"Hocus Pocus" Actor Omri Katz Admitted That He Was Totally Stoned While Filming The Movie

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You know Omri Katz from Hocus Pocus — he played Max Dennison.

  Valerie Durant / Freeform via Getty Images
Valerie Durant / Freeform via Getty Images

Well, it turns out that Omri turned to a different kind of magic — specifically the cannabis-based kind — for his performance in the film.

Omri, with two others, looking through a chainlink fence in a scene from Hocus Pocus
Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

In an Entertainment Weekly roundtable interview with the stars of the original film, Omri — who was 16 at the time of filming — revealed that he was stoned while shooting some of the film.

  Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

"That was at an age where I started experimenting with cannabis," he said. "Let's just say, some of those scenes, I was having a good old time."

  Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection
Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

Omri says he was "misperforming" and "not hitting my keys or marks" as a result — and others, like director Kenny Ortega, certainly noticed.

A young Omri photographed at an event
Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

"Kenny comes up to me and practically grabs me by the shirt, and he was like, 'Are you high?' and I was like, 'No,' and of course, I was. We got it done, but that was kind of a wake-up call, like, 'Omri, you've got to be a little more professional and make sure you hit your cues!'"

  Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection
Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

After former costar Vinessa Shaw reminded Omri that Kenny confronted him during a scene in which Bette Midler zaps him with bolts, Omri replied, "Yeah, but I didn't look like I was getting zapped. I looked like I was getting high."

Bette zapping Omri
Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

Here's a picture of the scene without the bolts — you be the judge! You can read more about Omri's revelation here.

  Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection
Buena Vista Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection