Where Hocus Pocus cast are now – from child actor’s shock firing to cannabis farmer & an unrecognisable transformation

THE terrifying Sanderson sisters cast a spell over movie-goers in the first Hocus Pocus film almost 30 years ago.

Now the wicked witches - played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy - are stirring up more toil and trouble in a long-awaited sequel, which drops on Disney+ today.

The 1993 classic saw the child-killing sisters conjured up by an ancient curse, three centuries after they were executed for witchcraft in Salem.

Teenager Max, his eight-year-old sister Dani and pal Allison have to steal the witches’ book of spells, with the help of a magical cat, to stop them from becoming immortal.

The three main stars have returned for the sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, which sees the Sandersons accidentally awakened to wreak havoc on the world.

From surrogate kids to a cannabis business, here’s what the stars of the original flick have been up to since. 

Sarah Jessica Parker

The actress had already appeared in the movies Footloose and LA Story when she donned her witch’s hat as Sarah Sanderson.

She went on to land her most famous role, Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City, in 1998, starring in 94 episodes and two films, as well as the reboot, And Just Like That, last year.

Sarah, who previously dated Robert Downey Jr, married Ferris Bueller star Matthew Broderick in 1997.

The couple share son Jack, now 20, and twin daughters Marion and Tabitha, born in 2009 to a surrogate mother.

While the pair remain happily married, there have been bumps along the way.

In 2008 a US magazine reported the actor had been cheating on his wife with a 25-year-old woman. 

The couple didn’t comment at the time but in 2013, SJP addressed the rumours, telling Harper's Bazaar: "People have asked me about my marriage, 'How do you make it work,' and I say, 'We don't talk about it.' That's not really true. It's sort of a nasty response."

She added: “I love Matthew Broderick. Call me crazy, but I love him.”

SJP, 57, had a toxic spat with Sex and The City co-star Kim Cattrall in a dispute over money.

When SJP was made exec producer of the series, with a salary of £270k per episode, furious Kim asked for more money causing a rift with her co-stars who “wouldn't even sit with [Kim] at mealtimes".

By the time they made Sex and The City 2 in 2009, SJP and Kim were reportedly no longer speaking, making everyone on set "uncomfortable". 

Yesterday it emerged SJP abruptly left the New York Fashion Gala, where she was due to be honoured, because of a “sudden devastating family issue”.

Bette Midler

Screen legend Bette, who starred as Winifred, is one of the US’ most celebrated singers and actresses, with two Oscar nominations and four Golden Globe wins to her name.

As well as smash movies including Beaches, The Rose and Parental Guidance she has recorded a string of hits including Wind Beneath My Wings, fronted an award-winning comedy series, Bette, and starred in numerous Broadway shows.

With an estimated net worth of £220m, she has put her funds to good use over the years, funding the New York restoration project, a non-profit organisation which aimed to revitalise neglected parks in poor areas, and putting money towards custom-built homes for wounded servicemen.

“They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore; they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators’, and even ‘people with vaginas’!" the 76-year-old actor tweeted.

Bette has been married to comedian Martin von Hasleberg since 1994 and they have a 35-year-old daughter, Sophie. 

Kathy Najimy

The American actress, who plays Mary Sanderson, has starred in hit movies including Soapdish, Sister Act and The Wedding Planner during her 30 year career.

She also starred alongside Kirstie Alley in the long-running sitcom Veronica’s Closet and wrote the feminist play The Kathy and Mo show, with Mo Gaffney.

Alongside her acting work, Kathy is well-known for her activism, championing issues such as women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and body positivity issues.

Having had an abortion at 18, she is a strong advocate of women’s right to choose.

This week, in response to the recent banning of abortion in numerous US states, she appeared in a powerful public service video by the National Abortion Federation for the #ItsYourCall campaign. 

She is married to actor and singer Dan Finnerty and has one daughter, singer Samia Finnerty.

Thora Birch

Thora Birch was a successful child star when she landed the role of eight-year-old Dani.

Her parents, both adult movie actors, were persuaded to let her audition for roles after a babysitter spotted her natural acting ability aged four.

After Hocus Pocus she starred as Harrison Ford’s daughter in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger before taking a three year break from the screen, resurfacing to play Kevin Spacey’s disillusioned daughter in the 1999 movie American Beauty.

But her career took a nose dive shortly afterwards.

In 2010 she was fired from the off-Broadway theatrical revival of Dracula after it was alleged her father and manager Jack had physically threatened one of the other actors. The sacking left her, she said, "in a state of shock".

She has since blamed her problems on Hollywood’s failure to accept her as she was, and her own refusal to “conform”.

"I tried to walk a fine line between being alluring and somewhat glamorous but maintain a strong identity and pursue things that were a little more thoughtful, and I guess nobody really wanted women to do that at that time," she told the Guardian.

Now unrecognisable from the child star she was, the 40-year-old has recently starred in The Walking Dead and is currently starring in Wednesday, the Addams Family spin off.

Omri Katz 

Omri Katz starred as teenager Max, who leads sister Dani to the witches’ old house to meet his crush, Allison, before they raise the witches.

He had previously become a child star by playing John Ross Ewing in Dallas, and Marshall in the series Eerie, Indiana.

After briefly appearing in a few projects, including The John Larroquette Show, Katz retired from acting in 2002 and became a hairdresser.

He lives in Los Angeles with partner Michelle Watters and runs a hash company The Mary Danksters, which is billed as “Exotic Craft Cannabis Cultivators.” 

Omri is not appearing in Hocus Pocus 2.

Vinessa Shaw

Max’s love interest, Allison, was a breakthrough role for the then 17-year-old.

After Hocus Pocus, Shaw enrolled in Barnard College but continued acting, starring alongside Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut.

In 2014 she landed a recurring  role in long-running US series Ray Donovan. She is married to Kristopher Gifford and the pair have one son.

She was keen to reprise her role in the Hocus Pocus sequel, but does not appear in the film.

Jason Marsden

Although he never appeared on screen, Jason Marsden provided one of the most memorable performances - as the voice of cat Binx.

Disney fans also know him as the voice of Goofy's son, Max Goof, and Kovu from Lion King 2: Simba's Pride. 

His extensive voice acting career also saw him voicing numerous characters in Disney series during the 90s and 00s, and Cartoon Network series like Teen Titans.

Jason married Christy Hicks in 2004 and has a 12 year old son.

The couple opened a yoga studio in LA in 2007, but split in 2020 after 16 years of marriage. 


Football news:

<!DOCTYPE html>
Kane on Tuchel: A wonderful man, full of ideas. Thomas in person says what he thinks
Zarema about Kuziaev's 350,000 euros a year in Le Havre: Translate it into rubles - it's not that little. It is commendable that he left
Aleksandr Mostovoy on Wendel: Two months of walking around in the middle of nowhere and then coming back and dragging the team - that's top level
Sheffield United have bought Euro U21 champion Archer from Aston Villa for £18.5million
Alexander Medvedev on SKA: Without Gazprom, there would be no Zenit titles. There is a winning wave in the city. The next victory in the Gagarin Cup will be in the spring
Smolnikov ended his career at the age of 35. He became the Russian champion three times with Zenit

3:02 Lewiston shooting updates – Robert Card named ‘person of interest’ after active shooter ‘killed 22’ in Maine
3:00 Kris Jenner reveals her life’s biggest regret and warns Khloe not to make the same mistake
3:00 Arsenal news: Ian Wright hails "reliable" Gunners star after Champions League win
3:00 Khloe Kardashian says she has her ‘happily ever after’ - and it’s not with Tristan Thompson
2:32 UN Security Council fails again to address Israel-Hamas war, rejecting US and Russian resolutions
2:13 Lewiston active shooter LIVE: 22 people dead and 60 injured with armed suspect on the run
2:00 Man Utd news: Sir Jim Ratcliffe sent clear message amid Kylian Mbappe admission
1:56 Lewiston shooting: Reports of 22 dead as police hunt gunman – live
1:55 Fears of up to 22 dead as police hunt gunman in Lewiston, Maine
1:50 My biggest fall decorating tip so your home is classy, not tacky – no one wants their house to look like Hobby Lobby
1:36 Lewiston active shooter: 16 people dead and 60 injured with armed suspect still at large
1:36 Lewiston active shooter: 22 people dead and 60 injured with armed suspect still at large
1:35 Fears of up to 16 dead as police hunt gunman in Lewiston, Maine
1:29 Mass shooting in Maine: What we know about Lewiston attack
1:27 No, 1 pick Victor Wembanyama is set to debut with the San Antonio Spurs and the world is watching
1:15 Lewiston shooting: Reports of 16 dead as police hunt gunman – live
1:00 Passenger sues airline after flight attendant spilled coffee and ‘burned his tattoo’
1:00 Premier League star risks manager's wrath by naming 'perfect replacement' for Mohamed Salah
0:57 Police say there’s an active shooter in Lewiston, Maine, and they are investigating multiple scenes
0:45 Toddler rushed to hospital after being bitten by a dog as she walked through Chingford park with her parents
0:43 Lewiston shooting updates – Photo of ‘active shooter’ released as Maine cops hunt suspect & warn residents to lock doors
0:41 Lewiston shooting: Police hunt active gunman after incident in Maine - live
0:31 Lewiston shooting: Police hunt active gunman after incident in Maine
0:28 Beloved vs unloved: Contrasting captains collide in Rugby World Cup final
0:28 We converted a dusty work van into our little paradise on wheels – there’s an in-home movie theater & succulent garden
0:21 Kylie Jenner discusses 'hardest decision' as she opens up on coparenting with Travis Scott
0:18 Biden says West Bank settlers ‘pouring gasoline on fire’ as Israel prepares for Gaza ground invasion
0:17 Walking Dead star Erik Jensen diagnosed with stage four cancer as wife starts fundraiser
0:17 ‘Active shooter’ in Lewiston, Maine sees police swarm multiple locations with lockdown issued at schools & businesses
0:16 Reports of active shooter causing ‘multiple casualties’ at bar in Maine
0:07 I dropped out of college and decided to live in my car – it prepared me more for life than any education
0:05 ‘Huge blow’ as cinema chain with 103 locations to close branch in weeks after bankruptcy filing
0:03 Man Utd consider shock David de Gea return after Andre Onana performed U-turn
23:56 Dusty Baker tells newspaper he is retiring as manager of the Houston Astros
23:54 October 26 - On this day: 40 years ago we reported the US-led invasion of Grenada
23:53 NATO air chief accused of boozy snog with colleague told court martial: ‘I don’t even do that to my wife’
23:47 Indianapolis Colts owner takes to social media to blast officials following Cleveland Browns defeat
23:47 Rare watch that was bought for £60 then worn ‘virtually everyday’ sells for eye-watering sum
23:45 Shocking moment yob chucks massive concrete slab at head of woman wearing a hijab in ‘random’ attack
23:44 Francis Ngannou concerns fans with brief pad work in Tyson Fury workout
23:41 Ex-NFL star Sergio Brown charged with his mother’s murder
23:38 Brian Austin Green slams Dancing With the Stars for excluding Sharna Burgess from Len Goodman tribute
23:29 Justin Trudeau's ex-wife named as 'the other woman' in Canadian's divorce petition
23:25 ISIS bride Shamima Begum will exploit any error to overturn decision to take away British citizenship, court hears
23:21 Amazing Asda deal could get you free movie tickets when you buy pizza deal
23:19 Voices: Make no mistake – the new speaker is Trump’s man in Washington
23:17 Ruby Franke’s daughter reveals ‘panic attacks’ after mother’s child abuse arrest
23:15 Just one in ten Brits believe their knowledge of astronomy is 'good', study finds
23:13 Nissan unveils five of its new cars in iconic video game Fortnite including its futuristic-looking Juke
23:12 Wayne Rooney taunted by Birmingham fans as first home match ends in dour defeat
23:12 Ex-NatWest chief infringed on Farage’s data protection rights, watchdog rules
23:11 Family of Al Jazeera correspondent killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza
23:10 Pep Guardiola issues response to Erling Haaland 'concerns' after Champions League brace
23:05 Al Jazeera journalist finds out his wife, son and daughter killed in Israeli airstrike while on air
23:05 I can’t believe my cold-shoulder Shein dress was only $8 – it’s giving ‘baddie on a budget’
23:04 Georgia Harrison flashes her bum in thong and tight corset as she dresses up for star-studded Halloween party
23:03 LGBTQ+ nightspot targeted in Colorado Club Q massacre to re-open
23:01 Emily Eavis drops major hints about Glastonbury 2024 headliners
23:01 ‘Party pad’ that left neighbours fuming over loud stag and hen dos will be split in HALF
23:01 BBC local radio shows suffer drop in listeners over past two years
23:01 RAJARs: BBC Radio 5 Live sees growth but World Service slumps below 1m in UK
22:59 Dad-of-four electrocuted to death pulling his kids from water fountain
22:54 World’s sexiest athlete Alica Schmidt shows off incredible figure and toned abs as fans hail her as ‘a true goddess’
22:46 James Bulger’s family slams decision to grant killer Jon Venables a private parole hearing
22:45 Diego Simeone gives Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers the short shrift as Argentine verges on full-time custard pie
22:43 Ex-NFL player Sergio Brown, charged with killing mother, has been denied release
22:43 Will Smith finally addresses Jada Pinkett Smith’s many claims about their marriage
22:37 Lioness ace Keating happy to be ‘role model’ and aims to be first goalkeeper of colour to play for England Women
22:35 School boy Yousef Makki was unlawfully killed, finds fresh inquest
22:33 A Place in the Sun’s Laura Hamilton puts on busty display in barely there bikini on £700 a night luxury Cyprus holiday
22:30 Beloved car revived as EV hybrid – and it’s a lot different to the usual model
22:30 Trusts accused of using foreign doctors as ‘cheap labour’
22:28 Director Sofia Coppola turned down final Twilight movie because concept was ‘too weird’
22:28 One of those nights – Eddie Howe bemoans fine margins after Newcastle defeat
22:28 Brendan Rodgers beams at Celtic courage as Parkhead stars show their Champions League chops to spark group stage hope
22:19 Wrexham player addresses Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's real impact at club
22:18 US planning for evacuation of Americans from Middle East if conflict escalates
22:18 Doctor Who air dates for David Tennant specials finally announced
22:18 Deer smashes through noodle restaurant window in bizarre video
22:16 Woman claims 'haunted' doll knocks and moves items at home as 'spooked' pet dog howls
22:15 Andy Murray’s poor form continues despite latest marathon effort
22:13 Watch Southampton keeper claim goal in final seconds to draw against Preston… but did he score?
22:10 Horoscope today, October 26, 2023: Daily star sign guide from Mystic Meg
22:10 Hero dad wrestles suspect to ground after three police officers are battered with bike
22:07 Dementia risk slashed by eating fat found in breakfast favourite, new study says
22:05 Vogue Williams admits near-death experience as a child still 'freaks her out' today
22:05 BBC boss Tim Davie grilled by Tory MPs amid row over coverage of Israel-Hamas war
22:03 Countryfile star Adam Henson 'cried a lot' at wedding after wife's secret cancer fight
22:03 Newcastle discover elite level of Champions League as former transfer target shows his worth
22:03 Prince Harry's relationship with Meghan's mum 'gets stronger' as royal divide continues
22:03 Eddie Howe provides update on Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy injuries after Borussia Dortmund defeat
22:01 Henry and Richards in shock after finding out Carragher’s ranking at 2005 Ballon d’Or awards
22:01 Man's body lay undiscovered in bed for 22 years until council investigated rats in property
21:57 Dog desperate for new home 'begins to lose spark' after a year at RSPCA shelter
21:56 ‘Brexit benefits are powering our renaissance’ – Tens of thousand new jobs to be created
21:54 Republicans slammed for booing reporter asking about overturning 2020 election
21:53 Martin O'Neill insists Celtic drained by 'very soft' penalty as he applies 1974 rules to Greg Taylor challenge
21:50 Brendan Rodgers blanks Celtic Champions League progression poser as he focuses on 2 factors of pulsating Parkhead night
21:49 'UK's most haunted town' plagued by '15 different ghosts' and chilling 'nightly screams'
21:47 Five great boiler maintenance tips that will keep your heating and hot water running during winter