Lifetime Serves Up a Witches Brew

Lifetime’s TCA presentation in LA included “Witches of East Wind” (October 6 premiere), inspired by the novel by Melissa de la Cruz, which follows a multi-generational family of witches with actress Julia Ormond starring as its Matriarch. When her two daughters discover their secret past and a family member returns to the scene, they must confront their calling. On how this show differs from other witch-themed series, executive producer Maggie Friedman said it’s about “four very distinct women and how they each deal with their powers and gifts. And I don’t think we’ve seen a show like that.” She called it “a metaphor for motherhood,” in that it’s about “letting your child out into the world to experience things even if you want to keep them safe and hold them close.”

 

Jenna Dewan Tatum, who plays one of Ormond’s daughters, remarked that being a new mom herself has created an “art imitates life” scenario, given that the show is focused on family dynamics between a mother and her daughters. “In life and in your art, art is life and in your work kind of deepens everything a little bit,” she said. Going back to work as a new mom is "a juggle," she said, but she has a lot of support from the studio and network, which are being flexible with her schedule.

 

A particularly fun aspect of the show, according to Friedman, was having the ability “to see the characters through all different time periods,” she said. “Because they’re immortal, we get to tell stories about their lives in all different times.” So which power would the actresses like to have in real life? Tatum, being a new mom and sleep-deprived, would love to be able to sleep at the snap of her fingers. Actress Madchen Amick would like to have “a bigger voice and try to change things that I’m really passionate about,” namely improving the mental health system in America.