Interview: Janice LeAnn Brown on the "Wizards Beyond Wavely Place" Final Season, Her Love of Zendaya, and More

After three seasons, Disney Channel's Wizards Beyond Wavely Place is coming to a close. But before the show signs of, we had a chance to catch up with Janice LeAnn Brown who plays Billie on the show and ask about what the experience has been like for her.

Benji Breitbart: It's great to see you again! We talked when the show is about to come out in the first season. So, now that you've finished the third season that's about to hit Disney+ and Disney Channel, what's the look back on this experience?

Janice LeAnn Brown: Oh man. Wow. It’s a journey. It’s been a journey, but I’m so incredibly proud of the cast and the crew. I mean, we truly did build a family on set, and I think that’s something that I truly do cherish and it means a lot to me for sure.

It’s been great, honestly. I’ve learned so much about myself, so much about acting in general and just so much about the arts. It’s been super fun. I love learning on set with everyone. Even though they may not know it, like my cast, but anytime I’d see them, I’m just like in awe because I’m learning so much from them without them even trying, you know? And I just think that’s the most beautiful thing is when you can take from each other as actors.

One thing that really does mean a lot to me is when I would see the director yell "cut" and then they’d maybe go to another actor or go to me to give notes. That was always one of my favorite things to see because the fact that they would say something and they’d play it in a way that I wouldn’t even think of, you know? I think that’s one thing that I’ve definitely loved about this whole journey was just how much I’ve learned from everyone and everything around me for sure.

BB: You can definitely see the strength of your performance in this season because... there’s obviously a big emotional arc as we see at the end of last season, but you also have to balance that with the comedy that you’d expect from Wizard of Beyond Waverly Place? You don’t want it to be a downer for four episodes. You talked about how you learned a lot about acting, but I really appreciate how you are able to navigate that line between comedy and drama as brilliantly as any person who’s ever been on Disney Channel.

JLB: Thank you. It means a lot.

BB: Speaking of which, the show obviously wants find resolution. We don’t want to spoil what that is, but the show has always been about family and you are essentially having this show about family while you’re also saying goodbye to your television family. How has it been to have this last hurrah with, at least for now, the gang you’ve got to know over the last couple of years?

JLB: Oh man, honestly, we still all keep in touch, which is great. I’m actually going to go see Spider-Man with Max. And we have already established we’re seeing Doomsday together. So I’m really excited to go see that with him. But we all keep in touch, you know, we all have fun. I’m always with Taylor. I’ve been seeing okay as well. I just really appreciate how we’re still keeping the dynamic.

But obviously, even though we still keep in touch, we still hang out, it felt different on set. You know what I mean? Because it’s like you guys are at that same place every single day with each other. And it definitely feels weird sometimes, you know? I’m like, "Oh, wait, but what happened to the routine? What happened to the routine?" But I’m just grateful that we all really did feel mutual feelings about it actually feeling like a family on set and we are applying those actions outside of set, you know? Because I feel like one thing that’s super common on set with kidsand also adults as well, you can always be like, "Oh, keep in touch, don’t be a stranger," and then you never talk to that person again. I really do appreciate that we all still keep in touch and we all still hang out. It’s like we still keep that love and that means so much to me for sure.

BB: And speaking of Spider-Man, I remember doing the same type of interview with Zendaya back in the Shake It Up days, and now that she has obviously moved on and done great work, and then Selena’s done great work, David Henrie’s done great work — and they’ve all done their own route, but they all have found a place for themselves. Are you inspired by looking at the legacy of the Disney Channel alumni and seeing the success that they’re able to have by embracing their Disney Channel heritage while also trying to challenge themselves for the next role?

JLB: Evolution, growth. I for sure, one person that I look up to, always have, she actually inspired me so much to even become an actress is definitely Zendaya. I look up to her so much. I admire her with all my heart. I just love how, first of all, she’s so hardworking, she’s so sweet, but I love the way she carries herself, like through it all, you know? She’s this very smart woman and I really do look up to her as a young girl for sure. And she definitely inspires me a lot.

BB: Yeah, you remind me a lot of her, you know, just the way she was able to be smart and stylish and all those things at the same time, but never taking herself too seriously and still having fun.

JLB: Yeah. She always stayed humble. And that’s what I really, really love. I just wow. I love that woman so much. She’s great.

BB: One thing that happened is I was just at San Diego Comic-Con and obviously there’s a lot of cosplayers and Spider-Mans and Deadpools, but I did see one Billie. So what’s it like to know that you’re having that kind of impact on kids and families?

JLB: That means so much to me. Honestly, don’t make me tear up. No, but it means a lot. Like even on Instagram, I’ll get DMs from moms showing me a picture of their child dressing up as me and I’m like, "Oh, stop it." It’s just so adorable and they have the biggest smiles on their face and it means the absolute world because that’s what it’s all about. It really is.

One thing that Mr. David Henrie always told us on set, before we would do a live audience, we’d do our huddle up. But one thing he always said, "There is a little kid out there who may need a laugh, who may need to just escape for a little bit and just experience the magic that we show on screen. There may be a kid who doesn’t have a family." There are so many endless maybes, you know? And the one thing that we all agreed on was that we’re doing this for that little kid to put a smile on their face. It doesn’t even have to be something sad. Maybe it’s something that brought families together, you know? It could be something that maybe a mom and a tween daughter bond on, and I think that’s just so inspiring and so cool.

And that was definitely one of the things that he would always tell us. So every time I get those type of DMs, those mentions, or I see it on TikTok sometimes, I’m like, "You guys are like my everything." That’s what it’s all about for sure. So it definitely means a lot to know that I have that type of influence. I mean, it’s kind of scary. I’m not going to lie. It’s scary a little bit, but it means a lot. It makes me want to just put my best foot forward for them.

BB: One thing that happened in the show is obviously Selena and David and other folks who guest starred came back to the world of Wizards of Waverly Place. Now that this is the end of this chapter, as you move on, would you ever return to the Wizarding world?

JLB: Absolutely. I mean, this project and this character have meant so much to me and, if that’s what it would need, I for sure. I wouldn’t want to do something where it’s unnecessary, but if it’s something that we could definitely work on, I would love that for sure. I would love to do a movie with all of us just to see some things for sure. I’ve always said that that would be so fun. But yeah, no, I’d be thrilled for sure.

BB: Well, whatever form it takes, I know you’re destined for great things. I really appreciate you taking the time out to chat and making the show and really inspiring not only kids, but families as well and adults. So, thank you. Congratulations and I can’t wait for the world to see these four exciting episodes.

JLB: Thank you so much.