Evan Rachel Wood Speaks Out on Being Left Out of Practical Magic 2: "I'm Sad"
Evan Rachel Wood has spoken publicly about not being asked to return for Practical Magic 2, telling Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet that she was "sad" about the decision. The interview, conducted by ET correspondent Emily Curl at the premiere of The Shards, is the most detailed Wood has given on the subject since she first raised it on social media a year ago (Deadline).
Wood played Kylie Owens, one of the two young daughters at the heart of the 1998 cult favourite Practical Magic, which starred Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sister witches. In the sequel, the role of Kylie has been recast with Joey King. The role of Antonia — Sally's other daughter — has gone to Maisie Williams, replacing Alexandra Artrip from the original film (Deadline).
Wood did not hold back on the casting logic. She said the decisions for Practical Magic 2 "do not make sense," though she was quick to voice support for King personally (Just Jared). She also noted that the sequel does not follow The Book of Magic, Alice Hoffman's 2021 novel that continued the story of the Owens family (Deadline).
This is not the first time Wood has addressed her absence. In July 2025, she posted on Instagram Stories that she had not been asked back and had offered to appear in even a single scene or a single line. Deadline covered her remarks at the time (Deadline).
The sequel has been steadily building its ensemble. Bullock and Nicole Kidman are reprising their roles as Sally and Gillian Owens. Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, who played the Owens aunts in the original, are also returning. New additions include Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod. Six actors were added to the cast in July 2025, as Deadline reported (Deadline). A trailer was unveiled in June 2026 (Deadline).
For fans of the original, the recasting of both daughters means the sequel is charting its own course rather than attempting a straight continuation. Wood's comments confirm what she hinted at a year ago: the door was never opened to her, despite her willingness to take part in any capacity.
