Chris Noth speaks out on 'hurtful' fallout with Sarah Jessica Parker
Warning: this article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
After firing a subtle shot at his former co-star in a fiery social media statement last week, Sex and The City actor Chris Noth has finally addressed his long-rumoured feud with Sarah Jessica Parker.
As a reminder, the 71-year-old played John James Preston in the glitzy big-city rom-com, a mostly-married entrepreneurial tycoon most commonly known as 'Mr Big', who served as the on-off love interest of Parker's lead star, relationships writer Carrie Bradshaw.
Along with the now-60-year-old actress, Noth worked closely with Parker's on-screen New York girl-gang - PR mogul Samantha Jones (played by Kim Cattrall), art dealer Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and lawyer Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon).
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As well as the palpable chemistry that their characters bore, the pair of leading lovers were famously friends off-screen, often appearing side by side on red carpets during breaks between seasons.
When did the Chris Noth-SJP beef begin?
That was, however, until 2021, when two anonymous women claimed that Noth had sexually assaulted them in separate incidents in 2004 and 2015. The star went on to slam these claims as 'categorically false' at the time.
"These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago - no always means no - that is a line I did not cross," he told PEOPLE. "It's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women."
It was later revealed that Noth's character had been killed off during the very first episode of the show's long-awaited spin-off, And Just Like That.
Around the same time, Parker began distancing herself from her former on-screen beau, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 that she'd cut contact.
After being asked by journalist, 'As a producer, what was your reaction?', she responded: "I don’t even know if I’m ready to talk about it, but I don’t think - I wasn’t reacting as a producer. I should have worked on this because I’m just... it’s just..."
Social media spat
Hinting at some serious tensions, Noth fired a dig in Parker's direction last week, after she was awarded the Carol Burnett Award at this year's Golden Globes for her contributions to TV.
Hours after she thanked the 'most glorious ensemble of women and actors', Noth took to Instagram to share a rather sweaty snap of himself working out in a gym, captioned: "F&@k New Years - LET'S GO!"
In the comments, one fan went on to question: "You mean f**k sjp & her award right? lol."
To which he cheekily replied: "Right."
And as we say, following a week of speculation, Noth has finally spoken out on the headline-hitting fallout, confirming that he and SJP haven't caught up with one another for some time.
Noth's latest admission
His comment was made in a preview clip for an interview Noth recently undertook on Kara Mayer Robinson's Really Famous podcast.
In the bombshell exclusive video obtained by PEOPLE, he can be heard confirming what fans of the show have long presumed: "We’re not friends, I think that’s pretty obvious."
Referencing Parker's response to the damning allegations made against him, the Wisconsin native continued: "The statement that they put out - which was nothing more than brand management, really - I don’t know, it was sad, it was disappointing, it was surprising.
"Because you need to call me and hear my side of this. You’ve known me for many years, and we’ve worked [together] for many years."
Weeks after Parker's statement on Noth's alleged misconduct, the pair's co-stars Nixon and David also issued a joint statement, claiming they were 'deeply saddened' to hear them.
"We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences," they told press.
"We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it."
Addressing the accusations head on once again, Noth told his fans this week: "I get it, that’s more Hollywood than Hollywood, but before you make that statement, you know me, you’ve known me all these years, give me a call so I can give you the real scoop about this.
"And that didn’t happen, and that was too bad."
Surprisingly, he went on to claim that he's endured gains and losses from his public disgrace, including finding out 'where people stand'.
"What’s gained is good," Noth continued. "You know who your real friends are and who they’re not. That’s important to know.
"I just know if it had been on the other hand, I wouldn’t have done that."
Of Parker's take specifically, he added in the preview: "That was hurtful, and it really affected everything."
Topics: Celebrity, US News, TV And Film, Sarah Jessica Parker
Rhianna Benson