There’s something endlessly magnetic about witches. They exist in that strange, enticing space between power and peril, wisdom and chaos. Whether they’re brewing potions in a moonlit cottage or rewriting reality with a flick of their wrist, witches have owned the screen for decades. Some charm, some curse, and some just vibe in a morally ambiguous middle ground that makes them impossible to forget.
So let’s grab a broomstick and fly through film and TV history’s most famous witches, from the terrifying to the tender-hearted.
Hermione Granger – Harry Potter Series
Hermione is the poster child for modern witchcraft done right. Smart, stubborn, and always three steps ahead, she turned “know-it-all” into a superpower. She’s not the chosen one, but she often saves the day anyway. For a whole generation, Hermione proved that magic wasn’t just about spells but about standing up for what’s right, even if it meant breaking a few Ministry rules.
Sabrina Spellman – Sabrina the Teenage Witch / Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Two Sabrinas, one chaotic magical legacy. The 90s sitcom version gave us charm, sass, and a talking cat named Salem. The Netflix reboot took a darker turn, replacing laugh tracks with Latin incantations and existential dread. Both captured that awkward witchy adolescence where you’re juggling high school, romance, and the occasional summoning of the Dark Lord.
Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Wanda started as a side character and ended up warping reality itself. She’s a walking contradiction: tragic and terrifying, vulnerable and unstoppable. WandaVision cemented her as one of the most complex witches in modern pop culture, blurring the line between grief and godhood. If chaos magic were an aesthetic, it’d be her.
The Wicked Witch of the West – The Wizard of Oz
The original green icon. Before witches were glamorous, they were cackling in castles and sending flying monkeys after little girls and their dogs. The Wicked Witch of the West set the tone for every villainous witch that followed. Her look? Timeless. Her exit (“I’m melting!”)? Cinematic legend.
Willow Rosenberg – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Willow’s evolution from shy computer geek to a world-breaking witch is one of TV’s best character arcs. Her story balances sweetness and sorrow, with power always lurking just beneath her gentle surface. When she turns dark in Season 6, it’s both horrifying and heartbreaking, a reminder that even good witches can lose themselves in their own magic.
The Sanderson Sisters – Hocus Pocus
Chaos incarnate, wrapped in cloaks and 90s camp. Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson are the definition of cult classic charm. They’re wicked, hilarious, and weirdly loveable, proving that being evil doesn’t mean you can’t have fabulous hair and choreography.
Glinda the Good Witch – The Wizard of Oz
For every wicked witch, there’s a Glinda. Floating in her pink bubble, she was the sugar to the West’s spice. But behind the sparkle lies quiet authority, Glinda runs the magical hierarchy with serene confidence. She taught generations that kindness is its own kind of magic.
Morticia Addams – The Addams Family
Okay, technically she’s not always labelled a witch, but come on. Morticia lives and breathes gothic enchantment. She doesn’t cast spells, she just is a spell. Her deadpan humour, endless grace, and calm dominance over chaos have made her a style icon for witchy souls everywhere.
Melisandre – Game of Thrones
The Red Woman is one of TV’s most chilling magic-users. She doesn’t cackle or fly, she just burns people alive and resurrects kings. Her brand of witchcraft is biblical in scope, equal parts divine and disturbing. Watching her faith waver in the later seasons gave her character an unexpected depth.
The Charmed Ones – Charmed (Original Series)
The Halliwell sisters defined late 90s witch TV. Their power was rooted in sisterhood, love, and an endless supply of leather pants. The mix of monster-of-the-week drama and emotional depth made Charmed iconic. They fought demons, fell in love, and redefined what it meant to be a witch in a modern world.
Maleficent – Sleeping Beauty / Maleficent
Maleficent started as one of Disney’s most elegantly evil villains, then evolved into something more nuanced. The Angelina Jolie films reimagined her as a misunderstood antihero, giving her heartbreak, vulnerability, and cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass. She’s both curse and protector, a perfect contradiction.
Samantha Stephens – Bewitched
Before all the dark reboots and cinematic universes, there was Samantha, the suburban witch who just wanted a normal life. Bewitched blended magic and mid-century domesticity with clever humour, and her trademark nose twitch remains one of the most charming gestures in TV history.
Endora – Bewitched
While Samantha tried to fit in, her mother Endora refused. Regal, witty, and gloriously dramatic, she represents pure, unapologetic witch energy. She’s the ancestor of every sassy magical mentor and glamorous villain who came after her.
The Seven Swords Takeaway
From broomsticks to cosmic chaos, witches have always reflected our fascination with power, identity, and rebellion. They’ve evolved from villains to heroes, from misunderstood outsiders to complex protagonists. Whether they’re hexing an ex or healing a friend, witches remain the most captivating mirrors of human nature on screen.
So next time you rewatch one of these stories, remember: every great witch carries a bit of truth in her spellbook, and probably a cat.
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