David Henrie on acting with Selena Gomez in ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’: “The magic was there”

Everything is not what it seems – unless it’s the premiere of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

The Wizards of Waverly Place spin-off drops the first eight episodes of season 1 on Disney+ on Wednesday, one day after its premiere on Disney Channel.

David Henrie, who reprises his role as Justin Russo in the new sitcom, told ABC Audio he wanted fans of the original show to feel like this new series was a warm hug.

“Getting to be Justin again has been so meaningful,” Henrie said. “Selena and I have experienced fans all over the world and some of the feedback has just touched our hearts so much, that the show is there for people when they really needed it.”

Selena Gomez returns as a guest star and executive producer on the series, and Henrie said acting together again after 13 years was emotional.

“We didn’t know what to expect … imagine playing a sport you haven’t played in 13 years. There can be some trepidation. But [I’ll] tell you what, the second they said ‘action,’ we both looked at each other and we were just, ‘Bang.’ Spot on. There was no awkward learning how to ride a bike again feelings. We were just right there. The chemistry was there, the magic was there. And we felt it.”

Gomez returned to play Alex Russo in the pilot episode, but can fans expect more characters from the original show to make an appearance? You bet.

“I’ve said from day one we want absolutely everyone on the show,” Henrie said. “We’ve been really careful to make sure when we are bringing someone back – and there are multiple people – but when we are bringing someone back, it’s in a way that is meaningful to the show.” 

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