Practical Magic 2 recasts Kylie after Evan Rachel Wood says she wasn’t asked back
Evan Rachel Wood has weighed in on her Practical Magic 2 recast.
Let’s talk Practical Magic 2, and specifically—what’s gone a bit pear-shaped with the casting. If you’ve somehow missed the back-and-forth this week, the sequel is coming (yes, after more than two decades) and nearly everyone’s buzzing about one thing: Evan Rachel Wood not returning as Kylie Owens. Spoiler—she’s not thrilled about it either.
Back in 1998, Wood played Sandra Bullock's eldest daughter in the original film—tiny, mischievous, and, if you recall, surprisingly memorable for a “kid in a grown-up movie” role. Fast forward to now, and the film’s prepping for its big sequel—except the powers that be have decided to recast both of Bullock’s onscreen daughters. In Wood’s place? Joey King. Alexandra Artrip’s Antonia has also been swapped out, this time for Maisie Williams. Bit of a bizarre move, if you ask me, given the nostalgia hype sequels like this tend to trade on.
At the premiere for The Shards, Wood told Entertainment Tonight: "It is sad, because we bonded with that cast so much as children." She went on, "that is something that can’t be faked," and added she’s "sad that doesn’t get to exist, especially for the fans."
Why the shakeup?
It gets a bit awkward here. Wood says the studio never got in touch to discuss her returning—not even for a cameo or a single line. Her Instagram post after the sequel announcement was about as blunt as these things get: she was informed they’d be recasting, it wasn’t her choice, and she’d "happily rejoined my sisters" if asked. Apparently, no phone call. Not even an awkward agent-to-agent.
She also took a subtle swipe at the adaptation itself. After reading the source material—Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, which the film is based on—Wood pointed out the sequel isn’t even following the book all that closely. Her argument: if they’d actually stuck to Hoffman’s story, it would’ve made perfect sense to have the original Kylie back onscreen.
The sequel’s cast and what’s next
The rest of the returning talent is a bit of a who’s who. Bullock’s back, obviously, as is Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest. Some new blood as well: Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod round things out. The release is set for 11 September. Notably, this time around, Joey King and Maisie Williams inherit the mantle of the now-grown-up Owens sisters.
Practical Magic 2 lands in cinemas on 11 September 2026—28 years after the original film.