Chris Noth Addressed The Major Controversy Surrounding Big's Death

And just like that... the man of the hour is weighing in on the most controversial TV scene of the moment. The series premiere of And Just Like That sent shockwaves across pop culture because of its twist ending, which spurred on a heated conversation among fans about how Carrie Bradshaw could have handled things differently. Spoiler alert: Don’t read on if you haven’t seen the And Just Like That series premiere. Well, now Chris Noth himself is making his feelings known about Carrie not calling 911 after Big’s death, and his explanation makes a lot of sense.

Every SATC superfan knew there had to be some big bombshell in the first episode of its long-awaited sequel series, but nobody expected it to be so tragic. After a rigorous workout on his Peloton, Mr. Big suffered a heart attack in his bathroom while Carrie was out at Charlotte’s daughter’s piano recital. When Carrie returned home, she discovered Big dying in their shower, but instead of immediately taking out her phone to call an ambulance, Carrie screamed, rushed toward her longtime love, and held him as he died.

Obviously, it was a hugely emotional and traumatic experience for Carrie, but that didn’t stop fans of the show from wondering why she didn’t try to save Big by calling for help. Even celebs weighed in on the convo; Jonah Hill went so far as to make a whole Instagram post about it, writing, “But why didn’t Carrie call 911 immediately?!”

But it turns out, Noth wouldn’t change a single thing about Big’s death scene. In a Dec. 14 interview with Vogue, Noth revealed the scene was inspired by a moment in the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde, in which the two outlaws share one final look at each other while dying. “We knew that we had to have that, that I just shouldn't die alone in the bathroom. There had to be that last moment and no words, no corny dialogue, just a look, and I thought [showrunner Michael Patrick King] did it so beautifully.”

Noth said staging the death in this way was “essential for [him] to come back,” emphasizing the significance of Carrie finding him just barely alive so they could share a final moment together. “It was very important for both of us to find a way to have that last moment together, not that she walks in and finds me dead in the bathroom,” Noth said. “And the rest is just chemistry with SJ. We've known each other a long time.”

Carrie whipping out her phone to dial 911 totally would’ve ruined that powerful last bit of chemistry between the two lovers. Plus, some actual cardiologists don’t think an ambulance would’ve been able to help Big at that point anyway. It really does feel like Big got his perfect final moment, and hopefully that’ll be enough to help Jonah Hill relax about how it all went down.