‘Hold me hostage’ SJP wanted to BAIL on SATC after the pilot aired

There's no denying that the pilot episode of Sex and the City way back when (1998, fact fans) signalled a major change to the way in which TV execs approached women's treatment of sex and relationships.

And while the viewer knew they were witnessing something pretty epic, it seems the show's leading actress wasn't as quite as quick off the mark when it came to recognising the show's potential.

Recalling the role which made her a household name, Sarah Jessica Parker admitted that she hadn't anticipated the impact the show would have, and initially decided it wasn't something she'd be comfortable with.

"When I did the pilot, I didn’t think it was going to change my life at all except that when they picked it up — or when I was reminded I did it, frankly," she said in The Jess Cagle Interview.

Explaining that after being approached on the street and congratulated on her involvement in the show, Sarah suddenly decided that the role would infringe on other pursuits.

"I was like, 'I don't know if I think I want to do that. Is there a way to not do that?' I met my agents in L.A.—Kevin Huvane—and I was like, 'Do you think maybe I could not do this now?'"

Sarah feared that she would be forever tied to the role of Carrie, adding: "Because I wanted to keep doing a play and doing a movie and doing a play."

"So, the way I thought it was going to change my life was that it was going to like hold me hostage to a commitment."

Thankfully for die-hard SATC fans, Sarah was convinced to give it a shot, and admits that she's so grateful she did.

"It was the happiest, it was the most productive, fulfilling professional experience I could have imagined," she gushed.