Probably best known as Samantha in Sex and the City, it might come as something of a surprise to learn Kim Cattrall is actually from Liverpool.
In fact, she was born in Liverpool in 1956, (emigrating three months later to Canada, only to return to the UK for a short spell between the ages of 11 and 16 to pursue her ambitions in the dramatic arts), in a comfortable family setting which allowed her to flourish as an actress.
With a lifelong ambition and passion for drama, Cattrall began her theatrical studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, where she trained for exams in several key areas that would no doubt later help her land some of her more famous roles.
After returning to Canada to complete her high-school education there, Cattrall moved south of the border to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she had the opportunity to truly refine her craft.
Upon finishing her studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Cattrall was fortunate enough to secure a five-year contract that resultant in a string of movie appearances around that time.
Sex and the City
After starring in dozens of films across genre (and decades), it was in 1997 that Cattrall was to be cast in her most instantly recognizable role – that of Samantha in Sex and the City.
The wildly popular global phenomenon that is Sex and the City has provided a launch pad in her career leading to a whole host of ads and endorsements on the strength of her popular character, and while Cattrall had seen success in many of her previous acting roles, the rise of Sex and the City internationally has arguably trumped any of her previous achievements.
Although coming late in her career, the HBO show has firmly secured Cattrall’s standing as an instantly recognizable actress with millions of avid fans worldwide, and with Sex and the City making it to the big screen twice (as of 2010), her personal brand continues to skyrocket in value.
After years of paying her dues and securing a range of interesting parts as a working TV and film actress, her role as Samantha seems to be one of her most cherished, and is undoubtedly one of her most successful.
Aside from her role in Sex and the City on both TV and the silver screen, Cattrall has also enjoyed significant roles in Police Academy, Star Trek VI, The Return of the Musketeers, Crossroads and The Incredible Hulk, in addition to numerous TV appearances over the last 35 years, making Kim Cattrall one of the most recognizable actors of her generation.
Liverpool At Heart
While Kim Cattrall spent much of her youth across the pond, she no doubt remains a true Liverpool girl at heart, and one of the city’s most famous exports of the last century in the entertainments and showbiz industries.
With a long and celebrated career spanning a diverse array of TV, stage and movie roles, Cattrall has long since been a household name globally, and continues to win fans for her various roles.
Cattrall is also a supporter of Liverpool Football Club.
Who Do You Think You Are?
Watch Kim Cattrall in the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? – a British genealogy documentary series on Youtube:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5m9w678cQc[/embedyt]
Photo By Canadian Film Centre (Flickr: ‘Meet Monica Velour’ 34) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons / Cropped from original.