‘Practical Magic’s Alexandra Artrip Responds To “Negativity” Around Sequel Recasting: “Give It A Shot” — SkimNews
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- Alexandra Artrip posted a video telling fans her social media is "not a space for negativity" about the recasting of her character Antonia Owens with Maisie Williams in the upcoming Practical Magic 2 sequel.
- Artrip acknowledged fans' support for her and Evan Rachel Wood, but called Williams and Joey King "lovely actresses" and asked the audience to "give it a shot" with an open mind, per Deadline.
- Evan Rachel Wood said she's "sad" not to return as Kylie, publicly noting that "no one who worked on the original film" reached out about the recasting — though she praised King for personally reaching out.
- Director Susanne Bier defended the recasting as "not a personal thing," explaining the onscreen daughters are now "right out of college," which required new actors.
- Practical Magic 2 premieres September 10 in theaters, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprising Sally and Gillian Owens, and a script by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel based on Alice Hoffman's novel The Book of Magic.
Why it matters: The recasting forced a public reconciliation between a legacy cast and a sequel machine 28 years in the making, with original star Evan Rachel Wood explicitly stating no one from the production reached out to her. For Bullock and Kidman, the September 10 sequel bets on a new generation of viewers while the original's nostalgic fanbase — already vocally protective — could determine whether the revival builds goodwill or controversy.
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