Samantha Jones (Sex and The City) - Character History

Character History

Samantha is one of four single friends portrayed in the series. A proud, confident, highly sexual woman, most of her storylines revolve around the frequent sex and brief affairs she has. She is outspoken and a self-proclaimed "try-sexual" (meaning she'll try anything at least once). She is portrayed as brash, straightforward, highly protective of her friends, and unafraid of confrontation. She also displays nonchalance toward dating and monogamy and becomes uncomfortable whenever her sexual relationships take an emotional turn.

Not much is known about Samantha's younger years. It is known that she came from a working class background, and she spent most of her teenage years selling Dilly bars at Dairy Queen to earn pocket money. Season 3 implies that she has at least two siblings, when she mentions that at her age, her mother "was saddled with three kids and a drunk husband." She later mentions partying at Studio 54 during its heyday, implying she moved sometime in the mid to late-1970s from wherever she grew up to New York City. She has mentioned having had at least two abortions, one of which occurred while she was in college.

Samantha is the eldest of the four friends (in the final scene of Sex and the City (film), her 50th birthday is celebrated), and she has her own public-relations company. In the book's prequel series, it is revealed that Carrie met Samantha first.

In the early part of the series, she lives on the Upper East Side, but ends up moving to an expensive apartment in the Meatpacking District, after one of her late-night visitors lets in a mugger who attacks one of her older female neighbors.

One of Samantha's best qualities is her loyalty to her friends. When Carrie confesses to her that she's having an affair with her married ex-boyfriend "Mr. Big," and is cheating on her boyfriend, Aidan, Samantha tells her that judging is not her style, and offers her support. Although she fights with Charlotte a few times, they always manage to get past their differences and make up. Despite having trouble adjusting to Miranda having a child, she willingly gives up a coveted hair appointment and sends Miranda in her place, staying behind to babysit and give her friend a much-needed break (and creatively using a neck massager first as a vibrator, and then subsequently to calm the baby). Although Miranda is usually considered Carrie's best friend, Samantha is shown to be closer with Carrie on several occasions, such as in the first film when Carrie asks Samantha to be her maid of honor. Also, Carrie hates an engagement ring that Miranda picks out for Aidan to give Carrie, but Carrie loves the replacement ring he gets her, which was selected by Samantha.

In the show's last season, Samantha is diagnosed with breast cancer. She faces the challenge head-on, playing with her look by wearing outrageous wigs, hats, and headscarves after she loses her hair to chemotherapy. In one of the final episodes, she gives a speech for a cancer benefit dinner, and receives a standing ovation for removing her wig onstage and admitting that she was suffering with hot flashes. The audience appreciated her candor and honesty, and many of the women in the audience stood up and removed their own wigs.