Joey King responded directly to a TikTok critic who claimed her casting in “Practical Magic 2” had “completely ruined” the long-awaited sequel, choosing empathy over confrontation in a comment thread that quickly turned around public opinion. User Christian Vitek posted the original video slamming King’s role as Kylie Owens, the part originated by Evan Rachel Wood in the 1998 film, writing that King’s presence undercut what “would have been a beautiful, witchy fan fave movie.”
King replied under the post itself rather than staying silent. “Awww no!! I do hope you like the movie, it was a true honor to be in it as a massive fan of the original myself,” she wrote, adding that she understood the frustration that comes with legacy sequels recasting beloved roles. “I know it’s hard sometimes when legacy sequels are made and casting is different than what certain people envisioned, but I only ask that you open your mind a little and see how much fun I had making it.” She closed by noting that stepping into the Owens family carried weight for her personally: “Being an Owens woman is not something I take lightly, and I hope that respect shines through.”
The exchange reversed the critic’s stance almost immediately. Vitek deleted the original post and followed up with an apology, promising to buy two tickets to the film and writing that King’s take on the character was “going to eaaaat.”
“Practical Magic 2” arrives in theaters September 11, set 25 years after the original and bringing a new threat to the Owens family. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, joined by King and Maisie Williams as their daughters, Kylie and Antonia.
Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod round out the new cast, while Wood does not appear in the sequel. King has said she saw the original film at age nine and found it frightening, and has credited on-set support from Bullock and Kidman, calling their partnership “the best duo ever” during a related press stop this summer.
