When one thinks of Kim Cattrall, the first image that comes to mind is her portrayal of Samantha Jones in the popular HBO television sitcom ‘Sex & the City.’ Cattrall is a well-known actress, and her portrayal of Samantha Jones was a watershed moment in her career. Not only did the sitcom increase her popularity among a national audience, but it also elevated her to international stardom, bringing her much fame and recognition. Additionally, the role earned her several awards. Cattrall made her film debut in the film ‘Rosebud,’ and then appeared in guest roles on several television series throughout the 1970s decade. ‘Tribute’ marked her triumphant return to the silver screen. What distinguishes Cattrall from other actresses and luminaries is her ability to breathe life into her characters, making them appear believable and authentic. ‘Police Academy’, ‘Big Trouble in Little China’, ‘Mannequin’, ‘Porky’s’, and ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country’ are just a few of the films in which she excelled.
Childhood & Adolescence
Kim Cattrall was born in Mossley Hill, Liverpool, to Gladys Shane and Dennis Cattrall. Her father worked as a civil engineer, and her mother as a secretary.
When she was only three months old, the Cattrall family immigrated to the Canadian city of Courtenay in British Columbia.
At the age of 11, she returned to England on a temporary basis. She took a number of acting examinations with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art during that time (LAMDA).
She returned to Canada five years later to complete her high school education. In 1972, she graduated from high school.
Career of Kim
After completing her academic degree, she relocated to New York to pursue an acting career. She enrolled and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts as a result of this. She immediately signed a five-year film deal with director Otto Preminger after graduating from the same.
She made her feature film debut in 1975 with the film ‘Rosebud.’ Universal Studios acquired her contract the following year.
She later appeared as a guest star on several television shows, including ‘Good Against Evil’, ‘Quincy, M.E. ‘, ‘Logan’s Run’, and ‘The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries’. Additionally, she appeared as the female lead in an episode of both ‘Columbo’ and ‘Starsky and Hutch’.
In 1979, she appeared as Dr Gabrielle White in ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ Dolores in ‘How the West Was Won,’ Princess Zara in ‘Vega$,’ and Sharon in ‘Charlie’s Angels.
Her outstanding performances on television and her perseverance as an actor paid off when she was cast in the lead role of Sally Haines opposite Jack Lemmon in the film ‘Tribute.’ The film was a smashing commercial and critical success.
Following the release of ‘Tribute,’ she appeared in a few additional films, including ‘Ticket to Heaven,’ another critically acclaimed film. In 1982, she starred in the film ‘Porky’s’ as P.E. teacher Miss Honeywell (‘Lassie’).
She starred in the 1984 film ‘Police Academy.’ 1985 was a busy year for her in terms of film releases, with three of her films scheduled for release: ‘Turk 182,’ ‘City Limits,’ and ‘Hold-Up.’
‘Mannequin’ was released in 1987 and was a box office smash, followed by ‘Masquerade’, ‘The Return of the Musketeers’, ‘Palais Royale’, and ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’. Lieutenant Valeris in ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country’ was a well-received role for her in 1991.
Meanwhile, she did not completely abandon her television career, appearing in television films and miniseries such as ‘Double Vision,’ ‘Wild Palms,’ ‘Dream On,’ and ‘Two Golden Balls,’ among others.
From 1995 to 1997, she appeared in several television series and films such as ‘The Outer Limits’, ‘Invasion’, ‘Above Suspicion’, ‘Live Nude Girls’, ‘Exception to the Rule’ and ‘Duckman’.
She made her television debut in 1998 as Samantha Jones in Darren Star’s ‘Sex and the City’ series. The show aired on HBO until 2004. It earned her widespread national and international acclaim for her deft handling of Samantha Jones. Due to the team’s popularity, she was asked to reprise her role for the 2008 film adaptation and its sequel in 2010.
Meanwhile, while filming ‘Sex and the City,’ she maintained a presence on the big screen, appearing in films such as ‘Baby Geniuses,’ ’15 Minutes,’ and ‘The Devil and Daniel Webster.’ Additionally, she appeared in Britney Spears’ debut feature film, ‘Crossroads.’
Her portrayal of Tina Harwood, an ice skating coach, in the Disney film ‘Ice Princess’ earned her widespread acclaim for her astute portrayal of the character. It even earned her several awards at the International Teen Film/TV Series Awards.
Following that, she appeared in several television shows, including ‘My Boy Jack’, ‘The Sunday Night Project’, ‘The Simpsons’, ‘Producing Parker’, and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’
In 2010, she starred in Roman Polanski’s film ‘The Ghost Writer’ as Amelia Bly. The film was well-received, as was her portrayal of her character. Continuing her success story, she starred in the critically acclaimed Channel 4 adaptation of William Boyd’s novel ‘Any Human Heart’ as Gloria Scabius.
In the same year, she appeared as a leading lady in Noel Coward’s play ‘Private Lives’ at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End. Additionally, she played Cleopatra in Liverpool’s Playhouse production of ‘Antony and Cleopatra.’
In 2011, she returned to Broadway in the role of Amada in a revival of Noel Coward’s ‘Private Lives’.
Awards and Accomplishments
She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television in 2003 for her role in the show ‘Sex and the City’. She even won two Screen Actors Guild Awards for ‘Sex and the City’s’ Outstanding Female Actress in a Comedy Series.
For ‘Ice Princess,’ she won the 2005 Teen Film/TV Series International Awards for Best Comedy Actress or Drama Support Role.
She received the NBC Universal Award of Distinction at the 2008 Banff World Television Festival. In 2009, she was honored with a star on Toronto’s Walk of Fame. She won a Gemini Award for Best Performance in an Animated Programme or Series in 2010 for her role in ‘Producing Parker’. In recognition of her contributions to the dramatic arts, she was named an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University the following year.
Personal History and Legacies
She has been married three times throughout her life. The first was made in 1977 to Larry Davis. The collaboration did not work out, and the two broke up in 1979.Following this, she married Andre J Lyson in 1982.
This marriage, too, was short-lived and was annulled in 1989. In 1998, she married Mark Levinson, an audio designer and jazz bassist. As part of a publishing deal, the two collaborated on the book ‘Satisfaction: The Art of Female Orgasm.’ They divorced in 2004.
Throughout her life, she has been romantically involved with a number of prominent figures, including Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, actors Daniel Benzali and Alexander Siddig, musician Gerald Casale of the New Wave group Devo, and French public intellectual Bernard-Henri L vy. She is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada.
Estimated Net Worth
Kim Cattrall is a 40-million-dollar English-Canadian actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Samantha Jones on HBO’s “Sex and the City,” but has had a successful film and television career spanning decades, particularly in the 1980s. Among her notable film roles are “Police Academy” from 1984, “Big Trouble in Little China” from 1986, “Mannequin” from 1987, and “Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country” from 1991.
Trivia
This British-Canadian actress best known for her role in ‘Sex & The City’ is one of the final survivors of the studio ‘contract’ system.