26 Best Witches from TV and Movies to Channel This Halloween
Witches have captivated and fascinated us for centuries. They come in all shapes, sizes, and styles, from the casters of spells in your childhood fairytales to the modern witches next door of American Horror Story: Coven.
Of course, real witches of today are totally different from your fairytales. While there is no singular path to being a witch, many practice paganism, celebrate Mother Nature, and emphasize the power of female sisterhood. These women have modernized witchcraft into the 21st century, and their practice is often linked to self-care. There’s something to be said about a culture that values and respects female energy and encourages women to take charge, to follow their beliefs, to be their badass selves and harness the power inside them.
Because the witching season is just around the corner, we’ve rounded up the most iconic witches in pop culture history, from the Disney icons to Hogwarts heroines. In fact, these TV and movie witches may take you by surprise, because many of them totally defy old-school stereotypes and show that the preconceived notion of a “witch” is all wrong. Who saved the day more than Hermione? Which witch gave Dorothy the key to her destiny? Was any teenage witch more relatable than Sabrina? These witches are way more than just fairytale crones. Oh — and they’re proof that women are *literally * magic. But you already knew that.
1/26THE SANDERSON SISTERS
Winifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson were put to death in 1600s Salem, but a little spell brings them back to life on Halloween three centuries later. *Hocus Pocus * is a Halloween tradition for, well, everyone.
2/26THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST
“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!” The woman formerly known as Elphaba (if you’re going by *Wicked, * anyway) terrified soooo many children in *The Wizard of Oz. * She also taught us all the importance of water.
3/26GLINDA, THE GOOD WITCH
The Wicked Witch’s beautiful rival, Glinda, ruled with a soft voice and enchanted Munchkins all over Oz.
4/26URSULA
In our opinion, Ursula is Disney’s most iconic witch. She literally steals Ariel’s voice, turns herself into a beautiful woman named Vanessa, tries to steal Prince Eric, and then epically battles Ariel’s dad King Triton in *The Little Mermaid. * And she has those cool eel sidekicks.
5/26BONNIE BENNETT
*The Vampire Diaries’ * resident good witch, Bonnie, uses her exceptional powers to help others, not hurt them. It was a true tragedy when she lost her powers, but we hope she’ll regain that magic before the series ends.
6/26QUEEN RAVENNA
No one is more lethally glamorous than Charlize Theron’s wicked Queen Ravenna, an enchantress who will stop at nothing — like, changing herself into a flock of birds — to kill Snow White.
7/26FIONA GOODE
Jessica Lange’s Fiona Goode, the Supreme Witch of a New Orleans coven, is our favorite modern witch. She led the ladies of American Horror Story: Coven with style and serious attitude.
8/26MALEFICENT
Though she was memorably portrayed by Angelina Jolie in the live-action version of Disney’s *Sleeping Beauty, * we’ll always be just a little bit terrified by the animated version. Probably because she turns herself into a dragon.
9/26WILLOW ROSENBERG
Buffy’s bestie learns she’s a witch early on in the series and her powers grow strongly; at one point, she turns to the dark side.
10/26Queenie
All of the young witches on *American Horror Story: Coven * were equally iconic, but Queenie has some serious witchcraft roots. She was related to Tituba, the maid involved in the Salem witch trials.
11/26Marie Laveau
Marie Laveau was a real-life New Orleans woman who’s known as the queen of voodoo. People still line up to visit her tomb. Of course, one of the best modern homages to Marie is the one made famous by Angela Bassett in *AHS: Coven. *
12/26*The Craft * crew
Nancy, Bonnie, Rochelle, and Sarah make up one serious coven, each with her own special powers. It should be noted that Sarah is a “natural” witch, meaning she was born with her abilities.
13/26THE WHITE WITCH
Memorably portrayed by Tilda Swinton, the White Witch is the titular witch in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
14/26THE SCARLET WITCH
Elizabeth Olsen plays the Scarlet Witch, a very powerful Marvel comics character, in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War.
15/26THE HALLIWELL SISTERS
Unlike the Sanderson Sisters, the Halliwell girls of Charmed fame use their powers for good.
16/26SAMANTHA STEPHENS
When Bewitched's housewife and witch (housewitch?) Samantha wants to use her powers, all she has to do is wiggle her nose. (You totally tried it right now, didn’t you?)
17/26ENDORA
Samantha’s mother, Endora, is a little more out-there than her buttoned-up suburban daughter, and she’s constantly trying to cause chaos in her daughter’s marriage to the mortal Darrin. (Spoiler alert: It never works!)
18/26Calypso/Tia Dalma
The very badass Tia Dalma joins Jack and his friends on the Black Pearl for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End to find her lover, Davy Jones. Oh, Tia Dalma is actually the super-powerful Calypso, the sea goddess, which you find out in the end. Sorry for the spoilers.
19/26HERMIONE GRANGER
Hermione is arguably the most brilliant witch on this list. She was the star pupil in her classes at Hogwarts and the savvy, level-headed member of the triumvirate that includes Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. She’s basically the patron saint for bookish, motivated girls everywhere, witch or no witch.
20/26PROFESSOR MINERVA MCGONAGALL
Memorably portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith, Professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor and Headmistress of Hogwarts. Oh, and she’s the ultimate boss witch. (She can also turn into a cat at a moment’s notice and isn't afraid to stand up to Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and, oh yeah, Umbridge.)
21/26THE TEEN WITCH
Teenager Louise (played by Blake Lively’s sister Robin) inherits her abilities when she turns 16. Can you imagine learning you’re a witch in high school? Of course you’d try to become popular, just as Louise does.
22/26SABRINA SPELLMAN
Speaking of teenage witches… the iconic Sabrina Spellman needs no introduction. TGIF forever.
23/26MORTICIA ADDAMS
The mysterious and ooky Morticia isn’t *really * a witch, but it appears she had a few in her family. That counts.
24/26THE GRAND HIGH WITCH
Anjelica Huston also played the Grand High Witch in The Witches, based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name. At first, the GHW appears glamorous, but she’s not so pretty underneath her disguise.
25/26THE WITCH OF THE WOOD
The evil woman in the movie The Witch basically ruins Thomasin and her family’s life by stealing their baby and enchanting their young son. Of course, she and her coven *do * help young Thomasin discover her own powers, so it’s not all bad.
26/26THE BLAIR WITCH
The Blair Witch was creepy because we *didn’t * ever really get to see her. We just saw what she may have done, which was way, way freakier. Oh, and the trailer for 2016's The Blair Witch? Still a whole lot of NOPE.
