Evan Rachel Wood Calls Out ‘Practical Magic 2’ For Not Reaching Out Amid Recasting, Calls Joey King A “Sweetheart”

Evan Rachel Wood starred in the original Practical Magic film alongside Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

Although the film’s leading stars reprised their roles for the sequel, Bullock’s daughters were recast in Practical Magic 2, with Joey King now playing Kylie Owens.

“I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me, because no one who worked on the original film did,” Wood shared on her Instagram Stories. “She’s a sweetheart.”

Practical Magic 2 is a sequel to the 1998 film based on the Alice Hoffman novel directed by Griffin Dunne. In the original film, Bullock and Kidman play sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, two witches raised by their aunts after their parents die from a family curse. The sisters grew up using practical magic and have to use it to destroy the evil spirit of Gillian’s abusive boyfriend before it kills them.

The sequel, set 25 years after the first film, follows the Owens family as they discover something about their family’s history and the origins of their magic.

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their roles as Sally Owens and Gillian Owens, respectively. Sally’s daughters, who were played by Evan Rachel Wood (Kylie) and Alexandra Atrip (Antonia), were recast for the sequel. Joey King was cast as Kylie, while Maisie Williams took on the role of Antonia.

At the premiere of The Shards, Wood said she felt “sad” that she wasn’t asked back for the Practical Magic sequel.

“It is sad, because we bonded with that cast so much as children, and so to miss out on the opportunity to look at that cast and look at that house as an adult and see the history in our eyes, it’s something that can’t be faked,” Wood told Entertainment Tonight during the red carpet of The Shards premiere. “I’m sad that doesn’t get to exist, especially for the fans.”

When the sequel was announced, Wood spoke out about not being asked to reprise her role, saying in an Instagram Story post, “I am getting asked about this a lot, so I’ll just clear it up now; I was not asked to come back and be in the #PracticalMagic sequel. I offered my services, even if it was one scene or one line. I was told they are re-casting. I am sorry to disappoint the fans. It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters.”