Two days after the Wizards Beyond Waverly Place finale aired on Disney Channel, Jake T. Austin told fans he was "disappointed" not to have been part of it. In an Instagram post on Aug. 6, Austin wrote that he had been asked in 2020 whether he wanted to reprise his role as Max Russo — the youngest Russo sibling — and said he was "100% in." The producers, according to Austin, decided to take the show in a different direction without his character. Variety

Austin is the only key cast member from the original Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran for four seasons on Disney Channel, who did not appear in the revival. The spinoff, titled Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, aired for three seasons and follows Justin Russo — played by David Henrie — as a father training his own children in wizardry. Selena Gomez and Henrie served as executive producers, with Gomez appearing as a recurring guest star and Henrie as a series regular. David DeLuise and Maria Canals-Barrera, who played the Russo siblings' parents in the original series, both reprised their roles in guest appearances.

The four-part series finale debuted on Aug. 4 on Disney Channel, bringing the revival's run to a close.

Accounts of why Austin was absent differ. Henrie told TV Insider that Austin "definitely was" asked to reprise his role, but added: "He's busy. He's got a lot going on in his life." Austin's own account, shared publicly this week, presents a different picture — that he expressed interest and the production chose not to include him. A representative for Disney Channel did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment.

DeLuise, who played the Russo family patriarch, appeared to weigh in as well. In an Instagram comment, he wrote: "It would not be over if the OG wizards were really there," a remark that seemed to reference certain original cast members' exclusion from the sequel.

For fans who grew up with the Russos, the split between what happened on screen and what played out behind it is hard to miss. A revival is a chance to bring everyone back. When one of the original trio is left out — and says he wanted in — that gap becomes part of the story too.