Evan Rachel Wood shades Practical Magic 2 cast as she speaks out about Joey King replacing her

Evan Rachel Wood has spoken out about being recast in Practical Magic 2, revealing that Joey King was the only person involved with the sequel who reached out to her.

Wood played Kylie Owens, the daughter of Sandra Bullock’s Sally Owens, in the original 1998 film. For the sequel, which is set 25 years after the first movie, King has been recast in the role. She told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of Practical Magic 2 that she had a “lovely” conversation with Wood.

She said, “I just was so appreciative of the support that she showed to me and to the rest of the cast.” 

King added, “She is so talented and so beautiful and she made this role so special when she was a young girl. I feel so grateful to be able to play Kylie at this age but I love Evan so much and I’m so appreciative of her kind words and the exchange that her and I shared.”

Then Wood took to her Instagram Stories, seemingly shading her Practical Magic 2 cast. She wrote, “I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me because no one who worked on the original film did. She’s a sweetheart.” 

She has been open about the recasting for more than a year

When the returns of Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest were confirmed, Wood said she had not been asked to come back.

Wood wrote on Instagram Stories last year, “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 Practical Magic sequel.” 

She added, “I offered my services, even if it was one scene or one line. I was told they are recasting. I am sorry to disappoint the fans. It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters.”

Then, speaking to Entertainment Tonight in July, Wood explained, “But it is sad because we bonded with that cast so much as children.”

She added, “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 is something that can’t be faked. And so I’m sad that that doesn’t get to exist, especially for the fans. But I wish them all the best and, obviously, wish Joey all the best. I hope she had a great time.”

Wood also said she had read Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, which the sequel is partially based on, and felt that bringing her back could have made sense in the book’s version of the story.

“I think in the book it would have made sense to bring me back. I think in the way they’re redoing it and approaching it, it didn’t make sense,” she explained.

She added, “I still have really fond memories of being in the original.”

Now, the director has explained why the roles of Kylie and her sister Antonia were recast

Susanne Bier says recasting Evan Rachel Wood’s character in #PracticalMagic2 was “not personal”: “The kids in the story are right out of college, so it wasn’t really a question.” pic.twitter.com/Ld80LJ3dfq

— Variety (@Variety) September 1, 2026

Speaking to Variety at the Los Angeles premiere, Susanne Bier said, “It was not a personal thing. The kids in the story are right out of college, so it wasn’t really a question. We had to recast.”

Wood and Alexandra Artrip originally played Kylie and Antonia Owens. In Practical Magic 2, King plays Kylie, while Maisie Williams takes over the role of Antonia.

Camilla Belle, who played a young version of Bullock’s Sally in the original film, also said she could understand why former cast members would want to return.

“I could imagine that everyone who was in the original would want to come back somehow,” Belle told Entertainment Weekly. “I think that’s a natural reaction because of how incredible the experience was, and how special this film is, and how much it means to all of us who were a part of it. So that’s understandable.”

For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page.