When Practical Magic 2 arrives in theatres this month, fans will see a new actress playing Sally Owens’ daughter Kylie. Joey King has taken over the role from Evan Rachel Wood, who played Kylie in the 1998 original, and King has now revealed that she and Wood had a conversation about the recasting.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, King spoke about Wood during the Los Angeles premiere of Practical Magic 2 on August 31, where she also shared how grateful she was for the former Kylie’s support.
As previously reported, Wood confirmed last year that she would not be returning as Kylie Owens in Practical Magic 2. The actress made it clear at the time that the decision was not hers.
“I was not asked to come back and be in the Practical Magic sequel,” Wood said in a statement. She explained that she had offered to return even if it meant appearing for only one scene or one line, but was told that the character was being recast. Wood added that she would have “happily rejoined” her sisters and said the decision was “not in my control or my choice.”
King was subsequently cast as the older version of Kylie, with Maisie Williams joining her as Sally’s other daughter, Antonia Owens (replacing Alexandra Artrip).
Despite the circumstances surrounding Wood’s departure from the franchise, King says the two actresses had a positive conversation about her taking over the role. King told The Hollywood Reporter she had a “lovely conversation” with Wood and was especially appreciative of the support Wood showed her and the rest of the cast. King praised Wood for making the character special in the original movie and said she felt grateful for the opportunity to play Kylie at this point in the character’s life.
“I love Evan so much,” King said, while expressing her appreciation for the kind words Wood shared with her. Rather than treating the recasting as a source of tension between the actresses, King and Wood appear to have approached the situation with mutual respect.
Director Susanne Bier also offered some insight into why the filmmakers decided to recast Kylie.
Practical Magic 2 takes place 25 years after the original movie, and the sequel gives the next generation of Owens women a much larger role in the story. According to Bier, the characters needed to be in a particular age range because they are “literally out of college.” Bier said that King and Williams felt like the right choices for the story.
King’s casting also reunites her with the lead actresses. King and Bullock previously appeared together in the 2022 action movie Bullet Train, while King also played Kidman’s daughter in the 2024 Netflix romantic comedy A Family Affair.
While the original Practical Magic focused primarily on Sally and Gillian Owens, the sequel expands the story to the younger generation of the family. Kylie discovers hidden secrets about her family and begins developing magical abilities of her own. Her story brings the Owens women back together as they confront the curse that has continued to haunt their family.
Bullock and Nicole Kidman are returning as Sally and Gillian, with Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also reprising their roles as Jet and Frances.
The new cast includes Maisie Williams as Antonia Owens, Lee Pace as Ian Wright, Xolo Maridueña as Gideon, and Solly McLeod as Thomas Lockland. The sequel is directed by Susanne Bier from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel.
A TikTok user recently criticized King’s involvement in Practical Magic 2, writing that her casting had “completely ruined what would have been a beautiful, witchy fan fave movie.”
King responded directly in the comments, taking an understanding approach to the criticism. The actress explained that she was a huge fan of the original Practical Magic and considered it an honor to be part of the sequel. She also acknowledged that casting changes in legacy sequels can be difficult for audiences.
King asked the fan to keep an open mind and see how much fun she had making the film. “Being an [Owens] woman is not something I take lightly,” King wrote, adding that she hoped her respect for the original film would shine through.
Apparently, King’s response worked. The TikTok user later deleted the original comment and posted a follow-up praising King and expressing excitement to see her play Kylie. The critic even promised to buy two tickets to Practical Magic 2 as a public apology to the actress. In comments to Entertainment Weekly, the fan explained that Practical Magic has been a nostalgic favorite for decades and said they hoped the sequel would feel like an authentic and necessary addition to the original.
There’s already talk of continuing the story beyond Practical Magic 2. Producer Denise Di Novi, who also produced the original film, recently expressed hope that another sequel could happen, telling fans to “spread the word.” Whether that happens will presumably depend on how audiences respond to the new movie.
For now, though, fans can finally return to the Owens family when Practical Magic 2 arrives in theatres on September 10. Are you looking forward to seeing Joey King take over the role of Kylie? Let us know in the comments below.