Evan Rachel Wood has spoken publicly about her absence from the upcoming Practical Magic 2. The actor revealed that almost no one involved with the original 1998 movie contacted her regarding the follow-up, except for her replacement, Joey King.
Evan Rachel Wood calls out Practical Magic 2 cast except Joey King
The highly anticipated sequel finds Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprising their roles, but the younger generation is being recast. Wood, who played Kylie Owens in the original, is being replaced by King, while Maisie Williams steps in for Alexandra Artrip as Antonia.
In a Tuesday Instagram story, Wood shared her appreciation for King’s gesture amid the silence from her former collaborators. “I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me, because no one who worked on the original film did,” Wood said. “She’s a sweetheart” (via The Wrap).
Director Susanne Bier addressed the recasting decision at Monday’s premiere, explaining the necessity behind the change. Bier told Variety that the decision was purely logistical, not personal. “It was not a personal thing. It was that the kids in the story are right out of college, and so it wasn’t really a question, you know? We had to recast,” Bier said.
Practical Magic 2 picks up with the daughters of Bullock’s character, Sally Owens, as young adults discovering their own magical heritage. King plays Kylie, while Williams plays Antonia. Joey King has faced her own share of scrutiny since the casting announcement. When a TikTok user criticized her involvement, King responded, asking the fan to “open your mind a little” and see how much fun she had making the film.
Moreover, not everyone from the original production has remained silent. Alexandra Artrip, who played the younger Antonia in the 1998 film, publicly voiced her support for Wood. In an August 14 Instagram post, Artrip shared nostalgic photos and praised Wood’s character.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.
