‘Hocus Pocus’: Sarah Jessica Parker Reacts to Bette Midler Calling Her a “Girl in the Back”

At the time of filming, and arguably in the 25 years since, Bette Midler was the biggest star attached to Disney’s Hocus Pocus, even if Sarah Jessica Parker went on to become a huge success in her own right. After learning that Midler might have dismissed co-star Parker 25 years ago, the actress still appreciated the opportunity to be anywhere in the vicinity of the icon.

While appearing on Watch What Happens Live, a caller asked Parker about Midler’s comments, which were effectively that the actress was so focused on her own performance that she was somewhat oblivious to what “the girls in the back” were doing in each scene.

Parker joked, “I was proud to be in her downwind. I’m thrilled.”

At the time of filming, Parker had starred in such films as Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Honeymoon in Vegas, while Midler had already starred in Beaches and The Rose, not to mention her countless musical achievements. Midler remains one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and well-known icons.

In addition to the levels of fame of its stars, a lot of other things have changed in the 25 years since Hocus Pocus‘ release, including its reception from fans.

The movie debuted in the summer of 1993, sharing an opening weekend with Free Willy. Earlier that summer, Jurassic Park debuted, which would become a box office sensation for months, ultimately overshadowing most of its competition. Also, a Halloween movie opening three months before the actual holiday didn’t help matters much, resulting in a disappointing critical and financial reception.

Thanks to home video and the nostalgia cycle, Hocus Pocus is considered one of the last family-friendly Halloween-themed films to see a theatrical release, making it a go-to traditional watch for many families. Cable broadcasts of the film also increased each year, with Freeform airing it dozens of times each October.

Interest in the film has grown so much in recent years, that reports have emerged that a new film was in the works. Mick Garris, who wrote the original film’s initial script, has previously shared his interest in returning to that world.

“I would love to. It was a thing of the past, but it was not a bad experience,” Garris shared with ComicBook.com about helping develop a new film. “It’s not unusual for studios to go through other writers. They did 11 other writers after me, and the first movie didn’t get made until eight years after I had worked on it. But it ended up, even with all those writers, going back to the basic structure that I had done originally, which is why I’ve got three credits on the movie. But yeah, they are going to do a re-imagining of it with none of the original cast. They’re doing it for Freeform, I believe. They are developing the script now. I’ve talked to David Kirschner, the producer, who I like a lot, about it, and if there’s a way I can be involved I would love to.”

Stay tuned for details on the future of the Hocus Pocus franchise.

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[H/T YouTube, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen]