Actress Stockard Channing made a rare red carpet appearance this week, attending the European premiere of "Practical Magic 2" in London, marking her first public outing in over two years. The appearance comes just weeks after Channing, 82, stated in an essay that she had been "happy being a recluse."
Channing was seen in a tailored midnight blue suit paired with a cream-colored blouse. She was joined at the event by co-stars including Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Maisie Williams, and Dianne Wiest. At one point, Channing was photographed with Wiest, her arm around the fellow actress.
In a recent essay, Channing shared that since the 2014 death of her partner, cinematographer Daniel Gillham, she has been living alone and embracing a reclusive lifestyle outside of Hollywood. She described the loss of Gillham after 25 years together as "more devastating than" she had realized and noted that mourning had significantly altered her life's path. Following this, Channing sold her Los Angeles home and relocated to Europe in 2019, where she has adopted a slower pace of life.
Describing her current routine, Channing mentioned that "pottering is my meditation" and humorously noted that "At my age, life is guided by bodily functions." The actress, who has been married and divorced four times prior to her relationship with Gillham, also reflected on her nearly six-decade-long career, noting that different age groups recognize her from various roles. Younger audiences associate her with "Practical Magic," while older viewers know her from "The West Wing" and "Grease."
Despite directing a show in Edinburgh earlier this year and appearing in the "Practical Magic" sequel, Channing expressed uncertainty about future projects, stating, "Acting is like everything in life; you never know what’s going to happen."
She previously described her working relationship with "Practical Magic" co-stars Kidman and Bullock as "congenial" and "playful," recalling Bullock as "very, very funny and smart" and Kidman as "lovely."