Alexandra Artrip, who played the youngest Owens daughter in the 1998 film "Practical Magic," has publicly addressed backlash over her character and Evan Rachel Wood's being recast for the upcoming sequel "Practical Magic 2." In an Instagram video, Artrip urged fans to stop framing the casting change negatively, saying the production team "did what they thought was best" for the film's success, and encouraged audiences to give the sequel a chance with an open mind.

Artrip's original role of Antonia Owens has been taken over by Maisie Williams, while Wood's character Kylie is now played by Joey King. Wood had earlier voiced frustration that no one from the original production reached out to her, though she praised King as a "sweetheart." Director Susanne Bier defended the decision as practical rather than personal, noting the story's younger characters needed to be recently out of college. "Practical Magic 2" is due in cinemas on 10 September.