And Just Like That... Filmed Fake Scenes to Throw Fans Off

HBO Max has been on a months-long mission to keep the plot of And Just Like That…, the Sex and the City reboot that premieres on Thursday, under lock and key. In fact, it’s made such an effort to shroud Carrie and co.’s latest exploits in secrecy that some fans couldn’t help but wonder if they were up to their old tricks: spending the time, money, and energy on filming fake scenes that may have been picked up by paparazzi photos. According to Kristin Davis and (a very reluctant) Cynthia Nixon, who made a joint appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, the answer is yes.

Nixon’s initial attempts to deny as much were fruitless: Davis immediately cut her off, enthusiastically insisting the rumor was “definitely” true. (“It might be,” Nixon eventually allowed, giving Davis the side eye.) “We want the fans to enjoy the show," Davis explained to Colbert. “I think that's the important part.” On that point, Nixon agreed. “We don’t want them to know,” she added. “We don't want them to read the Cliffs Notes beforehand.” As for the many fan theories that have been circulating, the pair said that so far none have been correct. (Though Davis did so with a mischievous smile.)

You can’t exactly blame Nixon for her reluctance to say anything concrete. “It was very highly intense,” Davis said of the network’s effort to prevent spoilers, nodding when Nixon added that they “worry constantly.” The months-long shoot in New York City was a constant battle with the paparazzi, who at one point managed to photograph a page of the script. (If it was the real deal, things aren’t looking great for Carrie and Big after all.) What’s more, Nixon noted, there’s the matter of social media, which they didn’t have to deal with back in the day on Sex and the City—and even then, they pulled moves like filming three different versions of the series’s grand finale.

So, what’s true about the plot and what’s not? The teasers haven’t confirmed much at all. Does Big’s ex Natasha really resurface, or was Bridget Moynahan on set just for show? Has Carrie really started smoking again and swapped out “It” bags for radio-station totes? Hang tight: The answers to at least some of the now endless questions are less than 48 hours away.