Maisie Williams has paid homage to Sandra Bullock by adopting the veteran actress's distinctive 1990s red carpet style for the press tour of "Practical Magic 2." Williams, who plays Bullock's daughter Antonia Owens in the upcoming sequel, has drawn inspiration from Bullock's past fashion choices for several key promotional appearances.
During a recent photocall in London, Williams wore an off-the-shoulder black dress that Bullock had previously donned at the 2006 premiere of her film "Infamous." This outfit mirrored Bullock's sartorial choices from earlier in the week, when Williams attended the film's world premiere in a custom Ellie Misner gown. The premiere gown was inspired by a red carpet look Bullock wore in 1999 for the premiere of "Forces of Nature," which Bullock herself has described as being from a "goth period."
Bullock acknowledged Williams's style tributes on Instagram, posting a compilation of the "Game of Thrones" star's looks and stating, "My Antonia girl, you can raid Mama's closet anytime." The actress also praised Williams's stylist, Dino Bonačić, for his work in reinterpreting the vintage ensembles. Bonačić shared that he and Williams discussed channeling Bullock's iconic looks from the outset of their collaboration.
Williams's fashion choices also reference a lace-trimmed floral dress that Bullock wore in the original "Practical Magic" film. The sequel's press tour has seen Williams sporting a similar style from Paul Smith.
"Practical Magic 2" continues the story of the Owens sisters, Sally (Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman), who are back to confront a family curse. The sequel introduces a new generation of Owens women, with Joey King playing Kylie, Antonia's older sister. While Bullock and Kidman reprise their roles, along with Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest as the Owens family aunts, the younger characters have been recast. Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip, who played younger versions of Kylie and Antonia in the 1998 original, were not involved in the sequel. Wood had expressed interest in returning but the decision was made to recast the roles, while Artrip has since left acting.
The film is adapted from Alice Hoffman's 2021 book "The Book of Magic" and takes place 25 years after the first movie. Bullock and Kidman also served as executive producers on the Warner Bros. Pictures project, which also features Lee Pace and Solly McLeod. The plot synopsis indicates that the Owens women must unite to travel from Massachusetts to the United Kingdom to combat the source of their magic and protect the next generation of their family.
The original "Practical Magic," released in 1998, garnered $68.3 million worldwide against a $75 million budget. Despite its modest box office performance, the film achieved cult classic status. "Practical Magic 2" is scheduled for theatrical release on September 11.