A Guide to All of Your Favorite Actresses Who Have Played Witches Onscreen
Have you really made it as an actress if you have not played some sort of witch onscreen? Many of us grew up with Emma Watson as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise; Tilda Swinton gave ice queen realness with her portrayal of the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia; and even Meryl Streep has stepped into the role of a singing witch in the 2014 film adaptation of Into the Woods. Witches have been all around us onscreen for decades, and looking even further back into film and television history, our understanding of the sorceress archetype would be diminished without the addition of Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha in Bewitched or Cher in The Witches of Eastwick. From the campy to the classic, or even just the straight-up charming, these are some of our favorite portrayals of witches in popular culture from iconic Hollywood actresses.
1
Cher in The Witches of Eastwick (1987). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
2
Susan Sarandon in The Witches of Eastwick (1987). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
3
Sarah Jessica Parker in Hocus Pocus (1993). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
4
Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched (1964–1972). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
5
Tilda Swinton in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
6
Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall the Harry Potter film franchise (2001–2011). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
7
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic (1998). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
8
Emma Watson in the Harry Potter film franchise (2001–2011). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
9
Michelle Williams as Glinda the Good Witch in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
10
Alyson Hannigan in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
11
Michelle Pfeiffer in Stardust (2007). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
12
Meryl Streep in Into The Woods (2014). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
13
Rose McGowan in Charmed (1998–2006). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
14
Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story: Coven (2013). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
15
Emma Roberts in American Horror Story: Coven (2013–2018). Photo courtesy Everett Collection.
16
Anya Taylor-Joy in The Witch (2015). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
17
Mila Kunis in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
18
Julianne Moore in Seventh Son (2014). Photo courtesy of Everett Collection.
