- Thora Birch was a child star
- She starred in many films
- A notable role of hers is "Dani" in Hocus Pocus
Although Hocus Pocus was a huge hit for child actress Thora Birch, she had actually previously starred in a sci-fi flick alongside Neil Patrick Harris titled, Purple People Eater (1988). It was this film where she began her initial rise to fame, winning a Young Artist Award for 'Best Young Actress Under Nine Years of Age'. She would then be cast to play "Dani Dennison" in Hocus Pocus just 4 years later.
Thora Birch in Hocus Pocus
After the success of the iconic Halloween film, she pursued other comedy and adventure films, like Monkey Trouble (1994) and Alaska (1996). Her identity as the sweet, young and innocent child star changed when she played Kevin Spacey's daughter in the 1999 drama, American Beauty. Her role landed her a nomination for a BAFTA for 'Best Supporting Actress'.
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She continued to star in further prominent roles, like Ghost World (2001) and Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003), where she received a Golden Globe nomination and Emmy nomination. From then on, Birch shifted her acting career towards horror and drama films, where she clearly seemed to thrive in. Perhaps Hocus Pocus was just a foreshadow of the horror-based films she would star in later throughout her career!
Thora Birch Today
Today, Thora is still active on the silver screen as she joined the cast in season 10 of AMC's The Walking Dead. Her latest film, Above Suspicion, also starred Game of Thrones actress, Emilia Clarke, as well as Johnny Knoxville. You can also catch Thora in the drama film with Danny Glover, The Last Black in San Francisco, released in the summer of 2019 and in the series Wednesday.
