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Jake T Austin finally breaks silence on absence from ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’: 'I was asked...'

Jake T Austin starred as Max Russo in the original series ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ alongside Selena Gomez and David Henrie

'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' Season 3 saw several OG stars reunite for the concluding installment. However, the release reignited the buzz around Jake T. Austin's absence from the spin-off. The actor played Max Russo on ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ alongside Selena Gomez and David Henrie, and fans missed seeing him in action in the latest series. After heaps of speculation, Austin has finally broken his silence and expressed his disappointment about not being included in the spin-off. Via his Instagram Stories, he revealed, "I was asked back in 2020 if I was interested in reprising my role and said that I was 100% in." He added, "Unfortunately, the powers that be decided to take the show in a different direction and my character wasn’t part of the equation."

He then spoke about his former castmates and said, "Even though I wasn’t involved, I still have nothing but love for my former castmates and wish them continued success. Thank you to all the fans who watched over the years. The show wouldn’t be what it is without your endless support." His comments came just days after the Disney series ended with a four-part finale.

After the series concluded, David DeLuise, who played Jerry Russo and appeared as a guest character in the revival, also expressed his dissatisfaction. DeLuise believed that the original cast members would have made the conclusion to the series feel different. He took to the comments section of a video about the show by Entertainment Tonight and wrote, "It would not be over if the OG wizards were really there. Missed opportunity."

The original show aired on Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012 and later returned with a sequel that focused on Justin as an adult. ‘Wizards Beyond Waverly Place’ premiered in October 2024, and followed Justin Russo after he abandoned the art of magic to raise his family. However, his life was disrupted when his sister Alex brought Billie, a child wizard in training, to him for help. Selena Gomez reprised her role as Alex and also directed the first part of the series finale. The spin-off is available to enjoy on Disney+.