Photo: Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic
Warning: This post contains spoilers from the first two episodes of season 2 of Max’sAnd Just Like That…
Willie Garson’s character Stanford Blatch lives on inAnd Just Like That…
The actor, 57,died unexpectedlyin September 2021 after quietly undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, but Stanford received a sweet shoutout from on-screen bestie Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) inAnd Just Like That…’s season 2 premiereon Thursday.
When Carrie’sMet Galagown designer Smoke (Bethlehem Million) arrived at her apartment to help Carrie get ready, Smoke complimented the kimono Carrie had on when she answered the door. Carrie told Smoke her friend Stanford sent it to her from Japan.
Craig Blankenhorn / HBO Max
Writer and directorMichael Patrick Kingexplained to PEOPLE why he wantedto keep Stanford in the series.
King tells PEOPLE, “I think that’s important once characters are established that, when a circumstance is handed [to] you that is tragic and less than ideal, you can still keep these fictional people alive in spite of the fact that Willie’s gone.”
Tom Kingston/WireImage
King, 68, has also made sure Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) remained part of theAJLTstory, with Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) referring to her in the first few minutes of the season 2 premiere.
“I have always had Samantha Jones inAnd Just Like That…,” King said. “In my consciousness and in my writing, in all of her writing, she’s always been in London and texting. I was like, ‘Samantha lives, so let’s keep her alive for me, the writer, for Carrie, for Miranda, for Charlotte and for the audience.’"
That said, even King himself couldn’t believe when Cattrall, 66, decided to make an appearance inAnd Just Like That…season 2 after publicly stating shedidn’t want to play the character again.
Max confirmedCattrall’s return to PEOPLEon May 31, and the next day, Cattrall posted a screengrab of the news on her Instagram. The cameo will come inAJLT’s season 2 finale, when Samantha will reportedly speak to Carrie on the phone.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
New episodes ofAnd Just Like That…drop Thursdays on Max.
source: people.com
