The beloved actress went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the iconic Owens house was flawlessly recreated for the highly anticipated sequel.
It’s been over 25 years since Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman enchanted audiences as the witchy sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. Now, the duo is finally back for Practical Magic 2. And it turns out Bullock’s magic touch on set extended far beyond her performance.
How Sandra Bullock Ensured the Owens House Was Recreated Perfectly
The Owens family home—a spectacular, rambling, spell-binding Victorian—was practically a character of its own in the 1998 cult classic. For the upcoming sequel, Bullock, 62, took it upon herself to ensure the newly constructed set was faithful to the original. This included the most granular interior design details.
Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams steps into the role of Sally’s daughter Antonia. Williams recently shared with just how hands-on Bullock was behind the scenes.
“Stepping into the Owens’ house, that was pretty magical for us. It was such a beautiful set,” Williams revealed. “Attention to detail was crazy. It was exactly like the original. Sandra was like, ‘No, no, no the tiles are all wrong. They’ve been discontinued. We have to make new tiles.’ She kind of had her finger on every decision, and when we walked in, it was special.”
Joey King, taking over the role of Antonia’s sister Kylie, echoed the sentiment. For the young stars, watching Bullock and Kidman, 59, slip effortlessly back into their beloved characters was a pinch-me moment.
Bullock and Kidman in the original ‘Practical Magic’ house
“That was such a moment of seeing that house, and I think seeing Sandra and Nicole be Sally and Gilly on set, like you’re watching them and then you realise you’re in the scene too, and you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, OK, that’s right, I have to focus,’” King shared, adding that the pair are simply “mesmerising to watch.”
Supportive dynamic
The veteran actresses also provided an invaluable support system for the new generation of Owens women. Both stars offered advice while giving them the space to forge their own paths. “There’s an aspect of letting us kind of create our own path, and also, ‘We’ll always be here for you’ vibe,” King explained.
That supportive dynamic might just lay the groundwork for the franchise’s future. Bullock recently teased to Vanity Fair that if this second instalment resonates with audiences, a third film could be on the cards. “We’ll do a number three if this takes off, and we’ll pass the torch to the girls,” she revealed.
The recasting of the younger Owens women did come with a tinge of melancholy for the original child stars. Evan Rachel Wood, who played Kylie in 1998, expressed to Entertainment Tonight that she was “sad” not to be returning, noting the deep bonds formed on the original set and the magic of revisiting that history as an adult.
However, director Susanne Bier recently clarified to Variety that the decision wasn’t personal. In this sequel, the characters are fresh out of college in the new timeline, necessitating a younger cast.
