Patrick Harbron/The CWSamantha Jones is bringing the sex to the city on The Carrie Diaries!
The CW's Sex and the City prequel is introducing fans to a familiar face when it returns for its second season on Oct. 25: Carrie's (AnnaSophia Robb) future BFF Samantha Jones, with newcomer Lindsey Gort stepping into Kim Cattrall's iconic Manolos.
E! News exclusively chatted with Gort about taking on the beloved role and receiving Cattrall's blessing. Plus, she dishes on what fans can expect to see when they meet Samantha in the '80s and a "sexier" season two...
"I heard from my manager that the casting director had seen my headshot and couldn't believe the resemblance," Gort tells us of landing the plum role. "I knew they already liked the way I resembled her. The process was long, it was like a month and a half." A month and a half that featured rejection, it turns out, as Gort reveals that she originally had given up on the idea of playing Samantha as "they told me no twice."
Of course, Gort eventually went on to land the role...and Cattrall's blessing via Twitter! "So happy u're playing Fearless Sam," Cattrall tweeted. "The key 2 her is her heart. She never judges those she loves. Have a blast! Kimx"
"I had never tweeted before and my friend told me. It was shortly after my name had come out as playing Samantha and she was like, 'Oh my god, Kim is tweeting about you!'" Gort recalls. :So I signed up, I read it and I tweeted to her. I tried to think of something Samantha-y I could say...She didn't have to do that and it was really cool that she passed that torch on."
As for The Carrie Diaries' return in October, Gort teases, "It's definitely a sexier season. Carrie's getting older, she's growing up and figuring herself out. It's definitely still family-safe. It's a far cry from the HBO show, but it's definitely starting to explore a woman's sexuality. It's a little bit racier."
And while she was careful not to spill too much information about how exactly fans will first meet young Samantha, Gort shares, "It is a surprising way to meet Samantha. I don't think people would expect to see her in this place in her life because it's such a far cry from where people know Samantha Jones to be."
Sounds fabulous, just fabulous!
The Carrie Diaries returns Friday, Oct. 25 on the CW.
For more Carrie Diaries scoop. watch our exclusive interview with Lindsey Gort above!