Revisit the “Hocus Pocus” Cast Then and Now

In “Hocus Pocus,” Bette Midler played the witch Winifred Sanderson, who’s the leader of the three sisters, and the smartest.

Midler remains an icon on stage and the screen. In the years since “Hocus Pocus,” she starred in movies like “Get Shorty,” “The First Wives Club,” “The Stepford Wives,” and also played the title role in the 2017-18 Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!” She also appeared in eight episodes of “The Politician.” In 2021, she was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor. She’s also set to star in a new movie, “The Fabulous Four,” with Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, in Georgia.

Sarah Jessica Parker plays Sarah Sanderson in “Hocus Pocus.” Sarah is the least-smart witch, but it’s her voice that lures in the children as prey.

Parker found her career-changing role as Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City” in 1998. Thanks to her HBO show “Divorce” and films like “Failure to Launch” and “Did You Hear About the Morgans?,” she’s cemented her star status, in addition to being one of New York’s most recognizable fashion icons. The actor also has an eponymous line of fragrances, accessories, and Italian-made footwear. Most recently, she reprised her role as Carrie for the “Sex and the City” reboot, “And Just Like That.” In 2022, she returned to Broadway in “Plaza Suite,” alongside her husband Matthew Broderick.

Kathy Najimy rounds out “Hocus Pocus“‘s Sanderson sisters, starring as Mary. Mary can smell out children.

Najimy has continued to work in film and TV since “Hocus Pocus,” starring in projects such as 2001’s “Rat Race” and completing stints on “Veep” and “Unforgettable.” She’s also lent her voice to a number of cartoons, including “King of the Hill,” in which she voices Peggy, and the Netflix hit “BoJack Horseman.” In 2021, she appeared in Netflix’s “Single All the Way.”

In “Hocus Pocus,” Thora Birch plays Dani, Max’s Halloween-obsessed little sister.

Birch transitioned to more adult roles with 1999’s “American Beauty” and “Ghost World.” Though she took a break from acting, she resumed her onscreen career in 2016. She went on to star in the drama series “Colony” on the USA Network and in several independent films, and made an appearance on season 10 of “The Walking Dead.” In 2022, she directed and appeared in Lifetime’s “The Gabby Petito Story.”

Omri Katz plays Max in “Hocus Pocus,” the virgin the Sanderson sisters are after.

Katz basically stopped acting after “Hocus Pocus.” He’s now runs a cannabis company called The Mary Danksters.

Vinessa Shaw plays Allison, Max’s crush, in “Hocus Pocus.”

Shaw continued to work as an actor, appearing in movies like “Eyes Wide Shut,” “The Hills Have Eyes,” and “3:10 to Yuma.” She also played Kate McPherson on season two of “Ray Donovan” and Dr. Jane Mathis in the 2017 thriller film “Clinical.”

In “Hocus Pocus,” Sean Murray plays the human form of Thackery Binx, a 1600s teen who the Sanderson sisters turn into an immortal cat.

Murray has starred on “NCIS” as Timothy McGee for a whopping 20 years, so you can still see him on your screen on an almost weekly basis.

Doug Jones plays Billy Butcherson, Winifred’s ex-boyfriend who she resurrects as a zombie during the events of “Hocus Pocus.”

You may not recognize Jones without his zombie makeup, but he’s made a name for himself in Hollywood as a master of portraying creatures who aren’t quite human. His many TV credits include “Teen Wolf, “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” and “The Strain.” He stars as the Amphibian Man in the 2017 award-winning film “The Shape of Water.” Besides the Sanderson sisters, Jones is the only original cast member who appeared in “Hocus Pocus 2.”

In “Hocus Pocus,” Max and Dani’s mom, Jenny, is played by Stephanie Faracy.

Faracy has kept busy with guest roles on TV shows. She’s been on everything from “Desperate Housewives” and “Castle” to “How to Get Away With Murder” and “Sneaky Pete.” Sadly, her onscreen counterpart in “Hocus Pocus,” Charles Rocket, died in 2005.

Tobias Jelinek plays Jay, a teenage bully who torments the characters in “Hocus Pocus.”

Jelinek stopped acting after appearing as a gang member in 1997’s “Batman & Robin,” but returned to the industry in 2007. He starred as an agent in the first season of “Stranger Things,” and has popped up on shows like “This Is Us,” “The Mindy Project,” “Arrow,” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” In 2023, he appeared in “Mayfair Witches” and “NCIS: Hawai’i.”

Larry Bagby plays Ernie, another bully in “Hocus Pocus.”

Bagby has appeared on “The Young and the Restless,” in addition to a number of other TV shows like “9-1-1” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” His primary focus now is his work as a musician.

Amanda Shepherd makes an appearance in “Hocus Pocus” as Emily Binx, Thackery’s sister.

Shepherd (left) told Cosmopolitan in 2015 that she gave up acting when she was 23. She became a real estate agent. According to her website, she has since stopped being a realtor to study Reiki healing.