Fairuza Balk Bought an Occult Shop While Filming The Craft — Then the Witch Rumors Started, and She Walked Away From the Press That Branded Her a “Crazy Bad Girl”

Fairuza Balk was never one to shy away from an edgy role. She played Dorothy in the gothic Return to Oz (1985) and a neo-Nazi’s girlfriend in American History X (1998) — but none of her characters stuck quite like Nancy Downs, the vengeful witch from The Craft who delivers the unforgettable line: “We are the weirdos, mister.” With the cult classic having turned 30 in May, we’re looking at Balk’s career, the occult shop that kicked off the witch rumors, why she stepped back from Hollywood, and what this powerhouse of a woman is doing today. Fairuza Balk’s Early Life: From a Bohemian Childhood to Return to Oz Image Credit: Oz Productions Ltd., Silver Screen Partners II, Oz Productions, Walt Disney Pictures Fairuza Balk was born on May 21, 1974 in Point Reyes, California. Her mother was a belly dancer, and her father — a traveling musician — was a founding member of the psychedelic rock band Kaleidoscope.

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