Anglo-Canadian actress Kim Cattrall was born on August 21, 1956 in Cheshire, England. Her family moved to Courtenay, British Columbia shortly after her birth. She returned to London at age 11, where she eventually studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, before resuming her studies in Canada.
In 1972, Cattrall moved to New York City, where she trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and later making her film debut in the 1975 film Rosebud. She then appeared in several Universal Studios television productions, notably as Dr. Gabrielle White in The Incredible Hulk. She then resumed her film career, appearing in films such as Tribute and Ticket to Heaven.
Cattrall was part of the original cast of Police Academy, playing Cadet Karen Thompson. Her performance in the 1987 film Mannequin was applauded by audiences, which was followed by another well-known role, as Lieutenant Valeris in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. She also continued her stage career, appearing in productions of A View from the Bridge and Three Sisters.
In 1997, Cattrall was included in the cast of the HBO series Sex and the City. She played the role of Samantha Jones, the most sexually promiscuous among the four friends, who later suffered from breast cancer. The role gained her international recognition, and earned her a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress in 2003. She continued appearing in other projects during the show’s run, from 1998 to 2004; these include the films Baby Geniuses and Crossroads.
Cattrall’s post-Sex and the City credits include the films Ice Princess and The Tiger’s Tail, and the West End productions Whose Life Is It Anyway? and The Cryptogram. She reprised her role as Samantha Jones in the 2008 film adaptation to Sex and the City. She is set to executive produce another series for HBO, Sensitive Skin, about a mother and wife who rediscovers her sexuality.