Selena Gomez’s ‘Lizzie McGuire’ and ‘Suite Life’ Spinoffs Got Dumped: “I Was at My Wits’ End”

Before her iconic role as Alex Russo on Disney Channel’s hit show Wizards of Waverly Place, Selena Gomez almost had a very different Disney Channel career. She actually filmed pilots for two potential spinoffs of other popular series. One was a spinoff of Lizzie McGuire, where she was set to play the title character’s younger sister, Miranda Sanchez. The other was a spinoff of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, where she played one of the main characters, though details about that pilot are less known. These projects ultimately didn’t get picked up, but they paved the way for Gomez’s unforgettable role as the sarcastic and magical Alex Russo.

Selena Gomez reflected on her rise to fame in a new interview.

In a recent interview on Jake Shane’s “Therapuss” podcast, Selena Gomez opened up about her journey to fame, which started with her role on Barney & Friends.

She revealed that before landing her breakthrough part as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place, she had actually filmed pilots for not one, but two different Disney Channel spinoffs. The first was a spinoff of Lizzie McGuire, where she was set to play the younger sister, and the other was a spinoff of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Neither of these pilots was picked up.

Gomez spoke about important eras in her career, including the most difficult ones.

Gomez reflected that at the time, she was “kind of at her wits’ end” and thought her career might not work out. However, she was cast in Wizards of Waverly Place shortly after, and as she told Shane, her “whole life changed.” She expressed pride in her Disney Channel beginnings, calling it an honor to be part of that era of television.

“It was actually a weird thing because I was on three pilots for the Disney Channel: one was the spinoff of ‘Lizzie McGuire,’ one was the spinoff of ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’ and the last one was ‘Wizards,’” she said. “So by then, all of them didn’t get picked up, and I was just kind of at my wits’ end, but not in a bad way. I just kind of thought, ‘OK, well, this is not going to work out.’”

In the interview, Gomez also spoke candidly about the challenges of growing up in the public eye, especially with her personal life being a constant subject of media scrutiny. She admitted that dealing with the “outside noise” from tabloids and the public was — and still is — difficult.

Difficulties were the starting points for Selena’s worldwide recognition.

Gomez criticized the intense focus on child stars, stating that it’s unfair to dissect their lives as they’re still figuring out who they are. She believes this constant pressure prevents them from growing up in a “healthy” way and makes them feel every mistake is highlighted.

Now an executive producer on the Wizards of Waverly Place reboot, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Gomez is using her experience to mentor the new cast. She shared that she encourages them to prioritize their lives outside of acting.

Gomez stressed the importance of having a balance between a normal life and the pursuit of a career, a balance she felt she sometimes lacked herself. She concluded by saying she has stopped trying to impress people, a major step in her journey.

Selena Gomez has consistently used her platform to speak openly about body image and self-acceptance. In an Instagram post, the multi-talented singer shared a series of photos, providing a glimpse into her evolving relationship with her body over the years.