Joey King Responds to Casting Backlash Over 'Practical Magic 2'
October 23, 2026
Joey King addresses online criticism over her role in Practical Magic 2, explaining the recasting while remaining focused on her acting career.
Practical Magic 2 needed a younger Kylie Owens
Joey King says the recasting of Kylie Owens came from the sequel’s specific age requirements. Practical Magic 2 draws on Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic but adjusts its characters so Kylie and Antonia are recent college graduates, which led the production to cast younger actors in the roles originated by Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip. That choice disappointed some longtime fans, but King argues it was tied to the story the sequel wanted to tell rather than an attempt to erase the original performers.
King reached out to Evan Rachel Wood herself
Joey King contacted Evan Rachel Wood directly after taking over the role Wood had played as a child. Wood later said she appreciated that gesture and called King a sweetheart, noting that King was the person who reached out even though Wood had not been invited back by the original film’s returning team. The exchange separated the casting decision from the actors themselves: Wood could be disappointed about not returning while still treating King with warmth.
Online backlash does not follow King home
Joey King says criticism of her casting has surprisingly little effect on her offline life. She has acknowledged that legacy sequels invite strong expectations and even responded politely to a viewer who said her presence had ruined the movie, asking fans to keep an open mind. But her broader attitude is pragmatic: she continues getting roles she loves and has a fulfilling life away from social media, so online hostility does not automatically become part of her real-world experience.