Sarah Jessica Parker teased the return of her Hocus Pocus 2 character’s silky blonde hair. Parker originated the role of Sarah Sanderson in the original Hocus Pocus film in 1993. Sarah, Winifred (Bette Midler), and Mary (Kathy Najimy) make up the Sanderson Sisters, a trio of witches inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy three centuries after their hanging in Salem, Massachusetts. Cast as the dim-witted sister, Sarah fulfills the 17th-century dumb blonde trope, using her siren-like voice and lustrous locks to lure in victims.
Parker, Midler, and Najimy will be reprising their roles as the Sanderson Sisters for Hocus Pocus 2, a sequel to the Halloween classic. The sequel was announced in October 2019, with Anne Fletcher set to direct. Set twenty-nine years after the events of Hocus Pocus, the upcoming movie will focus on the Sanderson Sisters’ return to Salem and the three teenagers tasked to stop them. Original cast member Doug Jones is returning as Billy Butcherson, with Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, and Belissa Escobedo joining the cast. Sam Richardson and Tony Hale of Veep fame will also appear, and Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham.
Now Sarah Jessica Parker teases the return of Sarah Sanderson on Instagram, using the story feature to walk fans through her hair and makeup test. First, Parker zeroes in on two bottles of foundation, shouting out makeup artist Elaine Offers. “Hair and makeup test on HP2, first day,” says Parker in a sing-song voice. “Elaine Offers here schmearing what I would call Sarah Sanderson’s base. Colorstay. We’ll let you know, folks, how it all turns out. How it shakes down.” Next, she offers a sneak peek at her character’s platinum hair, referencing hair stylist Mandy Lyons, who is off-camera. “Here with Mandy Lyons. Where’s Sarah? Where’s Sarah? [Gasps] There’s a piece of Sarah. I’m not showing more right now. We’re in the early stages.” Check out the stills from Hocus Pocus 2 hair and makeup below.
With production underway on Hocus Pocus 2, Parker’s hair and makeup test is just one tidbit from the set that’s gone public. One TikTok user treated viewers to an unofficial first look at shooting, with star Whitney Peak ready to film a high school-set scene. Another set video shows the Hocus Pocus witches as children, suggesting that the sequel delves into the Sanderson Sisters’ origins.
Though Parker is delighted to go blonde for Hocus Pocus 2, elsewhere, the actress has had to deal with ageist criticism, especially as it relates to gray hair. With the new Sex and the City reboot on the horizon, Parker has confronted misogynist criticism on the cast’s physical appearance, with trolls harping on the actresses’ wrinkles and particularly their gray hair. While Hocus Pocus 2 fans–and Parker herself–are likely excited to see the return of Sarah Sanderson’s flaxen mop, the iconic character could surely rock her charming menace in any hair color.
Source: Sarah Jessica Parker/ Instagram