Joey King news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Joey King replaced Evan Rachel Wood in 'Practical Magic 2' and praised Wood's support. Fans criticized King's casting, but she responded gracefully.
Background
The sequel to the 1998 cult classic 'Practical Magic' features Joey King and Maisie Williams as the daughters of Sandra Bullock's character, replacing Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip. Wood expressed disappointment at not being asked back, and later said only King reached out to her. Director Susanne Bier said the recasting was 'not personal.'
How it unfolded
- early 2025Practical Magic 2 was announced, and it became clear Evan Rachel Wood would not return as Kylie.
- Jul 2026Evan Rachel Wood publicly expressed disappointment about not being asked back, saying it seemed the sequel wasn't following the book.
- Sep 1, 2026At the L.A. premiere, Joey King said she had a 'lovely conversation' with Wood and appreciated her support.
- Sep 2, 2026Wood on Instagram said only Joey King reached out to her, not any original film co-stars.
- Sep 3, 2026BuzzFeed reported Wood shaded the cast, and director Susanne Bier said the recasting was 'not personal.'
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Director Susanne Bier said replacing Evan Rachel Wood was 'not personal' and a necessity.
- Public
- A TikTok user complained that Joey King 'ruined what would have been a beautiful, witchy fan fave movie.'
- Support
- Joey King responded gracefully, saying she hoped the critic liked the movie and it was an honor to be in it.
Still unverified
Evan Rachel Wood's claim that no one from the original film reached out to her is based on her own statement; director Susanne Bier said the recasting was 'not personal' but did not confirm whether anyone contacted Wood.