Actor Spotlight are features which examine the careers and impacts of talented performers working in film and television. The latest looks at actor David Henrie, known for his role as Justin Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place.
David Henrie is perhaps best known for his work on Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place. He is reprising as Justin Russo, now a married father, in sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
Playing a young wizard in training, Henrie starred opposite Selena Gomez as her on-screen sibling. The show ran from 2007 until the show ended in 2012.
The actor also worked on other Disney Channel projects, including That’s So Raven and Dadnapped.
Although Wizards is his best-known project, Henrie has several other varied roles on his resumé.
You might have seen him guest star on shows such as Without a Trace, That’s So Raven, Judging Amy and House M.D.
In fact, Henrie’s episode of Without a Trace happened to be the second episode of the entire show.
Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012)
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place (2024)
“Justin Russo”
As Justin, Henrie played the eldest of three New York siblings secretly training as wizards.
The character was studious, by-the-book nature – the kind of kid who wouldn’t get in trouble. These traits contrasted Gomez’s character, Alex, who was depicted as the ultimate rule breaker.
But, portraying Justin was not David Henrie’s only contribution to the sitcom. As well as appearing in all 106 episodes, he also wrote two.
Co-star/onscreen father David DeLuise directed the first, titled “Alex’s Logo”. Henrie’s other script was “Meet The Werewolves”, directed by Victor Gonzalez.
Although the actor was absent in 2013’s Alex vs Alex, he’s now returning to the world of Wizards of Waverly Place.
Henrie is a series regular in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, an upcoming sequel series.
Now a married father of two, Justin meets a young wizard named Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown), who seeks his guidance.
Fellow executive producer Selena Gomez reprises her role as Alex as a special guest in the pilot episode.
“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-2014)
“Luke Mosby”
Fans of CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother will likely also recognise Henrie.
For nine seasons, his character, Luke, and sister Penny (Lyndsy Fonesca), listened to their dad Ted explain how he’d met their mother.
The producers wisely chose to shoot Henrie’s (and Fonesca’s) scenes early in the show’s run. This paid off, as HIMYM lasted nine seasons and the pair would’ve looked very different.
As a result, Henrie knew about the show’s biggest twist – the Mother’s death – years before the general public.
The actor revealed in a 2014 interview with Vanity Fair: “People would try and bribe me with all sorts of alcohol, but I kept silent. I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t even tell my mother.”
Grown Ups 2 (2013)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)
Little Boy (2015)
“Frat Boy Zac”
“Lane”
“London Busbee”
Since Wizards, Henrie’s appeared in three films with comedian and actor Kevin James.
The two actors first co-starred in Grown Ups 2, a sequel to a hit comedy feature from three years earlier.
Former The King of Queens star James reprised his role as Eric Lamonsoff, one of five central friends. Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock and Rob Schneider played the rest of the quintet.
As for Henrie, he joined Taylor Lautner, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Jimmy Tatro in playing a local fraternity who form a rivalry with the main group.
Two years later, they reunited in Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. As the name implies, this was also a sequel to a successful first film.
James once again played the title character, while Henrie appeared as “Lane”, a love interest for Blart’s niece Maya (Raini Rodriguez).
Meanwhile, the pair also appeared in World War 2 biographical drama Little Boy. The title refers to Little Boy, the code name for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It’s also a literal nod to the main character, Pepper’s (Jakob Salvati) height.
Henrie played Pepper’s brother London, while James featured as a character named “Dr Fox”. The film also starred Emily Watson, Michael Rapaport, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Tom Wilkinson.
Walt Before Mickey (2015)
Reagan (2024)
“Rudy Ising”
“President Ronald Reagan”
As well as playing fictional characters, Henrie has also portrayed real-life figures on multiple occasions.
This includes a role as animator Rudolf “Rudy” Ising” in 2015 biographical drama Walt Before Mickey.
It followed Walt Disney’s early years, including the start of the Walt Disney Company. Of course, there’s special signifigance as Henrie of course worked for Disney across several years.
Thomas Ian Nicholas played Disney, while the cast also featured Jodie Sweetin, Jon Heder and Taylor Gray.
Almost a decade later, an upcoming film sees the actor delve back into real-life history. He plays a younger Ronald Reagan in the biographical drama film titled, appropriately, Reagan.
Henrie, Dennis Quaid and Tommy Ragen portray the 40th US President at different stages of his life.
Other key figures include Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan, as well as Nick Searcy as former White House Chief of Staff, James Baker.
This Is The Year (2020)
Henrie wrote and directed the 2020 comedy drama film This Is The Year.
Much like with Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, he teamed up with former co-star Selena Gomez as a fellow executive producer on the film.
Henrie’s younger brother, Lorenzo James Henrie played the lead role, alongside an all-star line-up of primarily former child actors.
Vanessa Marano, Jeff Garlin, Jake Short, Gregg Sulkin and Bug Hall are among the ensemble cast.
The plot followed Josh (Lorenzo Henrie), a nerdy teenager, embark on a road trip with his best friends to see their favorite band at the biggest music festival of the year. Of course, there are also the stakes of winning over the girl of his dreams.
He’s also directed Monster Summer, an upcoming fantasy adventure film, starring Mel Gibson, Lorraine Bracco and Julian Lerner, among others.
What do Henrie’s colleagues have to say?
“David is determined to make sure we have as good an experience as he and Selena (Gomez) had on the original show”, Henrie’s on-screen son Alkaio Thiele told TresA Magazine.
Thiele, who portrays Roman Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, added: “You can tell that from how he treats everyone, including his ‘kids’.
“After watching the original show, I was excited to include parts of Justin Russo in my development of Roman.
“It has been so fun to see those characteristics reflected back at me in my scenes with David.”
David Henrie also left a lasting impression on Wizards of Waverly Place co-star Gregg Sulkin, who played werewolf Mason Greybeck.
In an interview with Young Hollywood, Sulkin discussed first moving from London to Los Angeles.
Admitting there had been an initial “personality clash”, he said: “I had no friends, at the time. David was kind enough to invite me to his house after work.”
“That’s when I really formed my favourite bond of the Henrie family, which is Lorenzo”, the London-born actor joked.
“We all basically became… I infiltrated myself into their family. David and Lorenzo’s parents have been a massive light in my life and unbelievable people.
“From then, we just became all very, very close.”
“David is determined to make sure we have as good an experience as he and Selena (Gomez) had on the original show.”
Alkaio Thiele, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place co-star, TresA Magazine (2024)
Follow writer Conor O’Brien on X
A lifelong TV and Film buff, Conor founded Courageous Nerd in 2019. He has conducted hundreds of interviews for the site, as well as written comprehensive feature articles on a variety of topics. You can find him on X: @conorrcn.
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