Sarah Jessica Parker Breaks Silence on Kim Cattrall's Return, John Corbett on AJLT Season 2

"I was really excited about the idea," Sarah Jessica Parker told ET about the small cameo that leaked earlier this month. Samantha will reportedly share a phone call with Parker's Carrie at the end of the season. Could that hint at the possibility of more in Season 3?

"I thought it was a really good idea and I was thrilled that, you know, we could make it happen and that it worked for her and it's just really nice to see," said Parker. "It's really nice. I was really pleased."

Like their real-life counterparts, Carrie and Samantha's friendship is on the rocks -- in the fictional world, it's over a business disagreement. While Cattrall was not involved with "AJLT" Season 1, Samantha did "appear" via text exchanges with Samantha.

According to Parker, their long distance, fractured friendship will continue to feature in the second season. Last fans knew, Samantha was living in London with the pair making plans to meet up in Paris for drinks.

"I think it reflects the relationship that we've been sharing via text for last season and this season," Parker told ET. "You know, this is a hugely important relationship for Carrie, it's been filled with affection."

She went on to note, "We just thought it was a really nice idea to put a face to the text, really in large part to celebrate the 25 years of ["SATC"]." She called it a "lovely nod" landing in a "sentimental moment."

While news of Cattrall's return blew up across the internet, Cynthia Nixon (MIranda) was disappointed at the leak. "We were hoping we could keep it under wraps," she said. "Unfortunately now it's been blown, which is really a bummer. Most of it was just this surprise of her coming back."

She also wanted to make sure that all this lead time wouldn't overhype what it actually winds up being. "I think we all are emphasizing it's really brief, it's just a moment, so don't be expecting anything other than that," she said.

At the root of Cattrall's absence from the revival series is a longstanding feud between her and Parker. While she cited a "heartbreaking" storyline she felt wasn't true to Samantha as her reason for dipping out of the third "SATC" movie, feud rumors were already circulating.

Although there had been rumors of a feud between Parker and Cattrall before, the beef really took off after Cattrall did an interview with Piers Morgan in 2017 and said Parker "could have been nicer to her." Then, when Cattrall's brother died unexpectedly in February 2018, Parker reached out to her former co-star and offered her condolences.

On the announcement of her brother's passing, SJP wrote, "Dearest Kim, my love and condolences to you and yours and Godspeed to your beloved brother. Xx."

Cattrall then went off on Parker in another Instagram post, which she captioned: "My mom asked me today, 'When will that Sarah Jessica Parker, that hypocrite, leave you alone?' Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now."

"Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven't already). You are not my family. You are not my friend," Cattrall continued. "So I'm writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your 'nice girl' persona."

When the revival was announced without Cattrall, SJP responded to a fan who said she "disliked" her former costar. "No. I don't dislike her. I've never said that. Never would," she replied, "Samantha isn't part of this story. But she will always be part of us. No matter where we are or what we do."

It's easy to understand why Nixon was hoping to keep Cattrall's cameo a surprise. Other than a fun treat for fans, it also overshadows everything else happening in Season 2 of "And Just Like That," including the return of another fan-favorite character, Johh Corbett's Aidan.

He and Carrie were once engaged, and with -- SPOILER ALERT -- Mr. Big (Chris Noth) no longer in the picture in a very permanent way, Aidan is set to make his way back into Carrie's life. It looks to be a more substantial role than Cattrall's, though there are no details as to whether it'll be a single episode or a meaty season-long arc.

Sara Ramirez, who portrays Ché Diaz, suggested a meatier part for Corbett, saying he "had the welcome energy everybody needed" for Season 2. Nixon said simply that Miranda was "always Team Aidan.

As for Parker, she told ET it a "rich relationship" and said his return creates exciting opportunities for the actors and writers. "Who are they now? Are they good for each other? Are they, you know, apologetic?" she pondered. "Are they trying to course correct in some ways? Are they better for each other? Are they worse for one another?"

They're not looking to immediately drop Carrie into another serious relationship, though, with Parker saying that after the loss of her husband, her character is "resurfacing and reimagining life as a single person."

She said it should ring familiar for "SATC" fans. "By that I just mean the pursuit of joy, the sort of buoyancy of this city and romance and possibility and all the things that happen when you are on the path of discovery, whether it's professional or personal, romantic discovery," she explained. "It's amusing, it's whimsical, it's absurd."

She also said that as a more mature, layered person now, Carrie's approach to dating will have a more tempered feel. "She's a grown up and she's an independent person who isn't needing to be reliant upon someone," she noted.

"But she is someone that is, you know, deeply romantic and excited about the flirt, and the chase, but more so perhaps on her terms than she would have been able to create in her younger past."

"And Just Like That" kicks off its second season Thursday, June 22 on Max.