If you’re watching “Hocus Pocus 2,” you’re likely to be enchanted by the wacky witches at the center of the movie. The Sanderson sisters — played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker — are back to stir up trouble in this hotly anticipated sequel to 1993′s “Hocus Pocus.”

The new film, now streaming on Disney+, is a treat for fans of the cult classic during the Halloween season.

The Sanderson sisters — famous for being campy, creepy and over-the-top — are a tough act to follow, or perform alongside. But an actor with Alabama ties makes an appearance in the movie, holding his own amid all the Halloween tomfoolery.

Tony Hale, a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, portrays the cheerfully clueless mayor of Salem when the Sanderson sisters return. Mayor Traske is the father of a teen enmeshed in the spooky storyline, and mostly we see him presiding over a Halloween festival while wearing a pumpkin-themed sweater. (He’s also craving a caramel apple while waiting in a very long line.)

In a flashback the starts the film, Hale has a dual role as Rev. Traske, a judgmental character who becomes the Sanderson sisters’ enemy during their childhood. Needless to say, the witches quickly spot Hale as Traske’s ancestor upon their return and target him for revenge.

Hale, 52, is a two-time Emmy winner for his supporting role in “Veep,” an HBO political comedy that aired 2012-2019. He’s also known for his work in “Arrested Development,” and has credits in many movies and TV shows.

(Side note: “Veep” enthusiasts will notice another alum from the series, Sam Richardson, in “Hocus Pocus 2.” Richardson is prominently featured in the trailer below. )

Hale graduated from Samford in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. The actor has talked about his fondness for Birmingham during talk-show interviews, and has returned to the city fairly often to visit friends. His wife, makeup artist Martel Thompson, is from Anniston; the couple has a teenage daughter, Loy Ann Hale.