Hocus Pocus 2 is finally out on Disney+, and we are all feeling a little nostalgic about our three favorite witches, the Sanderson sisters.
The new film has us going back to rewatch the original movie that inspired it, and also has us rewatching old clips from the Hocus Pocus press tour.
One clip that’s resurfaced recently (thanks to TikToker @wob25) is from a 1993 Today show interview with Kathy Najimy, and it’s as fascinating as it is relevant for today’s world.
In the interview, Kathy is asked about her initial hesitation in taking on the role of Mary Sanderson, and Kathy says she originally had concerns about the film’s script.
Kathy explains that she was afraid to offend real witches, saying, “I thought, This is really perpetuating a stereotype about an evil, ugly witch. And I know there are groups of really strong women who sort of bond together and are very spiritual and powerful. And I didn’t want to be part of perpetuating that myth.”
She continued, “At the risk of having America roll their eyes, I just feel supportive of all groups. You know, whether they’re women’s groups or gay groups or racial groups. And I know there are groups of witches out there.”
While she was deciding whether she was going to take on the role, she looked to others for their input. “I talked to Kenny Ortega, the director … I wrote letters to the producers … and I talked to Gloria Steinem about it … because she’s the goddess of the world and knows everything.”
And what Gloria told Kathy was truly fascinating!
“The interesting thing was that originally, some of the women who were said to be witches were healthcare workers and midwives.”
And tying it directly to a very large plot point of Hocus Pocus itself, she explains, “So that’s where the notion of baby eating came [from], because they would perform abortions sometimes. And so the women would go in pregnant and come out not.”
It’s incredible that this clip is almost 30 years old, because it still feels incredibly relevant to our culture, where reproductive rights remain at the forefront of conversation, and healthcare workers are still being demonized by some for performing these services.
But it just proves that Kathy has always exhibited iconic behavior, and we love her for using her platform to stand up for others.
You can watch the full clip of her Today show interview here.
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