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At the Tribeca Festival Lisboa in Portugal, Kim Cattrall opened up with candor and confidence about her long journey as an actress. Far from shying away from vulnerabilities, she reflected on career doubts, industry disappointments, and what still drives her to perform with passion after decades in the spotlight.
Saying no to Samantha Jones — at first
It’s the role that made her a cultural icon: Samantha Jones in HBO’s Sex and the City. But what most people don’t know is that Kim Cattrall initially turned down the part not once, but four times. It’s almost unimaginable today, yet that hesitation sheds light on just how uncertain and complex her choices have been.
At Tribeca Lisboa, she spoke about those early career crossroads with remarkable honesty. Coming out of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Cattrall was prepared for theater, where she had trained to explore strong characters. But in television and film, the roles available to her felt limiting — and at times degrading.
“Terrifying,” she called those early auditions, recalling how she was constantly offered roles that dealt in pain or submission. Crying, suffering, drinking — those were the boxes she was expected to tick. For an actress who had studied complex texts in theater rooms, it was disheartening. And you could feel in her words that she never forgot the sting of those lowered expectations. To read Pluribus finale shocks fans as season 2 faces long wait
The shift in mindset
Yet instead of growing cynical, Cattrall dug deeper into her own resilience. One sentence stuck with me: she said she learned to treat rejection not as failure, but as a sign that the role simply wasn’t right. That’s a rare kind of discipline, especially in such a competitive and emotionally charged industry.
Her early disappointments forged in her a more grounded relationship with acting. No longer about validation or the opinions of others, her career became more about accountability to herself — and to the craft.
Here’s what she said that really stayed with me: “It’s your work, but people’s opinions of me are none of my business.” It’s a statement full of liberation, and it’s something many artists, whether seasoned or aspiring, need to hear.
Her current approach to acting
Now at 67, Cattrall speaks with the clear-eyed joy of someone who knows exactly why she chose this path in the first place. “I love my job. I love it,” she said, with a mix of enthusiasm and conviction that made it feel fresh all over again. “It’s difficult, it’s complicated, but when it goes well, it’s so satisfying.”
As someone who grew up watching her bring humor, sex appeal, and surprising depth to a character like Samantha Jones, I found her words especially moving. She described acting not just as a profession but as something deeply physical and emotional — comparing its highs to a kind of personal ecstasy: “It’s better than any drug or any sexual climactic experience.” To read Taylor Swift opens up in final Eras Tour docuseries episode
That kind of declaration might sound excessive if it came from anyone else. But in Cattrall’s voice, it was completely sincere, and I believed her.
Living with curiosity
Whether speaking about her past or what comes next, Cattrall radiates a curiosity that feels completely intact, even after all these years. “I don’t know how many years I have left. I want to have fun. I want to remain curious,” she said, and there was no bitterness in her tone, only urgency.
She also highlighted how vital art and comedy can be, especially right now. In a world she sees as uncertain and fragile, laughter and storytelling are not just entertainment — they’re necessary. “What better way to bring us together than through enjoyment?” she asked the audience.
There’s something deeply comforting about hearing that from someone who’s seen, done, and been through so much in this business. Maybe that’s what stood out to me most from her talk in Lisbon: the sense that Kim Cattrall has become, not jaded, but more fiercely joyful.
What we can learn from her story
A few takeaways that stood out from her appearance:
- Don’t be afraid to say no, even to career-defining offers.
- Protect your sense of curiosity — it keeps work, and life, alive.
- Let go of outside opinions; you only answer to your own integrity.
- Comedy and connection have never been more important.
The Tribeca Festival Lisboa wrapped on Saturday, but the energy of Kim Cattrall’s words lingered. For someone who redefined boldness on television, it’s her vulnerability and wisdom off-screen that remind us why actors really matter — not just for the roles they play, but for the reflections they leave behind.
