With the first nine episodes ofWizards Beyond Waverly Placenow streaming, the pilot episode, “Everything Is Not What It Seems,” saw the iconic Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) return. TheWizards of Waverly Placereboot follows the now 34-year-old Justin Russo (David Henrie), and his sons Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko), with Gomez only appearing in a guest role. Though she may not be taking center stage in the new sequel series, it’s worth remembering how groundbreaking Alex’s character was whenWizards of Waverly Placefirst aired from 2007 to 2012. Not only was Alex thefirst Latina lead in a Disney Channel sitcom, but compared to the other female-led shows that were popular during that era, the snarky, self-assured protagonist ofWizards of Waverly Placewas also Disney Channel’sfirst anti-heroine.
Alex Russo Was Disney Channel’s First Anti-Heroine
Before Alex Russo, Disney Channel’s female leads likeLizzie McGuire(Hilary Duff), Raven Baxter (Raven Symoné), andMiley Stewart/Hannah Montana(Miley Cyrus), were likable heroines who had their flaws, but were objectively easy to root for.Alex, however, is more of an anti-heroine.She doesn’t embody traditional heroic qualities and is seen as the “problem child,” always compared to her overachieving older brother Justin. She’s lazy, snarky,and often selfish, cutting corners and shirking her dad’s rules about magic to get what she wants, whether it be a passing grade or attention from her crush. She doesn’t care about school, but she’s street smart, and her elaborate pranks and rule-breaking often land her in detention. Before Alex, the role of the mischievous troublemaker was typically reserved for Disney Channel’s male characters, like Zack (Dylan Sprouse) ofSuite Life of Zack and Codyand Jackson (Jason Earles) ofHannah Montana, butWizards of Waverly Placelet its female lead be messy, brash, and impulsive (but still lovable).
SinceWizards of Waverly Placeis a children’s show, Alex’s rebelliousness and bad behavior does not go unpunished, and through her mistakes, she learns lessons about responsibility, hard work, honesty, and the importance of family. Despite her nonchalant, too-cool-for-school attitude,Alex has a good heart and plenty of aspirational qualitiesbeyond just her magical abilities. As the middle child, she often bickers withJustin and Max(Jake T. Austin), but at the end of the day, cares deeply for her brothers. In theseries finale, for instance, she chooses to help Justin over winning the Family Wizard Competition. Despite her flaws,Alex’s unwavering self-confidence, commitment to self-expression, and disregard for the opinions of othersmade her a unique role model for a generation of young girls. Alex was far from perfect, and that’s what made her so cool.
Selena Gomez’s Performance Cemented Alex Russo as a Disney Icon
After brief guest roles inThe Suite Life of Zack and CodyandHannah Montana, with her lead role inWizards of Waverly Place,Selena Gomez proved herself as Disney Channel’s next “It” girl.Long before she was garnering Emmy nominations forOnly Murders in the Building, Gomez had impeccable comedic timing throughout her Disney Channel run as Alex Russo. She embodies Alex’s confidence and sense of humor in a way that feels totally authentic, and her quick-witted jabs always land in a way that’s funny but not overtly mean-spirited. Her apathetic, rebel without a cause type character could become tedious under different circumstances, but there is still plenty of bubbly energy behind Alex’s snark. Though her dialogue is often dripping with sarcasm, Alex also makes dorky puns and laughs hysterically at her own jokes, andGomez’s effortlessly charismatic performance is what really makes Alex such a lovable character.
Alex gets herself into some truly bizarre situations using magic, andGomez is able to pull off some great physical comedy throughout the series,whether she’s slipping through a puddle of melted chocolate or pretending to be Alex’s mom trapped inside Alex’s body. The dynamic between the three Russo siblings is an essential part ofWizards of Waverly Place, and Alex and Justin’s contentious but ever evolving relationship made for some of the show’s best moments, thanks in large part toGomez and Henrie’s chemistry. Like all Disney sitcoms,Wizards of Waverly Placeis very lighthearted, butthe strength of Gomez’s performance doesn’t waver during the more emotional moments, especially inWizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.
AfterWizards of Waverly Place, Disney Channel brought back the more cookie-cutter, wholesome female lead with shows likeGood Luck CharlieandAustin & Ally. Now that she’s made her return in thenew Disney+ series, though, Alex Russo deserves her flowers as one of Disney’s most unique protagonists and first anti-heroine.
The first nine episodes ofWizards Beyond Waverly Placeare now streaming on Disney+ in the United States.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
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