Kristin Davis Reveals Why Kyle MacLachlan Declined to Join And Just Like That
Kyle MacLachlan was originally slated to reprise his role in a plotline that was ultimately scrapped for And Just Like That, as revealed by Kristin Davis.
During the March 6 episode of her “Are You a Charlotte?” podcast, Davis, 60, shared that one of the abandoned story arcs for the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, would have seen her character, Charlotte York-Goldenblatt, encountering her first husband, Trey MacDougal, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan. However, MacLachlan chose not to return.
“[Executive producer] Michael Patrick [King] prefers we don’t discuss story ideas that never came to fruition,” Davis explained. “But I feel compelled to tell you all that there was a notion of bringing Trey/Kyle onto And Just Like That, but it ultimately didn’t happen. So, I had to talk to Kyle about it since I was somewhat upset. I asked, ‘Why didn’t you join us? We wanted you there.’”
Davis further elaborated that MacLachlan had a valid reason for his decision to not return. “He expressed, ‘I wanted it to be amazing,’ which hinted at a somewhat melancholic sentiment. I think I’m not oversharing here. I hope Michael won’t be upset with me. There was an element of sadness, but it led to a remarkable build-up for me to reconnect with Trey,” she said.
MacLachlan appeared as Charlotte’s formal first husband, Trey, in the third season of Sex and the City, whose divorce was pivotal to Charlotte meeting her second husband, divorce lawyer Harry Goldenblatt (played by Evan Handler).
“When you’ve played such an impactful role in the past that holds such fond memories for people, and it was a remarkable experience, you want it to remain in that glorious light,” Davis commented on MacLachlan’s reluctance to reprise his role as Trey in And Just Like That. “I believe he just didn’t want any sadness to taint the conclusion. I understand that,” she added.
Davis also mentioned that the “aspect I cherish most” about the ill-fated episode was “Charlotte revealing to her friends that she hasn’t communicated with Trey at all, which is quite surprising in a way.” She reflected, “But I’ve never been married or divorced, so I don’t truly know how that works. Is there communication? Is it acceptable to be friends or not?”
She emphasized that her character is “happily settled with Harry,” noting, “I don’t think her communicating with Trey would pose a threat to Harry given the issues from that relationship.”
Nonetheless, Davis feels that Charlotte has “a sense of unfinished business regarding [Trey], and she genuinely wishes to see him,” adding that “I, Kristin, share that sentiment.”
“I’m hopeful that we can explore a scenario where they could cross paths, perhaps at an event or a restaurant,” the actress elaborated. “I think it would be incredible to have Kyle back on. I did give him a bit of grief the other day, but he explained his perspective, and I understand where he’s coming from.”
MacLachlan, for his part, exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2024 that he wouldn’t completely rule out a return to the franchise. “Let me check my contract. Anything is possible,” he joked at that time. “Anything is possible. Who knows?” He added, “I would be open to a cameo.”
