WIZARDS BEYOND WAVERLY PLACE: David Henrie and Janice LeAnn Brown

David Henrie and Janice LeAnn Brown join Reel Insights to dive into Wizards Beyond Waverly Place season two, premiering October 8 on Disney+. From Mario Kart battles to on-set family vibes, they reveal how that energy shapes the new season. Plus, the duo teases Easter eggs—including a finale reveal tied to Alex Russo—that fans won’t want to miss.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello David and Janice, It's great to see you both again.
Good to see you again, love yourbackground.
Thank you. Season 2 is fantastic, it really
raises the stakes, but it also it's so much fun.
It's so colorful, I love it. It looks like everyone's having
a blast. For the second season it seems a
little different, but does it actually ever feel like work for
y'all when y'all get on set? Not really, no.

(00:23):
I think it did in the beginning and he said this, he said when
you spend so much time like on set, it doesn't even feel like
you're going to work. You literally said that season
1. And I really see how like why he
said that. It genuinely feels that way.
Like I felt like I was going to like a second home or something
and it it was so much fun, such as.
I think also another thing that makes it feel that way is Mr.

(00:46):
David Henry has made it a culture on set to where we could
just be a kid, but we could. There's also that balance of
professionalism, but also where he gives us time to just be a
kid, have fun. Like we play Mario Kart in Maxes
Room or where we were watching aHotel Transylvania.
We were trying to get through that through like a whole week.
So we'll find like a movie to watch and get through it like

(01:06):
the whole week. So yeah, like I think it's, it
just feels like a second home and a family and everything.
We get to be kids and it's just so much fun.
Yeah, I mean, it comes, you know, the second season really
shines. It really does shine because of
all y'all the adults are having fun too.
I can see it as well. Every set has one favorite spot
or an item, right, that people naturally gravitate towards.

(01:28):
For y'all, what's your favorite part of the set?
Or maybe a prop that y'all love just going to?
To me, it's the living room sofa, the, the, the living room
sofa. Like it just feels like home
base to me. It's just like if I'm walking by
and I need somewhere to sit, I don't go sit in the in the
chair, you know, the cast chairs.
I go sit on that sofa 'cause it just feels like calm and.
Funky naps on there, all right, like.

(01:49):
Me too. It's like.
You sleep, girl. I'm like, yeah.
Oh yeah, y'all messed with me and I fell asleep there too.
I thought I fell asleep like this and next thing you know I'm
an Instagram video. It does look comfy, that's for
sure. You know fans love hunting for
callbacks. Are there any fun Easter eggs in
Season 2 that you think people should really look really hard
for? Oh, dude, there is a major one.

(02:11):
There's one in particular that. So you're going to watch the
ending. You're going to see the season
finale. Bring a Kleenex.
Because when we first read this as a cast, with all the cast and
crew sniffles galore, people were bawling, bawling because
it's a very meaningful ending. And in this ending, you're going
to have to watch it the second time.
There's a particular scene, you're going to know what I'm
talking about when you see it. It's the one your jaw will be on

(02:32):
the floor. So pick that back up, watch it
again, and you'll see something that we put in there that's a
big reveal in regard to Alex's character and her back story.
And you're going to go, is that what I think it is?
It is. I want to know more.
That's a tease. That's a big tease right there.
Yeah. Jenice, Billy shares such a

(02:53):
strong, you know, mentor, student bond with Justin.
But how has your real life relationship with David mirror
that dynamic off screen? Oh my goodness, it's honestly
OK. It's grown so much.
But at the same time, I think even from the beginning it was,
I automatically felt comfortable, you know, even, you
know, it just makes it such a safe place, not even just for

(03:13):
me, but for honestly all of us kids.
He's so considerate. It doesn't matter where we are,
if we're doing promos or anything, he's always checking
up on me and I really appreciateit.
And you know, he's very collaborative as well.
He asked if like, maybe I want to do something different with
it or if maybe there's somethingthat I have an idea about.

(03:33):
I just, it's just the best you, honestly, I always say.
Him and. Miss Selena feel like.
Aunt and uncle, he always, he's always so much fun.
I there's so many cute moments. I think you were in the two
chairs or like your arm was on 2chairs.
You were like swinging back and Oh yeah.
Yeah, we were like, oh, you werelike, Oh my God.
Bad influence. And it was so funny to me.
It was literally so cute. Yeah, no, it feels like a

(03:54):
family. Yeah, I I love hearing that.
David, what's one thing fans would be surprised to learn
about? About how you film the magic of
these scenes, Some of the behindthe scenes magic.
You know, it, it's, it's a lot less exciting than you might
think. You know, there's a lot of
stopping and starting. There's a lot of freezing.

(04:15):
There's a lot of don't move. There's a lot of people flying
things in as you're staying frozen.
That's a technical job. There's there's a lot of effects
that have to take place. You have to do it right.
So I think they would, they would, they would board is
probably an extreme word, but you know, you come to a set
things move at a different pace than you'd expect.
And with the effects, it's technical.

(04:35):
There's a lot of precision that's required.
Oh, it's awesome to learn. Lastly, what do you hope fans
take away from watching Season 2?
I think there's so many great messages that I just hope that
they take away. The biggest thing for me is that
I hope that they can learn. And maybe this, this also can
kind of hit home for like maybe my adopted people, people that

(04:59):
you know, are in a found family and everything.
You know, it's hard. You don't have to self sabotage
yourself. Like I know people that may have
been through a lot. Sometimes it's hard to accept
that love and because you're scared that you're going to end
up in the place that you were, you you fear that you're going
to go right back where you were the minute you drop your walls

(05:22):
down. And it think it's important to
learn that that's not the case. You know, when you once you find
your found family and you found your people and everything, like
it can be hard. And I hope that people can learn
that just with time and effort you can get there.
And I hope people can see that through Billy with the Russos.
I love that I I picked it up instantly watching the second

(05:43):
season. It's fantastic.
Can't wait for that last one as well.
That last episode you teased, but it was great catching up and
until next time, thank you. Very much appreciate you bro.