Selena Gomez Says She'll Often 'Cringe' When Watching “Wizards of Waverly Place” Season 1

The actress starred as young wizard Alex Russo on the Disney Channel series from 2007 to 2012

Selena Gomez looks back at Wizards of Waverly Place with love — but she admittedly cringes over it, too.

The actress watched a scene from the series finale of the hit Disney Channel show, which aired in 2012 after four seasons, for Vanity Fair and candidly reflected on the role that launched her career.

"I really appreciated our writers. We had writers on the show that were from Friends, we had Dom DeLuise's son, and he just inherently had this humor about him and it was so captivating," Gomez, 32, said of the show and her costar, David DeLuise, who played her character Alex Russo's father Jerry.

Related: Selena Gomez Reveals Why She Didn't Stay in Touch with 'Wizards of Waverly Place' Cast: 'I Felt Ashamed'

DeLuise, 52, would "improv and throw me off," Gomez recalled as she said the cast, which also included David Henrie, Jake T. Austin and Jennifer Stone, "eventually...all started evolving" with time.

"When I watch the first season, I cringe, and then later I actually find myself laughing at those moments because the real moments are, to me, what made Wizards," she shared.

Gomez's love for her wizarding roots is evident in the fact that she's joined her former costar in rebooting the show for a new generation. Wizards Beyond Waverly Place will star Henrie, 35, as the patriarch of his own family — wife Giada and kids Roman and Milo — and Gomez is slated to guest star in the pilot.

In a first look at the new series, Gomez and Henrie were emotional as they returned to the set for the revival, as Gomez said, "This is where it all started. We're home."

Related: Wizards of Waverly Place Reboot: All About the Disney Show Revival Starring Selena Gomez

Per the official synopsis, the revival series follows "an adult Justin Russo who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family" that is interrupted when his sister Alex (Gomez) "brings Billie to his home seeking help."

"Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities — and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World."

Last month, Gomez said that returning to the set and her beloved character was "like a dream."

"I truly feel like it was the place I started and I'll always be grateful for that time and I just hope that this new chapter can bring a whole new audience joy the same way that we did when we were younger."

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Wizards Beyond Waverly Place is slated to premiere on Disney Channel and Disney+ later this year.

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