Sticks and stones may break Joey King, but words will never hurt her!
The actress has opened up about Hollywood’s culture of criticism and how she’s reached a point where her skin has grown thick to the stinging words, along with an epiphany that her career only stops when she says so.
Joey King is back in the conversation as she played the free-spirited rebel Kylie Owens in the fantasy film “Practical Magic 2,” replacing Evan Rachel Wood, who played the younger version of the famous character in the 1998 flick.
Joey King’s Response To Career Backlash Is ‘What Does It Matter?’
The media personality, during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast on Monday, September 21, expanded on developing a tough skin against industry criticism.
King agreed that Hollywood has long had a habit of eventually forming a defined feeling toward public perception, and it may not be the most positive.
She stressed that in an era when people have limitless access to see exactly how they are perceived online, it becomes easy to blur the line between what is true and what is not.
However, in her case, she is glad all the comments, no matter their accuracy or the lack thereof, do not translate to her real life. In the media personality’s words:
“I still get hired to do roles I love. I still have a really nice life at home. Then I guess it really doesn’t permeate my space. It’s true, it doesn’t. So what does it matter?”
On the podcast, King explored the controversy behind her casting to fill Wood’s big shoes in the cult classic, which also featured “Game of Thrones” alum Maisie Williams playing Antonia Owens after Alexandra Artrip stepped down. For the sequel, an age-cap shakeup was obvious, and King addressed it.
She admitted that ardent fans of the flick initially struggled with the idea of seeing different actresses play Kylie and Antonia, especially after they have built such a formidable bond with the OG actresses. King reassured listeners that recasting was necessary due to where the sequel finds the characters in their lives.
King explained that a strong, age-specific storyline from Alice Hoffman’s “The Book of Magic” influenced the sequel. The actress explained that Kylie and Antonia are written as young women who had just graduated college, making their age a focal point in Hoffman’s plot.
Joey King’s Private Gesture To Evan Rachel Wood After Movie Recast Prompted A Telling Reaction
The Blast noted that King raved about meeting the legendary actress after she took over her iconic role in “Practical Magic 2” for a heartfelt conversation. King’s move came after Wood revealed that she was not carried along on plans for the sequel.
King said in an interview that she contacted Wood and they had a great discussion, showing how supportive Wood is. She praised the actress’ impeccable original portrayal of Kylie, calling it memorable, and expressed gratitude for the chance to play the character as an adult.
For context, Wood was just 11 when she played Kylie in the 1998 smash hit, further testifying to her talent. Wood didn’t hesitate to reciprocate King’s gesture, taking a dig at her former co-stars for not reaching out despite their time together on set.
King’s casting was not the only part of the sequel that caused unending conversations, as her choice of sheer looks for the promo tours also sparked discussion.
As shared by The Blast, King took over London in a Miu Miu black floral lace dress with sheer details.
The look, styled by Jared Eng, made its way to King’s Instagram and drew thousands of likes and comments, both positive and negative. While some fans praised her ravishing looks and daring wardrobe choice, others disagreed with her decision to show some skin, describing it as a lack of class.
Perhaps the comments did get to Joey, because subsequent photo calls featured her opting for more modest fashion, though it still didn’t stray far from the movie’s romantic concept.
Overall, the talented actress showed off her styling prowess on the red carpet for the sequel’s promotional run, earning accolades for the new era of her appearances.
Joey King Responds To Plastic Surgery Rumors
The actress got candid last week with Owen Thiele on his “In Your Dreams” podcast about her appearance on the Met Gala carpet earlier this year. She explained that contrary to the overwhelming narrative that she got some facial reconstruction done for the event, it was actually as a result of some extreme diet choices.
“What I did do, I got a spray tan. And then I did a 36-hour fast. No food, nothing but water, which I don’t promote that. I looked busted. And I was like, ‘I gotta do a reset,’” the actress declared, confessing that she drank a lot the weekend before.
King added that she also got a lymphatic massage and facial the day before the Gala and then another facial massage on the day. The actress took the unending questions about her looks in stride, crediting her efforts and agreeing they paid off.
King opted for a sheer Miu Miu gown adorned with pink and silver sequins placed around strategic cutouts as she walked the hallowed steps of the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art at fashion’s biggest night.
