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The Wizards of Waverly Place actress doesn't need magic to make her a star.

It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict that Janice LeAnn Brown is on her way to being the next big thing: After all, the 13-year-old actress has been tapped to star in the much-anticipated Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (premiering today), the spinoff of the iconic Disney Channelseries Wizards of Waverly Place.

And not only does Janice have the plum role of Billie, a mischievous wizard-in-training, but she'll also be getting a good amount of face time (and screen time) with the show's guest star and co-executive producer, Selena Gomez.

Fans of the OG Wizards series will love seeing the Russo siblings back as adults. Only now, Justin (played by David Henrie) has given up magic to live a normal, mortal life (you know, one without magical noodle kugel, flying carpets and McReary-Time Reary spells) with his family in Staten Island. When Selena's character, Alex, meets Billie and sees she needs some mentorship in the wizarding world, she asks her big bro to help out.

"I think Alex kind of sees herself in Billie," Janice explains of the characters' bond. "At first, Billie doesn't trust anyone. She feels like everyone's going to abandon her, like she's a screwup. Alex takes Billie under her wing and shows her that she's not alone."

This isn't the first time Janice has been megastar adjacent—she previously had a role on Euphoria as the young version of Zendaya's character, Rue. But she says it's super cool to once again be in an environment where she can learn and grow while acting alongside pros.

"Selena and David kept on saying how we're going to do great, and they're proud of us," she shares, adding her favorite bit of Selena advice: "She said to us, 'Don't let anyone block your sunlight.' That's good advice for me because sometimes I get insecure and I start overthinking. I get in my head a lot."

 

 

 

 

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The Wizards vet also shared a cute tradition with the new Beyond crew: signing their names and adding a personal message on the back of the show's set to commemorate the first season.

"David told us that's what he, Selena and the other cast members did while filming Wizards of Waverly Place," says Janice."So it was a nice honor to share that moment. I just wrote, 'I love you all, and I had so much fun.'"

And if Janice could wave a magic wand and time-travel into her ideal future? It would definitely include red-carpet premieres, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an Oscar. But something tells us she won't need any wizardry to make those dreams come true.

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by Kayleigh Roberts | 10/29/2024