Wizards of Waverly Place/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Main characters

Alex Russo

Selena Gomez

"I'm Alex Russo, and my hobby is I like to poke things with a stick, ...but I haven't figured out how to make money with that yet so I'm in school."

The middle child and only female out of the three Russo siblings. She is sly, outgoing, and usually underachieves when it comes to regular high school. She often gets into trouble because of her constant schemes (usually involving magic). She likes to make fun of her older brother, Justin, with whom she has a really close, complex relationship and she gets along with her younger brother, Max, the two of them occasionally being shown pulling pranks together. It is implied that she is her father's favorite child and that she shares a tight bond with her mother, although they sometimes have disputes due to Alex's rebellious and disobedient personality.

The Grand Finale reveals that she becomes the family wizard. She was about to win, but went back to free Justin from a tree root that caught his foot. It appeared to everyone else that Justin won, but before he accepted, he told Professor Crumbs and everyone else what happened. He gives the title to Alex, who after some coaxing from Justin, accepts and is embraced as the true winner.

Professor Justin Russo

David Henrie

He is the erudite and mature older brother who gets straight "A"s. He often tries to stop Alex's crazy schemes from becoming complete disasters, and sometimes unwittingly gets involved in these schemes. Justin is often the subject of sarcastic remarks made by Alex, due to his intelligence, his love of science fiction and other quirks. He is Alex's primary target of jealousy, because he surpasses her in almost everything. Justin is, out of the three, the most responsible. He is very cynical and highly intelligent and is, in many respects, the polar opposite of the immature and mischievous Alex. At times, it is shown that Max sees him as a role model and that his parents are really proud of him.

The Grand Finale reveals that he appeared to have won the wizard competition, but before he accepts his full wizarding powers, he explains what really happened. Alex was in the lead, but when Justin caught his foot in a tree root, she came back to help him out. She would have won, so he tells this to Professor Crumbs. Alex becomes the family wizard. However, Professor Crumbs announces his retirement, and grants Professor Justin Russo the title of Headmaster of Wiz Tech, giving him his own set of full wizard powers. (It isn't made clear whether Professor Crumbs transfers his own full powers to Justin, or if he creates a new set of powers)

Max Russo

Jake T. Austin

The youngest of the three Russo siblings, he is the naive younger brother, who at the beginning of the series is an underachiever (when it comes to wizard school), being far behind his siblings in his magic lessons (as seen in "Potion Commotion"). Max is a witty, cheeky boy with a very imaginative and out-going personality. Like Alex, Max is often depicted as a slacker and is been known to use magic mischeviously. He is very naive and has a short-attention span. His mother, Theresa,sometimes treats him like the baby of the family. He sometimes assists his sister Alex in pulling pranks on their brother, Justin.

The Grand Finale reveals that he did not win the wizard competition, but Jerry tells him that he will inherit the family business some day.

  • Annoying Younger Sibling
  • Badass Adorable: As Maxine. She not only beats the crap out of Justin, she weaponizes her cuteness on more than one occasion.
  • The Big Guy: ...Kind of.
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer
  • Cain and Abel: The Cain to Alex and Justin's Abel.
  • Cheerful Child: At the beginning of the series. Later he enters Justin's and Alex's world.
  • Consolation Prize: Between him and his siblings, he's the only one who is now a mortal. Alex won the competition, and Justin is the new Headmaster of Wiz Tech. However, to keep his spirits up, Jerry tells Max that he will some day inherit the family business. Max is clearly not pleased, but tries to stay optimistic about it anyway. One wonders if he'll put Rice-A-Roni on the menu.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Easily the biggest example in the series.
  • Comedic Sociopathy: Gets up there with Alex as the series progresses.
  • The Ditz: Or so he seems.
  • Fearless Fool: In an episode it is mentioned that Max isn't afraid of anything, due to the fact that he loses his conscience.
  • Flanderization: From Cloudcuckoolander to Too Dumb to Live.
    • Actually, as of the Season 4 premiere, he reveals that his descent into idiocy is all an act, as he figured that if he acted this way, but let being a wizard slip out, no one would believe him.
  • Gender Bender: As Maxine.
  • Heh Heh, You Said "X": In "Future Harper", he laughs when Justin constantly says the word I.P.P.
  • Heroic Wannabe: In "Alex's Brother, Maximan".
  • Hidden Depths: In "My Two Harpers", unlike Jerry or Justin, Max demonstrates a great deal of business savvy about the sub shop - such as thinking to open a drive thru to the Wizard World and the limits of a small staff.
  • Karma Houdini: Usually because when he does crazy things it all implodes on him and he ends up punishing himself.
  • Kids Are Cruel: At the beginning of the show.
  • The Kirk
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: A slight case, he really is a ditz though.
  • Out of Focus: From Season 2 onwards, majority of the main plot began to focus more on Alex and Justin's relationship. Max ends up getting pushed to the side plots.
  • Plucky Comic Relief
  • The Rival: His brother's and sister's rival in the wizard contest.
  • Sidekick: Justin's, in "Franken Girl".
  • Small Name, Big Ego: To a lesser extent.
  • Took a Level In Dumbass: He starts to act crazier and more dumb as time goes on
    • However, he reveals in the Season 4 premiere that this was a ploy the whole time, as he figures that if he's seen as crazy then no one would believe him if he accidentally revealed his secret, since he says & does crazy things all the time. Granted, he is still a little dumber than before, but not as much as he leads people to believe.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: When he loses his Conscience.
  • Trickster: Not as notable as Alex, but he still pulls pranks once in a while along with her.
  • Wild Card: He is on Justin's side. Or Alex's side. Or none.
  • Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb
  • Youngest Child Wins: In the Season 4 premier, Max is the only one of the Russo siblings who kept his place in the wizard competition after Justin and Alex revealed magic to the world. This ends up getting Subverted with a vengeance in the finale. Max is the only one who doesn't get to keep his powers. Alex wins the competition and Justin is named the new Dean of Wiztech.

Jerry Russo

David DeLuise

Jerry is the father of Alex, Justin and Max Russo and co-owner of the Waverly Sub Station, with his wife Theresa (whom he accidentally insults on occasion). He is also a former wizard, who chose to give up his powers to marry his wife Theresa, a mortal, due to a rule forbidding wizards to marry mortals.Jerry Russo is the average father. He is stern, protective and is annoyed by Alex and Max constantly, and even by Justin occasionally. Unlike his children, he does not have powers any more; nonetheless, his children inherited their powers from him.

  • Amazingly Embarrassing Parents
  • Angrish: Usually brought on by Alex.
  • Berserk Button: Standing between him and food.
  • Bumbling Dad: On and off.
  • Casanova Wannabe: In the movie when he was "single".
  • Digging Yourself Deeper: When he tells something nice to his wife it sometimes comes out wrong. Then he tries to clarify it, but he just makes things worse.
  • Happily Married: He and Theresa are actually a fairly realistic example of how a happy marriage isn't a perfect one.
  • Hollywood Pudgy: Interestingly enough, this is an aversion in that its something he willingly invokes, as noted by when he mentions how much weight he lossed during the Season 4 premiere when the family walked back to the new york sub station from the middle of the government holding facility.

Jerry: I must've lost 40 pounds on the walk home. Do you know how much time it's going to take for me to gain that back!?

  • Overprotective Dad
  • So Proud of You: He often gives this line to Justin. And sometimes to Alex when she actually does a right thing.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: The episode, Wizard for a Day. First, when the aliens demand the milkshake machine, he tells them that Max is the machine. Next, as the aliens are shooting their lasers and the rest of the Russos are hiding behind the counter, Jerry is forced to choose between saving his beloved family and his precious milkshake machine. Guess which one he picked. Finally, he tries to use Merlin's hat to teleport himself to Hawaii. Yeah, that's father of the year for ya.

Theresa Russo

Maria Canals-Barrera

Theresa is the mother of Alex, Justin and Max Russo and co-owner of the Waverly Sub Station, with her husband Jerry; and is also the slightly more serious one out the couple. Theresa Russo is a typical mother. She's fussy, caring and can be pretty embarrassing. Unlike her children, she is a mortal. She is overprotective of Justin and Max. She tries to relate with her kids, but it doesn't always work.

"Why do you think I was so fast? I couldn't wait to get out of the water!"

Harper Finkle

Jennifer Stone

She is the best friend of the show's main character Alex Russo and is often known for her outrageous fashion ensembles that she designs herself. Harper is a typical teenage girl — kind, smart, a bit dorky and a fashion lover. She is very optomistic, though a little insecure at times. Harper has an extremely large and often (extremely) obsessive crush on Alex's brother, Justin.

Alex: When have I ever kept secrets from you?
Harper: WIZ-ard!
Alex: You're never going to let that go are you?
Harper: No.

Recurring characters

Zach "Zeke" Beekerman

Dan Benson

He is a friend of Justin's. He is one grade higher than Justin and is considered "cool", yet nerdy. He attends Tribeca Prep and is in advanced chemistry along with Justin. He is also part of an "alien language" club; he and Justin often "speak alien" to each other.

Juliet Van Heusen

Bridgit Mendler

She is an immortal vampire who falls in love with Justin while he spies for his parents restaurant. The two fight their parents for their love (similar to Romeo and Juliet, but with a happier ending) and soon, are allowed to date despite the restaurant feud between their different families. When she was born, her parents let her have a soul so she could socialize in the mortal world, which makes her nice and down-to-earth, as oposed to most vampires, who are usually heartless and cunning.

Mason Greyback

Gregg Sulkin

He is a transfer student from England, perfect in every way except for his artistic vision, and Alex's first true love. He turns out to be a werewolf and breaks Alex's heart when he shouts out that he loves Juliet. In the end, he repents for breaking Alex's heart and proves he does love Alex, after all.

Mr. Larritate

Bill Chott

He is the principal of Tribeca Prep Sr. High School, which is shown when he calls Alex into the principal's office. He also admires Justin and often compares Alex to him.

Gigi

Skyler Samuels

She is (or at least, was) Alex's rival. She has tried to embarrass Alex ever since they were in kindergarten when Gigi spilled juice on Alex's mat during naptime and said Alex had an "accident".

Dean Moriarty

Daniel Samonas

He is Alex's boyfriend in the second season. He makes temporary tattoos in the boy's bathroom and is interested in cars. Dean is shown as a "bad boy", and Justin and Harper do not approve of him at first.

Kelbo Russo

Jeff Garlin

Jerry's brother. He was given Jerry's powers, when he married Theresa.

Stevie Nichols

Hayley Kiyoko

Rosie

Leven Rambin

Chase Riprock

Nick Roux

Master Gorog

John Rubenstein

Tropes associated with other characters:

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