‘And Just Like That…’: The Annabelle Bronstein Reference Explained

Kim Cattrall’s And Just Like That… cameo was something of a disappointment. While she brought back the beloved character of Samantha Jones, the interaction between Samantha and Carrie Bradshaw was of no consequence. It also didn’t hint at the character’s potential return in a larger capacity. Despite the disappointment, old-school Sex and the City fans did appreciate Samantha Jones dropping an Annabelle Bronstein reference. Don’t worry if you aren’t in the know. We have all of the details about Annabelle Bronstein that you need. 

Who is Annabelle Bronstein? 

Annabelle Bronstein is the name of a woman that Samantha Jones impersonated to access a private rooftop pool during Sex and the City. In the season six episode, “Boy, Interrupted,” Samantha learns that there is an epic rooftop pool in her neighborhood. She heads to the club to sign up but discovers a long waitlist instead. While using the bathroom, however, she is asked if she forgot her card by a worker. In a moment of quick thinking, Samantha says yes and assumes the identity of Annabelle Bronstein.  

Samantha and her pals enjoy a glorious few days at SoHo House before they are caught red-handed impersonating Annabelle and her pals. While Carrie and Miranda were ready to give up their lounge chairs immediately, Samantha was a bit more reluctant, insisting she was Annabelle Bronstein, despite a staff member insisting the real Annabelle was from London and was not in New York at the time. Samantha even made up a backstory and fake accent for the woman that no one ever saw.

How many episodes was Annabelle mentioned in? 

While some fans consider Annabelle Bronstein to be Samantha Jones’ alter-ego, that’s really not the case. Annabelle was not an alter-ego, as much as she was a real person that Samantha opted to impersonate a single time. While the name is easily recognizable to Sex and the City fans, it’s actually a rather niche Easter egg. 

Annabelle Bronstein was only mentioned in a single episode of the series. She was never spoken about before the SoHo House incident and never mentioned again after. In fact, we are still determining if Samantha eventually gained membership at the elite club. Now that she’s living in London, though, we assume Samantha has access to a pool of her own. Maybe she’s even met Annabelle in real life. 

Will Kim Cattrall return to ‘And Just Like That…’ full time? 

And Just Like That… has been renewed for a third season, and while writing and filming for the new season has yet to begin, fans can’t help but wonder if Kim Cattrall will reprise her role for real. Considering how insignificant the cameo was and Cattrall’s demands to appear, it seems unlikely. 

Cattrall refused to be in the same space as any of the other actors when her one-minute cameo was filmed. She also declined to speak to anyone associated with the show, brought in her own costume designer, and asked for the shoot not to be included on the call sheet. Cattrall didn’t want to be bothered by the rest of the cast, and the feeling seems mutual. Considering the level of disdain that everyone appears to have for each other, we can’t really see a way for the cast to include Catrall in any meaningful way. Only time will tell, though.