Hollywood doesn't really make movies like The Witches of Eastwick anymore. Honestly, the 1987 film is a bit of a fever dream. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s dripping with a specific kind of 80s excess that feels both dated and timeless. But if you strip away the Practical Magic-before-Practical-Magic vibes and the literal tons of cherry pits, you’re left with one of the most lightning-in-a-bottle ensembles ever put on screen. The actors in Witches of Eastwick didn't just play their parts; they basically engaged in a high-stakes game of theatrical chicken.
It’s hard to imagine anyone else in these roles. Jack Nicholson was at the absolute peak of his "Jack-ness," playing Daryl Van Horne with a greasy, seductive malice that shouldn't work but somehow does. Then you have the trinity: Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. In '87, this was a massive deal. You had an Oscar winner, a burgeoning indie darling, and the world's biggest pop-star-turned-actress sharing the same frame. They weren't just supporting characters to Nicholson’s devil; they were the engine of the whole story.
The Devil in the Designer Suit
Jack Nicholson was the only person who could have played Daryl Van Horne. Period. George Miller, the director who had just come off the Mad Max trilogy, needed someone who could embody "The Horned One" without looking like a cartoon. Nicholson brought this weird, improvised energy to the set. Did you know he actually helped rewrite some of his dialogue to make it more "vile"? He understood that for the women to find him attractive, he couldn't just be evil—il had to be a mirror of their repressed desires.
He’s repulsive. Truly. He’s sweaty, his hair is a disaster, and he wears robes that look like they haven't been washed in a decade. Yet, Nicholson makes you understand why Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie would fall for the pitch. It’s the charisma. It’s that grin. Most actors in Witches of Eastwick had to react to his unpredictability. There’s a famous story from the set where Nicholson would intentionally change his blocking just to see if the actresses could keep up. They did more than keep up; they outshone him in the final act.
The Three Graces of Rhode Island
Cher played Alexandra Medford. She was the anchor. Coming off the success of Mask and Moonstruck, Cher had this incredible, weary dignity. She wasn't just a "witch"; she was a single mother dealing with the suffocating boredom of a small town. Her chemistry with the other two wasn't forced. It felt like three women who had been friends for twenty years, even though they had just met on set.
Then there’s Susan Sarandon as Jane Spofford. This might be my favorite performance in the movie. She starts as this mousy, repressed cellist with frizzy hair and no confidence. Her transformation into a vixen is the movie's most satisfying arc. Sarandon actually learned to play the cello for the role—well, she learned the fingerings enough to look convincing during that frantic, fiery duet with Nicholson. It’s a physical performance that relies on her becoming "undone."
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And Michelle Pfeiffer? She was Sukie Ridgemont. This was right before her Dangerous Liaisons and Batman Returns era. She played the "fertile" one, the mother of many, with a soft-spoken intensity. Pfeiffer often gets overlooked in this trio because she’s playing the "sweet" one, but her performance is the emotional glue. When she starts glowing—literally—it feels earned because of the vulnerability she puts into the early scenes.
The Supporting Players You Forgot
While everyone talks about the big four, the actors in Witches of Eastwick also included some legendary character performers. Veronica Cartwright is the MVP here. She plays Felicia Alden, the town’s moral compass who slowly loses her mind as the devil’s influence grows.
Cartwright is a horror icon (remember her in Alien or The Birds?), and she brings a terrifying reality to the film. The scene with the cherry pits? That wasn't just movie magic. It was a grueling, disgusting shoot that required her to be covered in literal sludge for hours. She represents the "real" world being destroyed by the supernatural, and without her high-strung performance, the movie would lose its stakes.
Richard Jenkins also pops up! This was very early in his career. He plays Felicia’s long-suffering husband, Clyde. It’s a thankless role on paper, but Jenkins gives it this pathetic, tragic undertone that makes the climax of his character's story genuinely upsetting. It’s a reminder that even in a big-budget supernatural comedy, the acting needs to be grounded in something human.
Why the Chemistry Worked (And Why It Almost Didn't)
The production was kind of a nightmare. There's no other way to put it.
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The script was being tinkered with constantly. The special effects—specifically the giant puppet at the end—were a disaster that kept breaking down. Usually, that kind of chaos makes for a bad movie. But for the actors in Witches of Eastwick, it seemed to create a "us against the world" mentality. Cher famously clashed with George Miller. She felt he was being too hard on the actresses and too lenient with Nicholson.
This tension actually shows up on screen. There is a palpable sense of female solidarity in the film that feels radical for 1987. These women aren't fighting over the man; they are realizing that the man is the problem. That shift in the narrative only works because the three leads genuinely liked and respected each other. They weren't competing for screen time. They were building a coven.
The Cultural Legacy of the Ensemble
Look at the supernatural films that came after. The Craft, Practical Magic, even Charmed. They all owe a massive debt to the actors in Witches of Eastwick. Before this movie, witches were usually old hags or suburban housewives like Samantha Stephens. This film made witchcraft about female agency, sexuality, and the power of the collective.
The casting was a statement. You took three of the most beautiful women in the world and told a story where their power came from within, not from their relationship to a male lead. Even though Daryl Van Horne thinks he’s the star of the show, the movie is ultimately about him being evicted by three women who realized they didn't need his "gifts."
It’s also worth noting the age of the actresses. Cher was 40, Sarandon was 40, and Pfeiffer was 29. In today's Hollywood, that might seem normal, but in the 80s, casting two women over 40 as romantic, sexual leads in a summer blockbuster was almost unheard of. It broke a ceiling. It proved that "adult" stories could have fantastical elements and still rake in cash at the box office.
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What We Can Learn from Eastwick
If you’re a fan of cinema or an aspiring storyteller, there are a few key takeaways from how this cast handled the material:
- Commitment to the Absurd: Nicholson didn't play the devil with a wink to the camera. He played him with total, terrifying commitment. If you're doing genre work, you have to believe in the world.
- Ensemble Over Ego: The three female leads allowed themselves to look ridiculous, ugly, and scared. They shared the spotlight, which made the "coven" feel real.
- The Power of Physicality: Watch Susan Sarandon’s posture change throughout the movie. Watch how Cher uses her height to dominate a room. Great acting isn't just about the lines; it's about how the character occupies space.
The actors in Witches of Eastwick created a blueprint for the "supernatural dramedy" that we still see today. It’s a masterclass in tone. It's funny, it's gross, it's sexy, and it's a little bit mean. Without that specific cast, it probably would have been a forgotten relic of the 80s. Instead, it remains a cult classic that people still revisit every Halloween—or whenever they feel like seeing Jack Nicholson get his comeuppance.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Eastwick, your best bet is to find the original 1984 novel by John Updike. It’s much darker and more cynical than the movie. Reading the book gives you a massive appreciation for how the actors softened the characters and made them more likable for a global audience.
You should also check out the "making of" documentaries often found on special edition Blu-rays. Hearing Cher talk about her arguments with George Miller provides a lot of context for her fierce performance. Finally, if you haven't seen Veronica Cartwright in the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, watch it immediately. You'll see exactly why she was the perfect choice to play the terrified, puke-splattered Felicia Alden.