When news of The Wizards of Waverly Place reboot (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription) broke, many fans were thrilled. Things got even more exciting when OGs David Henrie and Selena Gomez confirmed they'd return as Justin and Alex Russo, respectively. After its release, the magical Disney show's return was well-received and quickly got rolling on its sophomore season. Now, Gomez is talking about why she agreed to reprise her role ahead of Season 2's September 12 premiere, and it’s really lovely.
With two of Gomez's shows, Only Murders in the Building and the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, returning to the 2025 TV schedule this month, Gomez spoke about them with Allure. When asked about agreeing to return and act in the Disney reboot (she’s also a producer), she had a grounded, familial response, saying:
I genuinely feel like I owe a big part of my life to that show. It’s a home. It's safe. And my sister just gets a kick out of it, so half the reason I’m doing it is for her.
Frankly, her answer is pretty wonderful and more humble than I expected. As we’ve seen before, many actors synonymous with their iconic TV characters don’t ever reprise them. But, on top of that, Gomez was 15 when Wizards of Waverly Place began and grew up in that spotlight. I’m just so pleased that the series seemed to be a home base for her, and that she and her family still love the Russos.
If you know anything about the Spring Breakers actress beyond her career, it’s likely you know she loves her family and her younger sister, Gracie. The two were spotted at the Eras Tour together, and she consistently gushes about her younger sibling. So, it makes sense that she loves being on this Disney+ show because her sibling loves it.
Plus, the actress's Wizards co-stars are her family too, as she explained:
I was in these crucial years of my brain developing. And all of those people that are on the show with us have grown and evolved, and I want them to be in my life. I think that's why I always go back.
The ‘why’ of why she’ll always opt to work on the reboot makes plenty of sense, especially paired with her previous thoughts. Growing up in Hollywood can be wildly tricky, so to hear Wizards was a safe place is great. And it seems that Gomez is passing that care down since she gave Janice Leann Brown sweet advice ahead of the premiere. I love to see when grown kid actors make space for and guide the next generation.
Now, the countdown is on with The Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 premiere just around the corner on September 12. From the sounds of it, we can expect more magic and fun from Gomez and the cast behind the Russos and co.
If you’d like to catch Gomez’s other hit show, you can stream the previous four seasons of Only Murders in the Building with a Hulu+ subscription. The 3-episode premiere of Season 5 was released September 9, with new episodes hitting the platform each Tuesday.
So, overall, Selena Gomez is working on a ton of happy shows that she loves working on, and I love to see it.
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