Evan Rachel Wood is sharing the reason she believes she wasn’t asked to return for the upcoming Practical Magic sequel.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actress said it doesn’t seem like Practical Magic 2 will be following the book. The sequel was adapted from author Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, which was the follow-up to her first novel Practical Magic.
“I read the book and it seems like they’re not following the book,” Wood said. “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.”
The 1998 film followed two witch sisters (played by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman), raised by their eccentric aunts, as they face a curse that threatens any man who falls in love with an Owens woman. Wood and Alexandra Artrip played the daughters of Bullock’s character, Sally Owens.
Earlier this month, Wood took to Instagram to confirm for fans that she wouldn’t be reprising her role in the new film. “I am getting asked about this a lot, so l’ll just clear it up now; I was not asked to come back and be in the Practical Magic sequel,” she wrote at the time. “l 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.”
In the sequel, Joey King was recast to play Wood’s character, while Maisie Williams will be playing the younger sister of Artrip’s character from the first film. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing will also be reprising their characters, Aunt Jet and Aunt Franny, respectively.
Wood also told ET that she’s “sad” she doesn’t get to return because “we bonded with that cast so much as children, 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, it’s something that can’t be faked.”
Practical Magic 2 hits theaters on Sept. 11.
