History Trivia / WizardsOfWaverlyPlace

* CaliforniaDoubling: Actually {{Averted|Trope}} in TheMovie, which was filmed on location in Puerto Rico. Played straight in the show itself.

** The family was originally supposed to be Irish, but was changed for Gomez.

* FollowTheLeader: There are some very obvious similarities to [[Series/Charmed1998 other]] [[Literature/HarryPotter existing]] [[Series/{{Bewitched}} series]]. In fact, multiple episode plots seem to be copied directly from Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch. (e.g. Alex getting trapped inside her mirror or Alex being trapped inside a silent movie. Both of those happened to Sabrina.) The series was also released at the height of the ''Harry Potter'' craze, and ended one year after ''The Deathly Hallows -- Part 2'' was released. Later episodes involve vampires and werewolves to compete with ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga''.

* TheWikiRule: [[http://wizardsofwaverlyplace.wikia.com/wiki/Wizards_of_Waverly_Place_Wiki Wizards of Waverly Place Wiki]].

* RomanceOnTheSet: Between Creator/DavidHenrie and Creator/LucyHale, who weirdly much resembles Henrie's on-screen sister, Creator/SelenaGomez. Henrie asked Hale, his then-girlfriend of a couple years to play his love interest on the series, appearing in two Season 1 episodes.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Had the producers stuck with their original idea of Justin and Alex beings friends not siblings, all of the awkwardness involving the popularity of Jalex could've been avoided. Although there is much debate as to whether they'd still act like the same lovable yet snarky couple, if they weren't related.
** In ''Delinquent Justin'' when Theresa tells Justin and Alex to just say that they love one another (in a non-{{Squick}} manner, of course), they both say, ''"No, we don't!"'' Everyone was assuming that the producers were saving that for the GrandFinale. Turns out that they either overlooked it or didn't want to focus on their relationship over the wizard competition.

* YouLookFamiliar: Creator/AmandaTepe has played a worker at the Gurt Barn, a museum security guard, a hot dog vendor, and even a worker in the Wizard World.

** Ever since Zeke's introduction, he was paired with Harper by fans, due to their similar {{Sidekick}} statuses. In recent episodes, they have a love interest growing.
** Many fan stories have been written about Alex fearing Justin leaving for college, and coming up with wacky hijinks to stop him from leaving. In Delinquent Justin, this turns out to be the entire plot, which she has been planning for four years in advance.
** One of the most famous {{fanfic}}s in the Jalex fandom, [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4661025/1/In_Fire_In_Ice In Fire, In Ice]], revolves around the government finding out about magic, and [[DarkFic the government hunting down/imprisoning all wizards]], and Justin and Alex going on the run desperately trying to survive. In the Season 3 finale, the government finds out about magic and imprisons the Russos along with numerous other wizards.
*** Of course this was all fake as it was [[spoiler: just a test by Professor Crumbs]].

* WordOfGay: According to head writer and executive producer Peter Murrieta, [[https://ew.com/tv/wizards-of-waverly-place-showrunner-explored-alex-stevie-stalex-relationship/ Alex is bisexual]], which was [[AmbiguouslyBi only subtly implied by the show]]. According to Peter, the team wanted to explore Alex's bisexuality in more depth, but Disney Channel executives [[ExecutiveMeddling forced]] them to [[GayPanic scrap their plans]].

* FollowTheLeader: There are some very obvious similarities to [[Series/Charmed1998 other]] [[Literature/HarryPotter existing]] [[Series/{{Bewitched}} series]]. In fact, multiple episode plots seem to be copied directly from Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch. (e.g. Alex getting trapped inside her mirror or Alex being trapped inside a silent movie. Both of those happened to Sabrina.) The series was also released at the height of the ''Harry Potter'' craze, and ended one year after ''The Deathly Hallows -- Part 2'' was released. Later episodes involve vampires and werewolves to compete with ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''.

* NamesTheSame: David [=DeLuise=] played a character called Randy in ''Series/{{Blossom}}''. Blossom's last name was Russo. David plays Jerry Russo. Mind=blown.
** Alexandra "Alex" Russo was also a character on ''Series/{{LOST}}'', though it was spelled differently.

* PlayingGertrude: In "Movies", Ruby Donahue is in a movie about a sorority, even though her actress Malese Jow was only 16 at the time.

* AbsenteeActor:
** David [=DeLuise=] was absent in 15 episodes, with some of his absences because of his direction of several of these episodes. However, Jerry's absences are stated to be because he was out of town.
** Maria Canals Barrera missed 22 episodes, most of which occur in season 4.
** Jake T. Austin doesn't show up in 12 episodes, four of which during the infamous Maxine storyline in season 4 (because Austin had to go work on the movie ''Rio'').
** Jennifer Stone misses 14 episodes, though has perfect attendance in season 4. She also appears for less than a minute as a background character for a season 2 episode, and appears minutely in the movie.
** David Henrie's only absence is in the ''Alex v. Alex'' special. Thus, leaving Music/SelenaGomez the only actor to appear in every episode, film, and special.

* YouLookFamiliar: Amanda Tepe has played a worker at the Gurt Barn, a museum security guard, a hot dog vendor, and even a worker in the Wizard World.

* FakeMixedRace: The kids are half Italian-American, half Mexican-American. Music/SelenaGomez is the only one of the actors who is the same combination, with David Henrie being Italian and Jake T. Austin being white and Puerto Rican.

* RealitySubtext: Creator/DavidHenrie (Justin Russo) and Music/SelenaGomez (Alex Russo) liked one another in RealLife (and they probably still do), a fact which affected their characters' relationship to the point where even the fans, the critics and their friends noticed that Justin and Alex acted a little "[[UnresolvedSexualTension strange]]" around each other, especially in TheMovie.

* RetroactiveRecognition:
** Gigi is [[Series/TheNineLivesOfChloeKing Chloe King]].
** Rosie is [[Film/TheHungerGames Glimmer]]
** Creator/LucyHale as Miranda, Justin's first girlfriend.
** A lot of future Creator/DisneyChannel stars appeared on the program. As mentioned above, Creator/BellaThorne was in one episode. Also, Music/BridgitMendler was Juliet, [[Series/ShakeItUp Adam Irigoyen]] was Conscience's conscience, Creator/TiffanyThornton was one of Justin's friends in an episode, [[Film/LemonadeMouth Hayley Kiyoko]] played Stevie, Creator/ChelseaStaub was a love interest for Justin in one episode, Music/ChinaAnneMcClain was Tina the junior Guardian Angel in an episode, and so on.
** Professor Evillini is a [[Film/TheHelp 60s Maid]].
** Music/JackieEvancho appears in ''Back to Max''.

* FollowTheLeader: There are some very obvious similarities to [[Series/Charmed1998 other]] [[Literature/HarryPotter existing]] [[Series/{{Bewitched}} series]]. In fact, multiple episode plots seem to be copied directly from Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch. (e.g. Alex getting trapped inside her mirror or Alex being trapped inside a silent movie. Both of those happened to Sabrina.)

* ExecutiveMeddling: Disney is pushing the creators hard for Mason/Alex.

* EnforcedMethodActing: A lot. The show is filled with improv from the more talented actors, and they just role with it.

* RomanceOnTheSet: Between Creator/DavidHenrie and Creator/LucyHale, he asked his girlfriend for couple years to play his love interest on the series, whose weirdly resemble to his on screen sister much.

* NamesTheSame: David DeLuise played a character called Randy in ''Series/{{Blossom}}''. Blossom's last name was Russo. David plays Jerry Russo. Mind=blown.

** A lot of future Creator/DisneyChannel stars appeared on the program. As mentioned above, Creator/BellaThorne was in one episode. Also, Music/BridgitMendler was Juliet, [[Series/ShakeItUp Adam Irigoyen]] was Conscience's conscience, Creator/TiffanyThornton was one of Justin's friends in an episode, [[Film/LemonadeMouth Hayley Kiyoko]] played Stevie, Creator/ChelseaStaub was a love interest for Justin in one episode, ChinaAnneMcClain was Tina the junior Guardian Angel in an episode, and so on.

* DawsonCasting: A minor example. Alex is the middle sibling but Selena Gomez is actually the oldest of the three actors playing the kids.

* DawsonCasting: A minor example. Alex is the middle sibling but Selena Gomez is actually the oldest of the three child actors.

* DawsonCasting: A minor example. Alex is the middle sibling but she's actually the oldest of the three child actors.