Jake T. Austin has broken his silence on being left out of “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” and his account of what happened does not line up with what fans have been told. Two days after the revival series wrapped its three-season run, the actor, who played youngest Russo sibling Max across all four seasons of the original “Wizards of Waverly Place,” posted a statement on Instagram Stories.
“To all the Wizards fans, just wanted to say for the record how disappointed I am to have not been included in the spinoff,” he wrote. “I was asked back in 2020 if I was interested in reprising my role and said that I was 100% in. Unfortunately, the powers that be decided to take the show in a different direction and my character wasn’t part of the equation.”
Austin closed the post on a warm note, saying he still holds nothing but love for his former castmates and thanking fans for their support over the years. Austin was the only member of the original Russo family not to return for the sequel series, which followed Justin Russo, now a father raising his own children, guiding a young wizard named Billie.
Selena Gomez recurred throughout as Alex, while David DeLuise and Maria Canals-Barrera reprised their roles as parents Jerry and Theresa Russo. The show explained Max’s absence by having the character turn the family’s sandwich shop into a billion-dollar franchise and relocate to a yacht.
His version of events contradicts what co-star David Henrie told TV Insider days earlier. Asked whether Austin had been invited back, Henrie said, “He definitely was. Yeah. He’s busy.” Henrie added that Austin has a lot going on in his life and said the cast wishes him well.
DeLuise, for his part, suggested the show suffered without the full original ensemble, writing in an Instagram comment that the series would not have ended the way it did had the original wizards actually been present, calling it a missed opportunity. Representatives for “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
