Jennifer Stone returns as Harper in 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' final season
Washington, April 18
The final season of 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' is set to bring back a familiar face, with Jennifer Stone returning as Harper Finkle.
The announcement, made by Jennifer Stone on her social media handle, marks a notable reunion for fans of the original Wizards of Waverly Place as the franchise prepares to wrap up its sequel run.
Stone will guest star in the upcoming third and final season, reprising her role as Harper, the non-magical best friend of Alex Russo, originally played by Selena Gomez.
Her return makes her the latest original cast member to join the sequel series, which is headlined by David Henrie.
The new show has steadily reintroduced legacy characters, with Gomez, Maria Canals Barrera, and David DeLuise already making appearances.
As per Variety, it was also recently reported that Gregg Sulkin will feature in the final season as Mason Greyback.
Stone's comeback is particularly significant, as it marks her first credited onscreen role since 2019.
The actor had stepped away from Hollywood to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing, as per Variety.
During her studies, she remained creatively active, starring in, co-writing, and producing the indie film 'The In-Between'.
After returning to Los Angeles in 2019, she briefly resumed acting before working as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the original series, Stone appeared in all 106 episodes and two films, making Harper one of the franchise's most beloved characters.
Her past film credits also include 'Secondhand Lions' and 'Nothing Left to Fear'.
The sequel's ensemble cast features Janice LeAnn Brown, Alkaio Thiele, Max Matenko, Taylor Cora, and Mimi Gianopulos alongside Henrie.
According to the official logline for season 3, "Billie (Brown), still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father. As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them," Variety has quoted.
The third and final season will consist of four episodes and is slated to premiere this summer across Disney+, Disney Channel, and Disney on-demand platforms.
The series is written and executive produced by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, alongside executive producers Gary Marsh, Jonas Agin, Rick Williams, Gomez, and Henrie.
The original series was created by Todd Greenwald.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wizards of Waverly Place was a huge part of my childhood. Seeing all these original cast members return feels like a proper farewell. But only 4 episodes for the final season? That seems a bit rushed, no?
Respect to Jennifer for prioritizing her education and working as a nurse. That's real magic. Glad she's back for the fans though. The show needs Harper's energy!
This is the news I needed today! The original series had such a perfect balance of magic and normal teenage life. Harper was the heart of that. Hope the finale does justice to all the characters.
I watched this with my younger sister years ago. Feels nostalgic. It's nice they are wrapping up the story properly. Will definitely tune in for the emotional closure.
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