Fairuza Balk was 21 years old when she took on the role of Nancy in "The Craft," the 1996 horror-fantasy film that cast her as the domineering leader of a group of teenage witches fixated on accumulating supernatural power. Three decades later, the American actress and musician is in her 50s, and TMZ.com marked the anniversary of the film by revisiting her breakout genre performance.
Balk shared the screen in the film with Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell and Skeet Ulrich, a cast that has become closely associated with 1990s horror and teen cinema. "The Craft" arrived in theaters in 1996, placing Balk at the center of a story about a coven whose pursuit of greater power carries consequences.
For local readers, the retrospective offers a reminder of how durable the film's following has proven. "The Craft" remains a touchstone for fans of 1990s horror, and Balk's portrayal of Nancy is frequently cited among the era's memorable antagonists. TMZ.com's look back at the actress, published Monday, October 26, 2026, asks readers to guess what she looks like now, more than 30 years after the film's release.
Balk's career has spanned both acting and music, and her work in "The Craft" came at age 21. The film's 1996 release date places it firmly in the mid-1990s wave of supernatural and horror titles that continue to draw audiences.