Why Alexandra Artrip's Reaction to Her 'Practical Magic 2' Recasting is Winning Hearts
Published 01:40 12 Sep 2026 GMT+1
Retired child star Alexandra Artrip addressed being recast in Practical Magic 2, quipping that "nobody even knew I was alive a month ago."
Original Practical Magic child star Alexandra Artrip has broken her silence on being recast in the upcoming sequel, revealing she discovered the project had been green-lit the exact same way as the general public.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the former actress—who portrayed Sandra Bullock’s younger daughter Antonia Owens in the 1998 cult classic—shared her perspective on stepping away from Hollywood decades ago and having Game of Thrones alumna Maisie Williams take over her role.
"There had been rumors circling around for a while [about a sequel], and all my friends and family obviously knew I was in the first one, so anytime an article came up about it, I [would get] flooded with the links," Artrip explained. "When it got green-lit, I just got sent an article like everybody else."
Artrip explained that her brief acting career ended almost immediately after the release of the witchy blockbuster, choosing an ordinary upbringing over the entertainment industry.
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Alexandra starred alongside Evan Rachel Wood as two of the youngest stars in the original film (AlexandraArtip/Instagram)
"I basically retired after I did Practical Magic," she said. "I only acted for about nine months. I retired and just kind of went back to a normal childhood, and then when I graduated college, I briefly went out to LA and auditioned a little bit and decided to just go into corporate life and have a normal life and family and kids."
Now working as a sales and marketing professional, Artrip lives a quiet life in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and children. While she recently set up an Instagram profile to reconnect with fans and share memories from the set, she had previously put out a polite feeler on Facebook in 2025 expressing an interest to "return for a cameo or to attend the premiere."
However, Artrip made clear she harbors no bitterness over not receiving a call from the studio.
"I never expected to be involved, so it would have been a big shock to me if I got an email or a call," she told the publication. "I don't think anyone even knew I was alive a month ago. I've been incognito until a month ago."
While most of her castmates hadn't stayed in touch, she did admit she recently reconnected with Bullock, after the Hollywood icon commented on one of her social media posts.
The former child star stepped away from acting after just nine months (AlexandraArtip/Instagram)
Yet even despite falling out of touch, she has no ill feeling towards the newest star to take over her role.
Artrip pointed out that recasting Antonia alongside her on-screen sister Kylie—now played by Joey King, taking over for Evan Rachel Wood—was a logical creative choice given the narrative timeline.
"The characters - I don't remember their exact age - but [from] their storyline, you can deduce their ages and where they are in life," Artrip noted.
Far from being upset, Artrip expressed genuine excitement to see Williams take up the mantle.
"Maybe I influenced the casting or the inspiration, but I kind of see it as I got to play Antonia in one chapter of her story and if that serves as any source of inspiration for Maisie ... then I just feel like what an honor," she said. "But I can't wait to see how she portrays the character as a young adult."
Artrip confirmed she will definitely be buying a ticket to see the sequel in cinemas, looking back warmly on the 1998 production that defined her childhood brush with fame.
"I have such fond memories of being on set. I loved working on the film," she said. "It's just such a gift to have a connection to this franchise that's beloved by so many."
Featured Image Credit: AlexandraArtip/Instagram
Topics: Film and TV
