of original content Sarah Aubrey, in a statement last summer which confirmed that the show would be returning. “We cannot wait for audiences to see where season three will take our favourite New Yorkers.” And as for the creator himself? “We are thrilled to spend more time in the Sex and the City universe telling new stories about the lives of these relatable and aspirational characters played by these amazing actors,” added King.
Relatable? Umm, sure. Anyway, it’s expected that most of the main cast – Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, John Corbett and co – will be back, with two notable exceptions. The first is Sara Ramirez, who played the controversial comedian Che Diaz. On 17 January 2024, it emerged that the actor had been dropped from the upcoming season, with Ramirez taking to Instagram to say that their time on the show was over because “casting directors and agents are making black lists of actors and workers who post anything in support of Palestinians and Gaza to ensure they will not work again.” Other sources from inside the production disputed these claims, saying: “Sara was not fired because they support Palestine and the cease fire. Sara was fired because Che brought nothing to the show anymore. They were on the chopping block since last season. After Che split with Miranda, the character really held no value anymore and fans found them annoying. The storyline as a struggling comedian was a waste of airtime and Sara knew it.”
Also leaving the show, albeit more amicably, is Karen Pittman’s Nya Wallace, the Columbia Law School professor and friend of Miranda. On 22 March, it was confirmed that the actor would not be appearing in And Just Like That’s third season due to a scheduling conflict with her other projects, which include Apple TV+’s The Morning Show and the Netflix drama series Forever. Sources told Deadline that “there was every intention for Pittman to be in season three… and Nya was written into the scripts. But, after exhausting all avenues to make the scheduling work, that proved impossible.” A network spokesperson added: “It has been a joy to have Karen Pittman play the smart and stunning professor Nya Wallace. As we have thoroughly enjoyed working with this dynamic actress, so too have others. Due to her commitments to two other streamer series, it has become apparent that filming three shows at once isn’t possible. Due to the production realities, we are disappointed to announce that scheduling conflicts will not allow us to continue with this character as part of season three. Karen and Nya will be missed, and her Max family and fans will all be cheering her on in her other endeavours.”
As the pair departs, there will, however, be a slew of other familiar faces coming onboard. On 1 May, comedian Rosie O’Donnell confirmed that she’d be joining the ensemble for the next instalment, sharing a photo of her episode one script on Instagram. The image revealed the title of the series opener (“Outlook Good”), and that the actor would be playing a character called Mary. She isn’t the only female comedian due to hang out with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and co in season three either: Saturday Night Live’s Cheri Oteri was spotted shooting in Lincoln Centre Plaza in May. Fast forward to June, and a trio of additional male cast members was also confirmed: Logan Marshall-Green (aka Trey Atwood on The OC); Mehcad Brooks, of Law & Order fame; and British actor Jonathan Cake, a Desperate Housewives alum.
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What will happen in And Just Like That season 3?
Further details are, understandably, being kept carefully under wraps, but Che and Nya’s departure brings with it a whole host of questions: where will Miranda’s storyline go now? Could her Skipper call-back last season be hinting at the return of yet another original SATC ex who could throw yet another spanner into the works for our favourite self-confessed “sexually confused alcoholic going through a divorce”? (Surely not, but stranger things have happened.) And elsewhere, will Carrie and Aidan get back together or commit to their five-year pause? And after Kim Cattrall’s much-buzzed-about cameo in the season two finale, will Samantha finally return to the fold for good? You may say that’s preposterous, but remember: this is the show that pulled the rug out from under us with Big’s death in the season one opener, and then went one better by attempting to reframe the entire franchise’s undisputed central relationship, built over two and a half decades, as a mistake; the same show whose creators told us repeatedly that given the history, Cattrall would never, ever make an appearance. So, clearly, anything can happen.
When will And Just Like That season 3 be released?
And Just Like That is now back in production, with the show retuning to screens in 2025, though an exact release date is still to be announced.