MIAMI - Marysol Patton and Alexia Nepola know that the women of The Real Housewives of Miami can turn a dinner into a confrontation, a vacation into a battlefield, and a friendship into a storyline. But ahead of the Miami premiere of Practical Magic 2, the two longtime friends were more interested in talking about what survives when the cameras stop rolling.
For them, the real magic is not a spell. It is the kind of friendship that has endured years of reality television, public scrutiny and some of the most difficult moments of their personal lives.
The conversation began with a very Miami and Practical Magic question: where to find a good margarita. Coconut Grove came up, along with the observation that Mexican restaurants usually know what they are doing when it comes to the cocktail. It was an appropriate opening for a conversation about a movie whose midnight margaritas have become almost as beloved as its witches.
The original Practical Magic, released in 1998 and directed by Griffin Dunne, starred Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as Sally and Gillian Owens, sisters born into a family of witches whose romantic lives are shadowed by a deadly curse. Based on Alice Hoffman's novel, the film mixed romance, grief, witchcraft and the enduring power of women standing together. Its initial reception was mixed, but it eventually became a cult favorite.
Now, nearly three decades later, Bullock and Kidman return in Practical Magic 2, directed by Susanne Bier and inspired by Hoffman's The Book of Magic.
The sequel brings a new generation of Owens women into the story, with Joey King and Maisie Williams playing Sally's daughters, Kylie and Antonia. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also return, while the cast includes Lee Pace and Xolo Maridueña. The film opens in North American theaters September 10.
Official Movie Site
For Patton and Nepola, the movie's central idea was immediately familiar. Asked what the best part of sisterhood is after participating in a show famous for its fights, Nepola pointed to the woman beside her.
"This friendship that I have with her is the best part, truly," she told this reporter.
The answer was followed by a reminder that reality television does not always show the full picture.
"People only see, or want to focus on, the negative and the fights," Nepola said. "But I think underneath all of that there is kindness, this world that makes us sisters forever."
Patton expanded the thought to the women who have shared the experience of being Housewives.
"I think all the girls in this franchise already have a sisterhood forever," she said. "Only we understand what it is to do this job. So there is always kindness among all of us."
That bond has been tested in public. The Real Housewives of Miami debuted in 2011, became known for its mix of Miami glamour, Latin culture and combustible relationships, and returned in 2021 after an eight-year hiatus. Patton and Nepola were part of the original cast and became two of the franchise's most recognizable personalities. Their friendship also extends beyond the show through their podcast, Ay Por Favor.
The series has never been short on conflict, but one of the most consequential storylines for the pair was Alexia's divorce from businessman Todd Nepola. Todd filed in April 2024 after two years of marriage, a decision Alexia said took her by surprise. Their divorce was finalized in March 2025, although the relationship continued to have periods of reconciliation and separation.
Marysol was one of the people Alexia leaned on during the breakup. Their friendship, however, became complicated when Alexia considered returning to Todd. Marysol had publicly opposed the reconciliation and worried about how her comments would affect their relationship. In the Season 7 finale, Alexia reassured her that their friendship would remain part of her life, regardless of what happened with Todd.
The tension was a reminder that loyalty does not always mean agreement. The women have also had their own disagreements, including a heated exchange on the Season 7 after show, but their long-standing friendship has remained a central part of their stories.
Their personal histories have brought other difficult chapters into the public eye. Alexia has spoken about the challenges faced by her family, including her son Frankie's recovery after a serious car accident, while Marysol's relationship with her late mother, Elsa Patton, became one of the original show's most memorable emotional threads. Elsa, affectionately known as Mama Elsa, died in 2019. The loss remains an important part of Marysol's life and her connection to the franchise.
The interview's final question brought the conversation back to the Owens women. If one of the four witches in Practical Magic could give them a potion, what would they ask for?
The answers had nothing to do with fame, money or winning the next argument. One wished for the ability to do good and cure illnesses. The other wanted good health for herself and her husband, and the chance to remain together forever.
It was a small moment, but one that captured the contrast between the women viewers know from television and the priorities they described away from the show's confrontations. After years of watching their friendships, marriages and families become public entertainment, their wishes were strikingly ordinary: health, love and more time with the people who matter.
That is also the emotional territory Practical Magic 2 returns to. The sequel's witches may have supernatural powers, but their greatest challenges remain recognizably human. For Marysol and Alexia, the magic they can count on is simpler: a friendship that has survived the drama and continues beyond it.
