Posted in: Disney+, TV | Tagged: wizards beyond waverly place, Wizards Of Waverly Place

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Canals-Barrera on Sequel Series Return

Maria Canals-Barrera (Seven Cemeteries) spoke with Bleeding Cool about returning for Disney Channel's Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Maria Canals-Barrera has had an enduring 30+ years as a successful TV actress, with the occasional film, since her debut in Fox's 21 Jump Street in 1990. While the actress has appeared in nearly 90 projects, a successful starring role in a TV series has long eluded her since the bulk of the shows she's appeared in are either guest-starring roles or series that get canceled within a year until the Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place came along in 2007. Canals-Barrera played Theresa Russo, the mother of Alex (Selena Gomez), Justin (David Henrie), and Max (Jake T. Austin).

Created by Todd J. Greenwald, the teen supernatural sitcom, which ran for four seasons from 2007-2012, follows Alex, a teenage wizard living on Waverly Place in New York City's Greenwich Village, who trains with her siblings, who also have magical abilities. The three know they'll compete for sole custody of their family's powers. While promoting her latest action horror comedy, Seven Cemeteries from Quiver Distribution, Canals-Barrera spoke with Bleeding Cool about reflecting on her time on Wizards of Waverly Place, seeing stars Gomez and Henrie grow up on the series, and reprising her role in the upcoming Disney Channel sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place: Maria Canals-Barrera on Original Disney Channel Series' Legacy and Returning for Sequel Series

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place focuses on a new character, Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), a young wizard who finds Justin and seeks his training, opening the door back to his magic ways after originally choosing to live a normal life with a wife and two sons. Joining Canals-Barrera in reprising their roles are Gomez, David DeLuise (as Alex, Justin, and Max's father, Jerry Russo), and Austin.

Bleeding Cool: What was your fondest memory doing 'Wizards of Waverly Place' and if you're involved in the sequel series 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place?'

I'll be filming in November and coming back as Grandma Teresa. I'm excited because ['Wizards of Waverly Place'] was such a great show. People still love it to this day. I speak at universities and the kids go wild because they grew up with the show. It was so sweet to me, and they're so fond of the mom character. We had so much fun, and since magic is the premise of the show, we could do anything. We have werewolves, vampires, and leprechauns, and we can travel back to the Old West or forward into the future. It was a blast; we had great writers and a wonderful cast. It was a tremendous blessing.

One of my fondest memories was when we got to celebrate having filmed 100 episodes. We had a big celebration on set. I remember my kids were little, and they were with me. We had a big cake and there are pictures online of our celebration. I've done so many television pilots and shows that didn't get picked up or short-lived shows that got canceled after six episodes. If it lasted one year, it's like, "Wow, we made it a year!" It's difficult for a show, a small miracle to get made, and get picked up, last, be a hit and win three Emmys for Outstanding Children's Programming." That is a wonderful thing to have happened, so I would say one of my fondest memories of them when we got to that 100th episode. That was great.

Before filming your scenes next month, did you visit the set?

I saw the producers' run-through of the pilot episode for the new show. I got to be there and meet everyone, which was terrific. I saw Selena as Alex and David as Justin interacting in their characters as adults, which was amazing because they're adults now. They're still those siblings they were when they were younger, and it was beautiful. I got emotional watching it since I saw them grow up. I care for them so much, and I'm a mother with children who are adults now. My kids are 21 and 19, so it was cool to see that happen. You can see the gestures they were young adults. You can see the love they have as siblings, but you can still see how they butt heads, and it was special. This show is great. The new kids on the show are super funny. Then Mimi Gianopulos, who plays Justin's wife, is terrific. It's a great cast, and I can't wait to be part of it.

Created by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, which also stars Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, and Taylor Cora, premieres October 29th on Disney Channel and Disney+. Seven Cemeteries, which also stars Danny Trejo, Sal Lopez, Samantha Ashley, Efren Ramirez, Vincent M. Ward, Lew Temple, and Richard Esteras, comes to theaters, digital, and on-demand on October 11th.

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