Chris Noth admits in a new interview that he cheated on his wife, Tara Wilson, but continues to deny the sexual assault claims made against him in 2021.
“I strayed on my wife, and it’s devastating to her and not a very pretty picture,” he told USA Today in a story published Monday. “What it isn’t is a crime.”
Two women came forward to accuse him in December 2021, days after the “Sex and the City” spinoff “And Just Like That” premiered on Max. Three other women also alleged assault.
Noth, who played Mr. Big on “SATC” and briefly starred in “AJLT,” denied the accusations as “categorically false” in 2021 and called the incidents consensual. No criminal charges have been filed.
“You give yourself the same excuses that many men do; it’s just a little side dance, and it’s fun,” he told USA Today. “You’re not hurting anybody. No one’s going to know about this, you know, and sex is just enjoyable. And suddenly, a lot of people want to have sex with you. It’s like, ‘Well, I’m not going to get this chance again.’”
Noth acknowledged that he could face civil lawsuits, calling it “a money train for a lot of people.”
“There’s nothing I can say to change anyone’s mind when you have that kind of a tidal wave,” he said.
“It sounds defensive. I’m not. There’s no criminal court. There’s no criminal trial. There’s nothing for me to get on the stand about and get my story out, get witnesses. And there’s even more absurd add-ons that are completely ridiculous, that have absolutely no basis in fact. And I don’t like talking about it because as soon as I do, you’ll get the Daily Mail or someone grabbing a part of it and doing it, and I don’t want my kids seeing that.”
Noth shares two sons, Orion, 15, and Keats, 3, with Wilson, 41. The couple wed in 2012.
The Post reached out to Noth’s spokespeople for comment, as well as reps for “AJLT” showrunner Michael Patrick King. A rep for show star Sarah Jessica Parker declined to comment.
Parker, 58, and co-stars Cynthia Nixon, 57, and Kristin Davis, 58, issued a statement shortly after the allegations surfaced in 2021.
“We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth,” their statement read. “We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences. We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it.”
Following the accusations, Noth was axed from the “AJLT” Season 1 finale last year, lost a $12 million deal for his tequila brand, was fired from the CBS drama “The Equalizer,” had a Peloton ad pulled, and was dropped by his agency.
“I’m not going to lay down and just say it’s over,” he told USA Today. “It’s a salacious story, but it’s just not a true one. And I can’t just say, ‘Well, OK, that’s it for me’ because of that. I’m an actor. I have other things that I want to do creatively. And I have children to support.”
He told USA Today he’s directing and performing in Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros” at a Massachusetts theater.
He’s also the face of Samuelsohn, a suit company that has launched a campaign to raise awareness about men’s mental health. The “Law & Order” and “Good Wife” alum is being paid in clothes, not cash, the outlet notes.
