Where the cast from Hocus Pocus are now(Image: Disney)

Where the cast of Hocus Pocus are now – cannabis store owner, film director and activist

It's been over 30 years since the spooky cult classic Hocus Pocus hit on the silver screen. We take a look at where the Sanderson sisters and their fellow cast members are now

31 Oct 2024, 08:24 by Mia O'Hare · The Mirror

The 1993 hit film Hocus Pocus has become a Halloween classic as it follows a villainous comedic trio of witches.

Featuring a stellar lineup of ghastly witches, (Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker), the Sanderson sisters and their pursuit of eternal youth, combined with some spicy adult jokes and even a catchy music number has firmly landed this film high in the ranks of the cult classics.

It's been more than 30 years since this kitschy number hit the silver screen, leaving behind a legacy of now grown-up fans and some great Halloween costume inspiration. The original cast all came together to celebrate three decades since the film as they visited Salem, where the first film takes place. They also reunited last year for sequel film Hocus Pocus 2. But where are our favourite characters now?

Winifred (Bette Midler)

Bette Midler has continued to star in huge films and TV shows( Image: Getty Images)

Bette played Winifred in the film

Acting heavyweight Bette was already a big star when the movie came out. She had already won several Emmys and boasted an impressive acting career when she assumed the lead role as Winifred. And, with her terrifying stare and spindly nails, she did not disappoint.

Since Hocus Pocus, Bette has gone on to perform at a plethora of Broadway shows, written several books and recently appeared in the film The Glorias as well as Netflix's The Politician. Bette reprised her role as Winifred for Disney+ in 2022 and last year starred in comedy-drama film Sitting in Bars with Cake.

Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker)

Sarah Jessica Parker recently reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw( Image: Getty Images for Good+Foundation)

Sarah played the youngest sister

Another acting legend, Sarah was 28 when she became the Hocus Pocus dim-witted temptress. Unlike her haggard sisters, Sarah was portrayed as the playful youngster (even after 300 years) with a penchant for wanting to play with her prey. While she had several acting roles under her belt, Sarah's career sky-rocketed after the movie when she landed a role in Sex and the City.

For her role as Carrie Bradshaw, she received two Emmys, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Golden Globes. She has also gone on to star in countless movies, including two Sex and the City feature films. Happily married to Ferris Bueller star Matthew Broderick, the couple share two children and have renovated their lavish New York home. Not only has Sarah returned to her Hocus Pocus role, but she also starred in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That...

Mary (Kathy Najimy)

Kathy is now a keen activist( Image: Ron Adar / M10s / SplashNews.com)

Kathy played Mary in the hit film

Best known for her work in Sister Act, Kathy went on to star in Rat Race after her Hocus Pocus stint. She has also made several appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show and stepped into reoccurring television roles such as in VEEP. Najimy has also enjoyed plenty of Broadway appearances and has actually used her voice in several animated shows such as Jungle Book and Bojack Horseman. Aside from acting, Kathy is a keen activist and has spoken as many events where she advocates for human rights.

Max (Omri Katz)

Omri runs his own cannabis company( Image: Freeform via Getty Images)

Omri played Max when he was just 17( Image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Omri was 17 when he starred as Max – the virgin who lit the black flame candle and conjured the return of the Sanderson sisters. While he won one award as Outstanding Youth Actor in 1984, Hocus Pocus would end up being one of his last feature films. The star has no acting credits that go past 2002, when he appeared in a short film called Journey Into Night. According to IMDB, he's now a hairdresser while Wikipedia states Omri opened a cannabis company in 2022.

Dani (Thora Birch)

Thora is now a film director( Image: Variety via Getty Images)

She played little sister Dani in the film

The ever so endearing, yet also pesky younger sister, was also an award winning actress before she even got the role on Hocus Pocus. However, she is best known for starring in multi Oscar-winning movie American Beauty. While she starred in a few films during the noughties, the actress then appeared to take a break from acting. She since returned to the screen and starred in Season 10 of the Walking Dead.

Thora made her directorial debut last year with her television movie The Gabby Petito Story and also made her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel Mr. Paradise. She became the first woman to direct a Leonard adaptation.

Allison (Vinessa Shaw)

Vinessa has continued to star in films

The actress played Max's love intertest in Hocus Pocus( Image: Disney)

Playing Max's love interest, Vinessa's breakout film was Hocus Pocus. The star then went on to appear in several horror movies and independent films, before landing a leading role alongside Joaquin Phoenix in Two Lovers. Vinessa also welcomed her first child with husband Kristopher Gifford in 2018. In 2021, she appeared in three films – The Blazing World, 12 Mighty Orphans and We Need to Do Something.

Thackery Binx (Sean Murray)

Sean played Thackery Binx - who was a cat for most of the movie( Image: Getty Images)

Sean Murray as Thackery Binx in Hocus Pocus

Another much-loved Hocus Pocus character, Thackery Binx (played by teenager Sean Murray) was the 300-year-old ghost that had been trapped in the body of a black cat. While Murray was mainly a cat for the entirety of the film, the actor was on set to read his lines alongside the rest of the cast.

"There was just a lot of fun a lot of camaraderie. We had a good time," the actor has since reflected about being on set. However, in the movie his lines were in fact read out by a different actor who could perform an old English accent. Although Sean has enjoyed several small time acting roles since his appearance, he didn't end up appearing in any other major movies.

However, he did go on to have a recurring role in NCIS. He married Carrie James, a teacher he met at an event in 2004, and went on to have a son and a daughter together.

Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones)

Doug Jones is known for assuming many monsterous characters( Image: Disney)

Doug Jones was not seen without his scary makeup( Image: Getty Images)

The friendly Hocus Pocus zombie was killed by his lover Winifred after he was unsurprisingly betrayed by the evil witch with his sister Sarah. Being conjured back to life, Billy spends a large part of the film wobbling around Salem with his mouth stitched shut. Played by actor and contortionist Doug Jones, we never see the star out of his terrifying stage makeup.

While we may not recognise the actor out of costume, Doug has appeared in Hellboy, The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth and is known for usually depicting monstrous beings in heavy makeup.

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