Kim Cattrall
She stole the screen as the unapologetically liberated Samantha Jones, redefining female sexuality on television and building a lasting career on her own terms.
Born 1956 (age 70)·British and Canadian actress·Birthday: August 21·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kim Cattrall crafted a persona of sophisticated, savvy independence long before 'Sex and the City' made her a global name. Born in Liverpool and raised in Canada, she paid her dues in Hollywood with roles in films like 'Porky's' and 'Big Trouble in Little China,' often as the smart, sensual foil. But it was her casting as public relations maven Samantha Jones that changed everything. Cattrall didn't just play the role; she infused Samantha with a specific, fearless joy and vulnerability that made a caricature into a cultural touchstone. Her performance earned multiple award nominations and cemented the character as a symbol of sexual agency. Off-screen, Cattrall has been just as deliberate, choosing diverse projects on stage and screen, advocating for women's health, and famously asserting control over her career and the narrative around her, including her measured involvement with the 'Sex and the City' franchise. She is an actor who understood the power of a well-defined persona and wielded it to build a durable, respected career.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Kim was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Kim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Samantha Jones.
- Won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2002 for 'Sex and the City.'
- Starred in and executive produced the ITV drama series 'Sensitive Skin,' for which she won a Canadian Screen Award.
Did You Know?
She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.
She is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Canada.
She turned down a role in the film 'The Bonfire of the Vanities' that eventually went to Melanie Griffith.
“Aging is about the mind. If you keep your mind active, you will look great.”
