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Hocus Pocus Stars Admit to Smoking Weed During Filming
20 Oct
Summary
- Omri Katz was often high while shooting the 1993 Disney classic
- Tobias Jelinek smoked with Katz before a key scene, struggled to perform
- Katz used his Volkswagen bus to take director Kenny Ortega to a Grateful Dead concert

In a recent interview, original Hocus Pocus stars Omri Katz and Tobias Jelinek have lifted the lid on their marijuana use during the filming of the 1993 Disney hit. Katz, who played the lead role of Max, previously disclosed that he was frequently high on set, and Jelinek, who portrayed the supporting character Jay, has now corroborated this claim.
Jelinek recalls Katz convincing him to smoke weed with him before rehearsing a pivotal scene involving the character Thora Birch. "I really couldn't hang," Jelinek admits, stating that he was "a mess" and struggled to perform as directed by Kenny Ortega. Katz, on the other hand, had become adept at handling his cannabis consumption during the shoot.
The revelations don't end there. Jelinek also shares that Katz had purchased a Volkswagen bus, which he used to transport Ortega to a Grateful Dead concert in San Francisco during a break from production. Additionally, Katz left a "giant nug of California green weed" in Jelinek's microwave as a parting gift.
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As of October 2025, many of the original Hocus Pocus cast members, including Katz and Jelinek, have expressed their willingness to reprise their roles if Disney decides to move forward with a third installment in the franchise.