What if Alex Russo was part of the LGBTQ+ community?
Selena Gomez’s iconic character on Disney Channel’s hit show “Wizards of Waverly Place” was actually bisexual, according to the series showrunner.
One of the fantasy sitcom’s executive producers, Peter Murrieta, recently appeared on the podcast “Wizards of Waverly Pod” and revealed which storyline he wanted to probe into further.
“I wished we could have played more with what was quite obvious to a lot of us, was the relationship between Stevie and Alex,” the showrunner explained to the rewatch podcast’s hosts as well as the show’s stars, Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise.
Hayley Kiyoko appeared as Stevie Nichols in Season 3, during which she had a close friendship with Alex. Murrieta had hoped to explore their connection even more, believing he could create a queer relationship.
“We weren’t able to in that time, but it was pretty clear to all of us what that relationship was,” Murrieta added.
“Disney Channel has had [LGBTQ+] characters, and they did it. At that time it wasn’t a thing. But we got as close as we could … I mean, it was pretty close,” the filmmaker said of the show. “That would have been great.”
“Wizards of Waverly Place” aired on the Disney Channel from 2007 to 2012, and followed Alex and her family in dealing with their daily lives while harboring a secret — that they’re magical wizards.
Disney Channel began adding queer representation in their roster of characters in 2019 when the series “Andi Mack” had the network’s first openly gay figure, Cyrus Goodman (played by Joshua Rush).
Alex had a multitude of heterosexual relationships on the show, including longtime crushes on characters Mason (Gregg Sulkin) and Dean Moriarty (Daniel Samonas).
Kiyoko — who is openly lesbian and came out to her parents in the sixth grade — wasn’t out when her episodes aired in 2010.
The “Lemonade Mouth” star opened up to Them last year about acting on the show while she was still in the metaphorical Hollywood closet.
“At this time, I wasn’t openly queer, and so when I was on ‘Wizards,’ I think anytime I was doing a show I felt very insecure or exposing myself as a flaming lesbian,” she said.
“But obviously [for] the fans who have watched the show, Stevie is a part of their gay awakening, and I wasn’t able to mask my lesbian energy very much in the character.”
