While "Hocus Pocus" inevitably cast Omri Katz as Max Dennison, director Kenny Ortega had another young star in mind for the role. Leonardo DiCaprio reportedly auditioned for the part, per ET. However, he ended up being too busy to commit to the project. DiCaprio reportedly told Ortega that he was up for two other roles at the time. However, he left a good impression on the director. "He's just the most sincere and most centered and a wild child at the same time," Ortega recalled. "He was feeling awkward. He was like, 'I just feel really bad being here because I'm up for two other movies and I really want them both and I don't want to lead you on.'" The films ended up being "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "This Boy's Life," which both helped skyrocket DiCaprio to superstar status.
Meanwhile, Katz ended up playing the role of Max perfectly, and it didn't hurt that he already had a bit of a spooky background after starring in the '90s series "Eerie, Indiana" (via IMDb). In 2018, Katz opened up about the role (via E!). "I would've never imagined it in my life. It was a great movie to make, I guess I just didn't know it would have such a cult following. It's a trip. It's a really big trip." Now, "Hocus Pocus" has become so popular that Disney has even greenlit a sequel set for 2022 (via Variety).
