All of us Disney Channel kids who grew up in our early to mid-teens remember where we were when David Henrie announced that he and Selena Gomez were going to work together Wizards of Waverly Place the sequel series more than a decade after the original sitcom ended. As part of the network’s heyday, Wizards of Waverly Place follows the three Russo sisters as they approach their teenage years as witches in training together. While they’re all grown up now, it’s clear that the chemistry between on-screen siblings Henrie and Gomez has always been there. And with a new group of kids added to the mix, there’s plenty of room for that Wizards Beyond Waverly Place to reach the young generation all while, as Henrie said, giving “a warm hug” to all of us OG fans.
The new series, which premieres on Disney Channel tonight before heading to Disney+ tomorrow, follows grown-up Justin (Henrie) as he lives a normal life on Staten Island with his wife and two sons. However, her secret past as a witch finally comes out when her troublemaking sister Alex (Gomez) shows up at her house and asks her to take a powerful young witch named Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) under her wing.
The first episode is chock-full of callbacks to the original series, like when they subtly revealed that the youngest Russo brother Max (Jake T. Austin) became a millionaire franchising the family’s sandwich shop, or when Justin and Alex returned to his family. good nest for the first time.
“Everything we could hope for, we felt,” Henrie said of the “magical” moment, noting that the production even used “real couches” from the original set. “You might find Selena and I’s initials somewhere, carved into something.”
Brown, for his part, will be working with two of Disney Channel’s most memorable stars. The young actress fondly admits that Henrie is “like a father” to her, while she compares Gomez to her “amazing aunt” or “sister”.
“I feel so blessed to be in this position and just have to give my flowers to God every day because I’m like, ‘Wow. I’m working with Selena Gomez and David Henrie. This is cray cray,'” Brown said.
We caught up with Henrie and Brown via Zoom, where they dished on everything Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Check out the full interview below.
DECIDER: David, I want to start with you. As a person who is 7 when original sorcerer out, there are a lot of moments in the reboot that give me chills, especially when you and Selena go back to the lair for the first time. How did you two feel about doing that scene?
DAVID HENRY: All that can be expected, we felt. Getting back on the plane that has spent so much time and has so many memories in it is crazy. We used to sleep in these chairs, and these were real chairs. They found chairs sitting in warehouses somewhere, and they brought them back, threw them away. That’s the real thing. You might find Selena and I’s initials somewhere, carved into something. It’s crazy.
We’d sit there and watch all the great guest stars from the original show, like The Rock and Cindy Crawford and Shakira and all these people. We have many memories there. Yes, it’s magical, and it’s good to get our characters to reprise and act again. Honestly, it’s like no day. We’re older now, but it feels like ever since then, like there’s been no rest.
That seems like watching. It felt like your character didn’t skip a beat, and they were the same characters I remember growing up with.
David: That means a lot. thanks. The goal for Selena and I both really to give a warm hug to the original show, but hopefully create such a strong feeling that fans of the original watch will want to recreate the experience they could have with their parents watching the original show and invite young people in. Maybe invite the child you have now. I have three children. Many millennials now have children – invite their child, or nephew, or relative, or foster parent. Hopefully the original fans will feel that love and be like, “You know what? I want to share this with younger people like I did when I was a kid.
Janice, I’m so glad you’re alive again. Would you say that Billie is Alex 2.0? And how much inspiration do you draw from these characters?
JANICE LEANN BROWN: I drew a little. I would say that Billie definitely has a lot in common with Alex. But at the same time, he is alone. She’s Billie, you know what I mean? Of course, he has a lot in common with Alex. I think Alex sees himself in Billie a lot. I think he dropped Billie off for Justin to kind of tease him a bit because it’s like he has to go through again, a new generation, a new era of everything. I took a little inspiration from that, but I, in a way, I just kind of acted how I thought Billie would act.
David, you’ve teased many cameos from David DeLuise for Maria, who plays the old man on screen, and now Greg Sulkin. Is there someone you would really like to see again? And is there anyone who hasn’t returned that you’d like to work with again?
David: At some point, I really want everyone to come back. Anyone who has availability on the schedule, we would love to get back to you. The best way to do this is to integrate them seamlessly into the story. So it’s not just the obligatory waves of people doing cameos, but in a way that feels really meaningful. Selena, in the first episode, is an important part of the story. They all work organically and help launch the series. We hope that all the returning characters will play an equal role in the show in terms of contributing to the story and not just serving the fans, although we know we have to serve the fans, and that’s really important. But serving in a meaningful way is the most important thing, because people feel that you are not honest.
Janice, you get to work with some of the best Disney Channel stars. What do you enjoy most about working with David and Selena on and off screen as an executive producer?
JANICE: It’s very exciting because they are kind of like – especially, David, who is kind of like a father to me in a way. With Selena, she’s like a really cool aunt. Don’t dig you, don’t dig you. Or, like a sister in a way. I’m really glad I have them in my village because they are very experienced. With all the advice, it’s just a lot of wisdom that I can take out of it that I can (be) very useful in my career. I feel so blessed to be in this position and just have to give God my flowers every day because I’m just like, “Wow. I’m working with Selena Gomez and David Henrie. This is cray cray.”
And you all have such great chemistry, on the show. Is that really the case for you?
David: Yes, and that’s important. One of the things I take seriously is just trying to create a good atmosphere and culture where everyone feels safe and supported. That way, they can have chemistry. You are allowed to make mistakes. He was encouraged, in fact. If you make a mistake, you know, fail fast. We love that. Perform. Do it fast and do it big because it means you’re trying, it means you’re comfortable. That’s why we accept all this. Nothing is defined by mistakes in the set. So it’s been good. It’s been amazing. And I think it works out well. I’m excited for everyone to see.
Question for you both: what was your favorite episode to film and why?
David: There are some useful ones. I especially love the ones where you and I have a nice father-daughter moment, a nice heartfelt moment. Part of what makes the original show special is that we go there with a sincere moment, where I think other children’s shows can step back, or not get into the heart or the philosophy or the meaning. We really went there at times. We went deep. And we have done it on this show. I’m excited for the fans to see the episode. It was in the first episode, it was in the second episode. It is in many of them all around. I’m glad they got to see that moment because I think it’s a callback to what they did so well in the first show.
JANICE: I totally agree with him. It just feels super safe and everything. Man, every episode we filmed. I don’t think I have a favorite. They are all very useful to me, so they say everything.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The first two episodes of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will premiere Friday, October 29 at 8:00 PM ET on Disney Channel. The first nine episodes will begin streaming on Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand the following day.
