Chris Noth addresses sexual assault allegations in first interview

"Sex and the City" actor Chris Noth addressed the sexual assault allegations against him in his first interview since several women came forward with accusations more than a year ago.

Noth told USA Today in an article published Aug. 7 his only offense was cheating on his wife, Tara Wilson.

"I strayed on my wife, and it’s devastating to her and not a very pretty picture," he said. "What it isn’t is a crime."

At least four women came forward with sexual assault allegations against Noth in December 2021 after the premiere of the "Sex and the City" reboot series, "And Just Like That..." Three of the women were anonymous, and NBC News was not able to independently corroborate or identify any of the three women and their allegations. Noth has not been criminally charged. NBC News has also reached out to Noth for further comment.

Noth denied the accusations at the time, and told USA Today he stood by his initial statement that said the encounters were consensual, and that adultery was his worst offense.

"You give yourself the same excuses that many men do; it’s just a little side dance, and it’s fun," Noth said. "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.'"

A week before the allegations became public, the premiere of "And Just Like That..." saw Noth's character, Mr. Big, suddenly die from a heart attack. Noth's appearance in the finale episode was cut, and he was dropped from a Peloton ad and fired from the CBS show "The Equalizer." He also lost a $12 million acquisition deal for his tequila brand, Ambhar.

More than a year after the allegations came out, Noth told USA Today he knows civil lawsuits against him still remain a possibility, which he called "a money train for a lot of people."

Gloria Allred, the lawyer representing some of the women, declined to comment to USA Today.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, the stars of "And Just Like That...", released a joint statement in December 2021 supporting the women who had come forward.

"We are deeply saddened to hear the allegations against Chris Noth. We support the women who have come forward and shared their painful experiences," they said. "We know it must be a very difficult thing to do and we commend them for it."

USA Today reported Noth initially didn't want to speak beyond his December 2021 statement, but he spoke of the allegations' effects.

"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."

He added he has spoken to his 15-year-old son about what happened, but his 3-year-old son is too young to understand.

"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. I can’t just rest on my laurels. So yeah, I have enough to let a year drift, but I don’t know how to gauge or judge getting back into the club, the business, because corporations are frightened."

Noth said he thinks "people are afraid of all this."

"Fear is the overriding operative word when it comes to whether they believe it or not. ... I have to just continue on," he said. "It’s rough, because people are scared, and their fear leads them. And I have to just persevere because I still have a creative life."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com