After getting the go-ahead from Disney Channel, casting began. First up, legendary star Debbie Reynolds.
Singer: I think right about this time, Debbie had decided she wanted to open herself up to doing some television. When we saw the list, we took one look at her name and said, oh my god, would she really do it? This is absolutely unbelievably blessed and terrific idea for casting. And she did. We never went to anyone else.
When it came to the rest of the roles, the casting directors read everybody, from the leads to characters with only one line, as the Disney Channel had yet to establish a field of talent to pull from. A 13-year-old Kimberly J. Brown eventually landed the lead role of Marnie.
Singer: She came in and she wasn't who we had visually pictured, but she was the role. She blew everyone else away. She was great.
Brown: It was so exciting when I found out I got it because I remember loving the script and loving the idea of playing a teenage witch. And then hearing Debbie Reynolds was signed onto it, it was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to play Debbie Reynolds' granddaughter!
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