Selena Gomez recently participated in an unanticipated reunion with her former on-screen father, David DeLuise, from the Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place, approximately 14 years after the series concluded its original run.
On Friday, DeLuise publicly disclosed the reunion by posting a series of photographs on Instagram depicting himself alongside Gomez, now 33 years old. Gomez subsequently republished the images on her Instagram Story. She further shared archival photographs from 2009 featuring herself in the company of former cast members Jennifer Stone and David Henrie.
Gomez starred as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place, while DeLuise portrayed her character’s father, Jerry Russo. The series aired for four seasons between 2007 and 2012. Stone, who played Alex Russo’s close friend Harper, also appeared in group photographs from the reunion. Stone and DeLuise currently co-host a rewatch podcast titled Wizards of Waverly Pod.
DeLuise and Stone both appeared in subsequent Wizards of Waverly Place television films but were not involved in the most recent spinoff series, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. That sequel series featured Gomez and Henrie reprising their respective roles, alongside new cast members portraying their children and extended family. The series premiered in October 2024, ran for two seasons, and aired its most recent episode in September 2025.
Other original cast members, including Maria Canals-Barrera and Jake T. Austin, were not present at the reunion. Shannon Moore, a former costumer on the original series, also shared a post commemorating the gathering and described the cast as her “forever family.”
In his accompanying caption, DeLuise characterized the event as a joyful reunion marked by laughter and re-connection. He additionally tagged several individuals associated with the original series, including head writer and showrunner Peter Murrieta and hairstylist Roxanne Baker-Sarver.
Gomez and Henrie were the only original principal cast members to return for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. In late 2025, Gomez reflected publicly on her experience filming the original series during her teenage years and explained her motivation for returning to the franchise. In a September 2025 interview, she stated that the series played a formative role in her personal development and described it as a place of safety and belonging.
Although Gomez appeared in the sequel series in a guest capacity, she also served as an executive producer. She further disclosed that her decision to participate was influenced, in part, by encouragement from her younger half-sister, Gracie Elliot Teefey, noting the personal significance the project continues to hold in her life.#newsafro_
