“I Offered My Services” – Evan Rachel Wood Opens Up About the Harsh Recasting of 'Practical Magic 2', Reveals the Silver Lining

Published 09/02/2026, 10:55 PM EDT

Barefoot (2014) - filmstill Evan Rachel Wood in Barefoot (2014) EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xCAP FBx

Evan Rachel Wood is not shying away from revealing how she was not asked to reprise her role in Practical Magic 2. The sequel to the 1998 film brings back the original stars for another magical adventure. However, while some new faces have joined the cast in new roles, a few characters were recast as well.

One of them was Wood, who played Sandra Bullock’s character, Sally's daughter, Kylie Owens, in the original film. The actress recently opened up about her wish and efforts to reprise the role. However, she revealed that she got recast without her knowledge. Despite the disappointment, Wood also revealed one good thing during this situation.

Evan Rachel Wood was upset over being recast in Practical Magic 2

Following the tradition of bringing back iconic movies, Practical Magic 2 was announced, with Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest among those set to return. However, Evan Rachel Wood was not part of the announcement. She was quick to take to her Instagram Story to clarify that, while she would have loved to rejoin the cast, she was never asked to reprise her role or even approached by anyone involved with the film.

“l offered my services, even if it was one scene or one line. I was told they are recasting,” she said. “It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters.”

August 26, 2026, London, United Kingdom: Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman attend the red carpet arrivals for the European premiere of PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 in Leicester Square..Celebrities arrive on the red carpet for the European Premiere of PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square. London United Kingdom - ZUMAs197 20260826_aaa_s197_061 Copyright: xPhilxLewisx

In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Wood opened up about reading Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, the novel on which the sequel film is based. She claimed that the team behind the film did not appear to be closely following the book, which is a sequel to Hoffman’s Practical Magic. She added that it would have made sense to bring her back if they followed the book.

“I think in the way they’re redoing it and approaching it, it didn’t make sense,” she said. 

Now, amid the movie’s promotional campaign, Wood has once again taken to her Instagram Story to reveal that the only cast member who reached out to her was Joey King, who plays Kylie in the sequel. This comes after King revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that she approached Wood before playing the role. She added that the actress was supportive of the cast of Practical Magic 2.

“I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me because no one who worked on the original film did,” Wood wrote on her Instagram story. 

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Now, Wood was not the only one who got recast in the sequel.

Alexandra Artrip recast in Practical Magic 2

While Evan Rachel Wood played a young Kylie, Alexandra Artrip portrayed Sandra Bullock’s Sally’s other daughter, Antonia. She was also recast for the sequel, with Maisie Williams now taking on the role. So, both actresses who previously played the Owens sisters have been recast, and there appears to be a reason behind the decision. Practical Magic 2 director Susanne Bier opened up about the recasting and explained that it was not personal. 

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She added that because the characters are shown as being "right out of college" in the sequel, they needed to be recast. However, despite Bier’s comment, Wood appeared disappointed by the decision to leave her out. Whether there is a bigger reason behind the recasting remains to be seen, and that can be found out when the film arrives on September 10, 2026.

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Whay do you think about Evan Rachel Wood's opinion? Let us know in the comments.

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Pritha Debroy

1156 articles

Pritha Debroy is an Entertainment writer at NetflixJunkie who can seamlessly switch between breaking down an NBA play and obsessing over the latest K-drama twist. She has written over 3,400 NBA and NFL articles, but her true joy lies in diving into Netflix’s trendiest shows—unpacking themes, stories, and yes, the occasional celebrity chaos. When she is not writing, you’ll find her devouring thrillers (anything by Freida McFadden is an instant yes), revisiting comfort classics like 10 Things I Hate About You and 27 Dresses, or hunting for her next binge-worthy series.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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