‘Hocus Pocus’s’ Thora Birch Disappeared from Limelight Only Returned Because of Her Husband

Thora Birch is a long-time American actress who debuted in the iconic Halloween film “Hocus Pocus” at 11. The actress continued to act till she was a teenager and starred in more memorable movies like Ghost world before she disappeared.

Thora is the daughter of Jack Birch and Carol Connors Birch, who are also actors and producers. Jack and Connors named their daughter after Thor, the Norse god of thunder; they kept the outlandish theme and named their son Bolt Birch.

The actress had been gracing the screens since she was four. She began working in commercials and eventually ventured into films and tv series until she was a teenager.

Thora Birch in “Hocus Pocus”. | Source: YouTube.com//TheGreatBigStory

Thora was rising to the Hollywood ranks very fast; by the time the actress was six, she had already won a Young Artist Award for her debut in the children’s fantasy film “Purple People Eater.” Even after taking a break from acting, Thora picked up where she left off and bagged a role in the famous sitcom “Parenthood.”

By the time Thora was nine, she had seen the ins and out of the film industry and even told the L. A Times she had already figured her life out. Young Thora said she wanted to be a director by 24, spend a year ice skating, a year as a policewoman, and finally become a singer.

Everything was smooth sailing for the actress; she was making a name for herself in Hollywood and becoming a sensation. Thora set an excellent example for her brother Bolt, who followed in her footsteps and is now an actor and director that produced “A Christmas Tree and a Wedding” (2000), “Petunia” (2012), and “Monster Mountain” (2012).

THORA BIRCH GETS FIRED BECAUSE OF HER FATHER

Thora Birch in Hollywood 2019. | Source: Getty Images

When Thora reached her teenage years, she was in high demand since the actress had dominated the industry for years. By the time Thora was 19, she had taken on various adolescent roles.

“Andler motivated Thora to return to the film industry by bringing in a more positive perspective than the actress had experienced in the past.”

Thora took on the role of a teenage hipster with a post-high-school identity crisis in “Ghost World” alongside Scarlett Johannson. She then played an irritable and bored teenager in “American Beauty”.

Thora Birch in “American Beauty”. | Source: YouTube.com/TheGreatBigStory

In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Thora spoke about when she was fired from the Alexandra Payne film “Election.” According to Thora, she had read and understood the script differently from Payne; thus, the actress was vocal about how it was written. Thora said:

“I read the script one way and it became clear that [Payne] had seen something else, so that was it. I just thought this is ridiculous: why is it written this way?”

This was not the first time Thora was fired. In 2010 the actress was let go from a Broadway theatrical revival of Dracula; this time, it was not because of her blunt opinions but because of her father.

It was alleged that Thora’s father, Jack, her manager at the time, physically threatened one of the actors in the Dracula production.

Thora Birch in “Ghost World”. | Source: Youtube.com/TheGreatBigStory

Thora described being “in a state of shock” when it all happened. Since then, Thora said she felt people were trying to get back at her. However, when the interviewer insinuated that the actress had stepped back the being on screen, Thora got angry and said she had always been working, but no one was paying attention.

The “Ghost World” star appeared in several movies during her famous teen years, but the films did not pick up or again as much publicity.

According to W magazine, Thora is fine with the movies being on the back burner because she prefers independent films over blockbusters. Although the “Hocus Pocus” star eventually took a break around 2007-2008 to pursue other goals like going to college.

WHAT IS THORA BIRCH UP TO NOW?

During her acting hiatus, it crossed Thora’s mind to quit acting; however, she was encouraged by her talent manager Michael Benton.Adler.

Adler, who is now her husband, encouraged her to get back into acting. Andler is known as a manager in Hollywood and has worked with stars such as Lesley-Ann Brandt, Adam Goldberg, Elisabeth Röhm, and more.

Andler motivated Thora to return to the film industry by bringing in a more positive perspective than the actress had experienced in the past.

Thora is set to appear in big films coming out soon. “Hocus Pocus 2” debut is underway, and the long-time fans of the iconic Halloween film are excited to see the evolution of Thora’s character Danni.

Thora will also be taking on the role of director and actor in the recent green-lit movie “The Gabby Petito Story.” The film is based on the tragic story of the blogger Gabby Petito that was found dead in Wyoming after a long search in 2021.

Andler and Thora had a professional relationship for two years before they got closer. They started getting comfortable when they started attending more events together. Thora said they always found themselves in the corner laughing “like little kids.”

Since then, Andler and his actress wife have been inseparable. Although Thora said she did not see their relationship coming because she did not believe in true love. The Ghost word star said:

“I wasn’t looking, didn’t believe in the true love thing….”

Andler and Thora’s love story blossomed as the years went by. The Hollywood couple dated for several years before they tied the knot in 2018. The “Hocus Pocus” star announced the good news on her social media. The couple now lives happily on a ranch.

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