'Hocus Pocus' star Kathy Najimy reveals why Mary Sanderson's crooked smile is backwards in sequel

It’s really all just a bunch of hocus pocus! 

Just in time for Halloween, a sequel to the spooky “Hocus Pocus” is out on Disney+, but keen-eyed fans noticed some significant changes to at least one Sanderson Sister.

You may have noticed that the infamous creepy-crooked smile of Mary Sanderson, played by Kathy Najimy, is inverted or backwards in the new “Hocus Pocus 2” film, but Najimy is now revealing there is a reason.

Mary, the middle sister, had a smile that slanted downwards to the left when you viewed her in the original film, but in “Hocus Pocus 2,” it now slants downwards to the right.

The infamous crooked smile of Mary Sanderson, portrayed by Kathy Najimy had a visible shift in slant from the first movie to the second.

The infamous crooked smile of Mary Sanderson, portrayed by Kathy Najimy had a visible shift in slant from the first movie to the second.
(Walt Disney Pictures/2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

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Najimy told Entertainment Weekly that it was no accident. “It’s on the other side mainly because it’s so hard for me to do it on the side I did it on 30 years ago. I’m sure the fans are going to go into deep detail about why it’s on the other side,” she said.

She continued by saying, “We can justify it because there’s a scene at the beginning where Winnie slaps me, and my mouth goes to the other side, and then she slaps me again and it goes to the other side, and sticks.”

Winifred, the eldest and most domineering Sanderson sister, is portrayed by Bette Midler.

Kathy Najimy originally improvised the crooked smile for the 1993 film "Hocus Pocus."

Kathy Najimy originally improvised the crooked smile for the 1993 film "Hocus Pocus."
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Disney)

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Najimy, who improvised the quirk in her character during production of the original 1993 film says, “This is a big comedy, so you don’t have to be subtle or have a 40-page Shakespearean backstory,” in reference to the changing of her smile.

The new movie, which is set in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, also stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson.

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The Sanderson Sisters, pictured here, are Mary (Kathy Najimy), Winifred (Bettle Midler), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker).

The Sanderson Sisters, pictured here, are Mary (Kathy Najimy), Winifred (Bettle Midler), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker).
(2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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