‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’: Mimi Gianopulos Teases ‘Surprises’ for Sequel Series (Exclusive)

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is bringing a new era for fans of Wizards of Waverly Place, and star Mimi Gianopulos spoke to PopCulture.com about what’s in store for the series, premiering on Oct. 29 on Disney Channel. The actress plays Giada Russo, wife of David Henrie’s Justin Russo, and while she and their two sons are mortals, there is still plenty of magic to go around, especially once her sister-in-law Alex (Selena Gomez) brings over a young and rebellious wizard (Janice LeAnn Brown) who needs help, there is no telling what will happen. Gianopulos told PopCulture about what to expect, and there are plenty of surprises in store. (Interview has been edited for length and clarity).

PopCulture: What can you preview about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?

Mimi Gianopulos: Well, I think fans are gonna be really excited to see Alex and Justin Russo back on the screen together. They have such great chemistry. They really are like siblings. It’s so fun to watch and so fun to work with them. But I think they’ll also be excited to see a lot of new magic, new spells, new special effects, and new characters.We’re really excited to be part of it, and I think it’s really cool to watch how Justin’s life has evolved in the years since the last series.

PC: Kind of going off of that, how would you describe Giada and her relationship with Justin?

Gianopulos: I love their marriage. I love the marriage dynamic. The writing is great for us. It’s playful and funny. She can be kind of sarcastic, so sometimes she’ll tease him, and it’s really sweet.And she loves her husband. She loves her kids. She’s funny and spunky and tells it like it is and has a great sense of humor. She can be a little bit of a rule-breaker too. So a little bit like Alex Russo in that regard, but it’s a really fun dynamic.This character is truly my dream. She’s so much fun to play, and she wears great clothes, too.

PC: What are you most excited for fans to see?

Gianopulos: Well, we have quite a few surprises at first, and I’m really excited for those reveals. I think original fans will be excited by them, and I think new viewers will be, like, really into the magic and a lot of the stuff they’re able to do now. There’s a lot more special effects than there were several years ago. So lots of fun surprises there, and I think original fans will be really excited to see David and Selena’s bond.Their relationship is so great, and they got the band back together. Who doesn’t want that? I think for new fans, like, it’s David and Selena. I mean, that’s really exciting. I think everyone’s really gonna enjoy it.

PC: What can fans expect from Justin’s new life, his wife and his kids, and how that’s going?

Gianopulos: I think it’s always cool to see David as a kid. He was a young person when the original show was on, so it’s always cool to see a character that you love so much sort of all grown up, and what he’s like as a dad and all these really sweet moments between him and the boys, especially him and Roman because Roman is so much like Justin.And Milo is a little more kooky like me, and so it’s just fun to watch him parent. It’s fun to see Alex be the fun Aunt Alex, and they’re so excited when she’s there. And I think it’s always cool to watch a character you love evolve, and they’ve done a great job of showing fansthat.

PC: Is there anything else that you can preview about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?

Gianopulos: Keep an eye out for the Halloween episode. It’s a really special one. I know that was always really special in the original series as well, and I think our writers have done a great job of creating something really fun. It’s one of my favorites.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place premieres on Tuesday, Oct. 29 on Disney Channel, with the first eight episodes dropping the following day on Disney+.