You know that feeling when October hits and the air gets that specific crispness? For millions of us, that’s the signal to fire up the most unlikely cult classic in Disney history. It’s wild to think about now, but when we ask who was in Hocus Pocus, we aren’t just talking about a successful movie launch. We’re talking about a film that actually flopped in 1993. Disney released it in July—yes, July—and critics like Roger Ebert basically shredded it.
But the cast saved it.
The alchemy between the three leads turned a campy script about soul-sucking hags into a generational touchstone. If you’ve ever wondered how Leonardo DiCaprio almost ended up in Salem or why the voice of Binx the cat sounds so familiar, the actual roster of this film is deeper than most people realize. It’s a mix of Broadway legends, sitcom stars, and kids who quite literally grew up on camera.
The Sanderson Sisters: The powerhouse trio
It starts and ends with Bette Midler. Honestly, without "The Divine Miss M," this movie probably stays in the Disney vault forever. Midler played Winifred Sanderson, the eldest and most dangerous sister. She has gone on record multiple times saying this was her favorite role of her entire career. That’s a massive statement from a woman with Grammys and Oscar nominations. She brought a specific, theatrical drag-queen energy to Winifred that grounded the whole "evil" vibe in something hilarious.
Then you have Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson. This is where the casting gets interesting. Najimy was fresh off Sister Act and originally, the producers had a different vibe in mind. Mary was the "middle" sister, the one who barks like a dog to scent out children. Najimy famously came up with the crooked-mouth character quirk herself. She decided Mary’s jaw should be perpetually lopsided as a sort of nervous tic from centuries of dealing with Winifred’s temper.
Sarah Jessica Parker rounded out the group as Sarah Sanderson. Before she was Carrie Bradshaw, she was the ditzy, hypnotic siren of Salem. There’s a weirdly cool bit of trivia here: Parker actually discovered while filming, through research on the show Who Do You Think You Are?, that her 10th great-grandmother, Esther Elwell, was actually accused of witchcraft during the real Salem Witch Trials. Life imitating art? Sorta.
💡 You might also like: Why Fear of a Black Planet Public Enemy Still Sounds Like the Future
The kids who survived the night
Omri Katz played Max Dennison, the "virgin" who lit the Black Flame Candle. Katz was a teen idol at the time thanks to Eerie, Indiana. He played Max with that perfect level of 90s teenage angst—tie-dye shirt under a flight jacket and a massive chip on his shoulder about moving from Los Angeles to Massachusetts.
But Max wasn't the first choice.
Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role of Max. He reportedly turned down a "life-changing" amount of money to do What's Eating Gilbert Grape instead. It worked out for everyone, honestly. Katz fit the Disney mold perfectly, and DiCaprio got his first Oscar nomination.
Thora Birch played Dani, the younger sister. She was only 10 or 11 during filming. Unlike many child stars who fade away, Birch became an indie darling in the late 90s with American Beauty and Ghost World. Her performance in Hocus Pocus is the emotional anchor. Without her genuine terror and sass, the stakes wouldn't feel real.
Then there’s Vinessa Shaw as Allison. She was the cool older girl every 90s kid had a crush on. Shaw has stayed active in Hollywood for decades, appearing in everything from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut to Ray Donovan.
The supernatural and the "Unseen" performers
We have to talk about Doug Jones. If you don't recognize his face, you definitely recognize his movement. He played Billy Butcherson, the literal "good" zombie. Jones is the go-to guy for creature work; he’s the Faun in Pan’s Labyrinth and the creature in The Shape of Water.
👉 See also: Why the Glee Season 5 Cast Felt So Different (and What Really Happened)
When he was cast as Billy, he actually had real moths in his mouth for that scene where he cuts his stitches open. No CGI. Just a man with a pocket full of live moths and a lot of commitment. He’s the unsung hero of the physical comedy in the film.
The voice of Thackery Binx
This is the part that trips people up. Sean Murray—famous for NCIS—played the human version of Thackery Binx. He’s the boy in the 1600s with the linen shirt and the tragic backstory.
However, when Binx is a cat, that isn't Sean Murray’s voice.
The producers felt Murray sounded too modern for a boy from the 17th century. So, they dubbed him. They brought in Jason Marsden to provide the voice of the cat. Marsden is voice-acting royalty. If you grew up in the 90s, you know him as Max Goof from A Goofy Movie. Having two different actors play one character is a weird production quirk that most fans don't notice until their tenth rewatch.
Supporting cast and cameos you forgot
The "Devil" and his wife? Those aren't just random actors. That’s Garry Marshall and Penny Marshall.
Garry Marshall directed Pretty Woman and created Happy Days. Penny Marshall directed Big and A League of Their Own. They were Hollywood royalty and real-life siblings. Their cameo as the bickering suburban couple who the witches mistake for their "Master" and his wife is peak 90s meta-humor.
🔗 Read more: Jelly Roll and Kelly Clarkson: What Really Happened During That "I Am Not Okay" Duet
- Charles Rocket: Played Mr. Dennison. He was a former SNL cast member.
- Stephanie Faracy: Played Mrs. Dennison. A veteran character actress seen in The Great Outdoors.
- Larry Bagby and Tobias Jelinek: They played Bulk and Skull, the quintessential 90s bullies. Bagby later went on to play fourth-stringer Marshall Ivy in Walk the Line.
Why the casting worked when the script shouldn't have
The script for Hocus Pocus started as a bedtime story that producer David Kirschner told his kids. It was originally much darker. When Disney got hold of it, they leaned into the "fish out of water" comedy.
The reason the question of who was in Hocus Pocus matters so much is that the actors played it straight. Bette Midler didn't approach this like a kids' movie. She approached it like a Broadway musical. When they sing "I Put a Spell on You," that’s real vocal talent. They didn't rely on the "Disney pop" sound. They relied on Midler’s belt and Parker’s surprisingly haunting soprano.
There’s also the matter of the animatronic cats. Rhythm & Hues, the studio that did the effects, had to use a mix of real cats and puppets. Most of the actors hated working with the real cats because, well, they're cats. They don't take direction. But the human cast stayed patient, often spending hours on set waiting for a cat to look at a candle correctly.
The legacy of the 1993 roster
By the time the sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, rolled around in 2022, the original cast had become icons. While the new movie brought in fresh faces like Whitney Peak and Sam Richardson, the draw was still the "Big Three."
It’s rare for a cast to stay this connected to a project for over thirty years. Usually, actors want to distance themselves from their early, "silly" work. But because of the massive cult following—driven by annual airings on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween—the cast embraced the legacy. They show up at conventions. They post throwbacks. They know they made something that became the "Christmas Carol" of Halloween.
Actionable steps for the ultimate fan
If you want to dive deeper into the world of the Sanderson sisters beyond just knowing the names, here is how to actually experience the history of the cast:
- Visit Salem, Massachusetts: Many of the exterior shots, including Allison’s house (The Ropes Mansion) and the Old Town Hall, are real places you can walk past. Just remember people actually live in some of these spots, so be cool.
- Watch the "In Search of the Sanderson Sisters" Special: Bette Midler organized a virtual reunion during the pandemic that features almost the entire original cast telling behind-the-scenes stories you won't find in the standard DVD extras.
- Track Doug Jones’ Movement Work: If you’re a film nerd, watch Billy Butcherson and then watch the Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s a masterclass in how an actor uses their body to tell a story without saying a word.
- Listen to the Original Soundtrack: Seriously. The orchestral score by John Debney is legitimately sophisticated. It’s not just "spooky" music; it’s a complex composition that treats the witches like actual operatic villains.
The magic of this movie isn't in the special effects, which let's be honest, look a little dated now. It’s in the eyes of Thora Birch, the snarl of Bette Midler, and the weird, lopsided mouth of Kathy Najimy. They took a summer flop and turned it into an eternal autumn staple.