Hocus Pocus: What Happened to the three kids?

The movie continues to put a spell on audiences almost 25 years since it was first released.

The tale of three wicked and yet undeniably tuneful witches remains timeless and is back on Channel 4 today. 

Midler, Parker and Kathy Najimy stole he show but the movie also starred Omri Katz, Vinessa Shaw and Thora Birch as the pesky kids who saved the day.

They were all rising child stars but where are they now? An Instagram post proved they have remained friends, but they may need a spell or two to help with their careers…

Vinessa Shaw, who played blonde beauty Allison, has maintained the highest profile.

The 40-year-old has maintained her cheerleader looks and regularly posts updates on Instagram, frequently referring back to her breakthrough in Hocus Pocus.

She said about the film: “I don’t think any of us had any idea of the magnitude of how popular it would be. It just goes to show that when you are young you watch things over and over again and it gets in your head, and just sticks.”

Shaw starred in the 2007 remake of the classic Western film 3:10 to Yuma with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, the indie drama film Garden Party and Two Lovers alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow. 

In 2013 she had a supporting role opposite Jude Law’s character, playing his wife in Side Effects.

She said: “I’m remembered mostly for ‘Hocus Pocus. When I grew up, they’d mostly say ‘Ohhh, Allison,’ but thankfully, they keep the ‘Yabbos’ comment to themselves.

Thora Birch was only 11 when she made the film, but has fond memories of the experience.

She said: “The fact that ‘Hocus Pocus’ found a niche in that world where it cannot be extricated from the holiday itself to me is really amazing. I’m really surprised, but humbled and happy to be a part of something like that. I had the best time on that film — maybe more than any other movie I worked on.”

Thora Birch was only 11 when she made the film, but has fond memories of the experience.

She said: “The fact that ‘Hocus Pocus’ found a niche in that world where it cannot be extricated from the holiday itself to me is really amazing. I’m really surprised, but humbled and happy to be a part of something like that. I had the best time on that film — maybe more than any other movie I worked on.”

Avoiding mainstream Hollywood, she appeared in a succession of independent films, such as Dark Corners (2006), Train (2008) and Winter of Frozen Dreams (2009), before taking a break from acting.

Now 37, the actress returned to our screens last year in the first season of Carlton Cuse’s television series Colony, as well as starring in four independent films. 

Out of all of them, Omri Katz has undergone the biggest changes.

The Isreali-American actor was the biggest of the three child stars before the film but his career fizzled out soon after.

The young heartthrob has starred in television and film hits like Eerie, Indiana, Matinee and Adventures in Dinosaur City. He followed Hocus Pocus with a major role in a standalone film follow-up to the iconic soap opera Dallas as John Ross Ewing III, the son of JR Ewing.

Small roles on General Hospital and two short films marked the end and he retired from acting in 2006.

Hocus Pocus is on Channel Four at 3.20pm on Sunday October 29