Hocus Pocus star Thora Birch came out as bisexual during the 35th anniversary celebration of the iconic gay bar The Abbey in West Hollywood on Wednesday. The 44-year-old actress opened up about her sexuality while sharing a heartfelt message of support for the LGBTQ+ community at the event.
'As a hometown girl, I'm always here to show my support for the community, which shaped so much of who I am and my identity as well, being a bi person,' she told Us Weekly at the celebration.
The American Beauty star, who has been married to Michael Benton Adler since 2018 and attended the event with the film producer, began acting at a young age and emphasized the importance of finding a supportive community.
'I don't want to get too political, but find your community where you can, and stand with them and stick with them and share that love that you share together, and reach it toward others,' she continued. 'That's the only way we're going to get through all this madness is just embracing one another. We have to stop fighting.'
A representative for the actress also told the outlet that Birch grew up in West Hollywood and lived within walking distance of The Abbey, a place that 'always felt like home' since it opened in 1991.
At the celebration, she also offered her thoughts on The Hills alum Spencer Pratt's campaign to become the next mayor of Los Angeles. 'It's a very passionate mayoral race this time around,' Birch said. 'I think there's an incredible amount of focus because of the divided way that people feel regarding how the fires were handled,' she added, referencing the devastating Pacific Palisades fire last year, which also destroyed Pratt's home. She noted there are 'a lot of people with a lot of thoughts and a lot of opinions.' When asked if she believes Pratt is the right person for the job, she said: 'I think strong leadership is always advisable. I have no reason to think one way or the other about [Pratt's capability].'
Birch also discussed upcoming projects and expressed openness to filming a sequel for her 1995 film Now and Then. She previously starred alongside Christina Ricci, Demi Moore, Rosie O'Donnell, Melanie Griffith, Gaby Hoffman, and Rita Wilson. Now and Then followed a group of childhood best friends navigating their teenage years and reconnecting in adulthood. In the film, Birch played the younger version of Teeny, while Griffith portrayed her adult counterpart.
Wilson recently made headlines by suggesting a sequel for the film released three decades ago. In response, Birch said: 'You know, I love Rita, and bless her heart, and I feel like all of us would love that. I have no idea what that would look like, but it's a shared dream for sure.' She continued by adding that she has 'no idea' if there are active talks for a sequel.
She also reflected on her role in the 1993 Halloween film Hocus Pocus, where she acted alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy at just 11 years old. 'I feel like so many of my fans kind of wonder about, obviously, Dani [from] Hocus Pocus. I feel like Teeny, we know what happened with her, so that's good,' she added. 'But it would be intriguing to see some of the other old standbys, like Enid from Ghost World. Who knows what she's up to? She's alive, probably.' However, she noted: 'I think there's also something nice about having them encapsulated.'
