Selena Gomez’s fictional (Alex Russo) character in Wizards of Waverly Place was compelled to keep a few secrets hidden.
Speculation regarding Gomez’s character Alex being a member of the LGBTQ+ community has finally been addressed by the showrunner of Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran on Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012 and featured Gomez as a teenage wizard. The program wanted to delve a little deeper into Alex’s sexuality, but felt constrained by the time period, according to producer Peter Murrieta.
“I wished we could have played more with what was quite obvious to a lot of us; the relationship between Stevie and Alex,” Peter revealed on the Wizards of Waverly Pod podcast. “But we weren’t able to in that time. It was pretty clear to all of us what that relationship was. That would have been fun.”
After encountering Alex in detention, Hayley Kiyoko’s character Stevie Nichols, who debuted in season three of the show, bonded with her right away. The two’s obvious chemistry frequently left Waverly Place viewers wondering if their relationship went beyond platonic.
“We got as close as we could,” Peter said on the pod, hosted by show alums Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise. “It was pretty much right there.”
@jenniferlstone We know you wanted Stalex…we wanted it too. #wizardspod #wizardsofwaverlyplace #disneytok
Although Alex and Stevie’s relationship couldn’t be fully explored in his program, Murrieta acknowledged that the network has made more progressive strides in recent years.
“Disney Channel has had [queer] characters,” he noted. “They did it. At that time, it wasn’t a thing.”
Since Wizards of Waverly Place departed the Disney Channel airwaves, programs like Star Wars Resistance, The Owl House, and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder have featured LGBTQ+ representation.
Meanwhile, Gomez has proceeded to represent the LGBTQ+ community by playing another queer role in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building when her character began dating Alex Banks, who Cara Delevingne plays.
All four seasons of Wizards of Waverly Place are streamable on Disney+. So, you can see for yourself how much friction exists between Alex and Stevie.
Let us know your thoughts on the steamy tension between the two characters by leaving a reaction below or sending us a DM on Instagram @celebsecrets.
