Can YOU identify this former Disney star, 30 years after she starred in cult Halloween hit?
- This actress appeared in one of Disney’s most popular Halloween movies
- She was mis-credited for years – with another actress being wrongly identified as the person behind the iconic character that she played
- Three decades on from her Disney debut, can you name this actress?
This child actress-turned-author and reiki healer burst onto screens three decades ago when she starred in one of Disney’s most popular Halloween movies to date – but 30 years on from her iconic appearance, she has turned her back on the spotlight to live a much more private life.
Interestingly, the actress in question was not credited for her work on the Disney hit for years. Instead, another on-screen star was wrongly identified as being the face behind her much-loved movie character.
Eventually, this starlet broke her silence and came forward as the real actress who starred alongside famous faces like Thora Birch and Sarah Jessica Parker in the cult movie, although she neglected to appear in the film’s recently-released sequel.
Guess who: Which woman really played the role of the girl who caused her brother to be turned into a cat in the film from 30 years ago?
It was Amanda Shepherd who starred alongside Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy and Sean Murray in Hocus Pocus.
Shepherd played Emily Binx, a 17th-century girl who the witches lure into their cottage and trick into drinking their life potion in the prologue of the film.
This causes her death and her brother who followed her in to turn into an immortal cat who ends helping the film’s protagonist – Max Dennison – centuries later after he resummons the witches.
Even though Shepherd is the true actress who played Emily Binx, many outlets and even IMDb initially credited another woman named Jodie-Amy Rivera.
Rivera changed her identity to the Venetian Princess and went on to be one of YouTube’s first celebrities.
She told a radio DJ that she had a small role in the film and the DJ had assumed it was Emily Binx.
Amanda Shepherd starred alongside Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in Hocus Pocus
Shepherd played Emily Binx, a 17th-century girl who the witches lure into their cottage and trick into drinking their life potion in the prologue of the film
Even though Shepherd is the true actress who played Emily Binx, many outlets and even IMDb initially credited another woman named Jodie-Amy Rivera – who only had a cameo in the film
Meanwhile, Rivera actually just had a cameo role as one of the sleepwalking children in the scary Come Little Children spell.
She didn’t get the chance to correct him and the rumor spiraled from there.
‘I remember people saying, “Oh, you’re Emily Binx,” and I’d be like, “No, I’m not!”‘ she said as per E! News.
‘It was funny, but not really, because I was on Facebook and I’d see these articles from like Buzzfeed and I’d see my face and it says, “Where are they now?” but they’d got it all wrong.’
The YouTuber reached out to the real Emily Binx, Shepherd, in 2015 and discussed the mix-up she had been forced to clarify every Halloween.
‘So I got a hold of her and talked to her on the phone the other day, because every Halloween, this becomes a thing again,’ Jodie-Amy told Cosmopolitan.
‘I explained to her what happened, and she was so understanding and very kind. She said, “Don’t worry about it, it was so long ago, I really don’t care.”‘
Thankfully, there was no bad blood on Shepherd’s end.
‘[The mix-up] never really bothered me, but it bothered all the people around me,’ Shepherd also told Cosmo in an interview.
‘They’d say “Amanda, this girl from YouTube is trying to steal your identity!’ I would just laugh.”‘
When Jodie-Ann turned 23, she reinvented herself as the Venetian Princess
She launched a YouTube channel making song parodies and reenactments of pop culture events while wearing over-the-top wigs and makeup and became one of the first YouTube stars. One of her most popular parodies is Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face, Outer Space’
The 39-year-old boasts nearly 80k followers on Instagram where she now identifies herself as a ‘homebody wife’
Since then Shepherd has clarified her identity on Instagram with the handle @the_real_emilybinx and shared that she also sends messages as Emily Binx from Hocus Pocus on Cameo.
Even though both of these women have been associated with the same role in Hocus Pocus, they have gone on to live very different lives.
The fake Emily Binx, Jodie-Ann, was just nine years old when she played a background role in the film.
When she turned 23, she reinvented herself as the Venetian Princess.
She launched a YouTube channel making song parodies and reenactments of pop culture events while wearing over-the-top wigs and makeup and became one of the first YouTube stars.
Her most popular videos include Taylor Swift’s ‘You Belong With Me, Just A Zombie,’ Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face, Outer Space’ (which has 60 million views), and Britney Spears’s ‘Womanizer.’
She was one of the first people to earn monetization through Google’s ad program on the platform and even became the no. 1 subscribed YouTuber in the world from 2009 to 2010.
Even though her YouTube is inactive, she still has 848k subscribers to this day.
The 39-year-old also totes nearly 80k followers on Instagram where she now identifies herself as a ‘homebody wife.’
Shepherd has clarified on her identity on Instagram with the handle @the_real_emilybinx and shared that she also sends messages as Emily Binx from Hocus Pocus on Cameo
The 40-year-old also makes appearances at conventions and events for Hocus Pocus fans, and has a Hocus Pocus tour with fellow castmates Doug Jones, Larry Bagby, and Tobias Jelinek
Most recently, she has delved into spiritual work using reiki
She has even released a book called Becoming Multidimensional
As for the real Emily Binx, Stephen, she initially chose to step out of the spotlight.
After losing out on the role of Interview with the Vampire, she left Hollywood to become a real estate agent in Malibu.
Years later, once her identity as the true Emily Binx was revealed, she launched a band called HEHE HAHA. However, that pursuit didn’t seem to last for long.
The 40-year-old also makes appearances at conventions and public events for Hocus Pocus fans.
She has a Hocus Pocus tour lined up with fellow castmates Doug Jones, Larry Bagby, and Tobias Jelinek.
Most recently, she has delved into spiritual work using reiki and released a book called Becoming Multidimensional.
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