“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">Wizards of Waverly Place</a>” showrunner Peter Murrieta wishes he could have been more overt about a same-sex relationship between two characters, but suggested that Disney wouldn’t allow it at the time.
The fantasy teen sitcom aired on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/disney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disney</a> Channel between 2007 and 2012. It followed Alex Russo (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/selena-gomez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Selena Gomez</a>) and her brothers, who are all wizards by birth and trying to master their powers before they’re lost forever. Stevie (Hayley Kiyoko) is a minor character who befriends Alex. Fans became convinced that the pair were secretly involved romantically, which the show’s creator has now confirmed. 
&#8220;I wished we could have played more with what was quite obvious to a lot of us,&#8221; he said during a recent interview on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO8UADF40Qc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">podcast</a> “Wizards of Waverly Pod.” 
&#8220;We weren&#8217;t able to in that time, but it was pretty clear to all of us what that relationship was.&#8221;
“Disney Channel has had [<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LGBTQ</a>] characters, and they did it. At that time it wasn&#8217;t a thing. But we got as close as we could… I mean, it was pretty close,&#8221; Murrieta said, adding that making their relationship a focus would have been “great.”
Kiyoko previously discussed the pairing between her character and Gomez’s. The actress, who is a lesbian, shared her feelings during a 2022 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znKlByA5XRU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Them. 
&#8220;At this time, I wasn&#8217;t openly queer, and so when I was on Wizards, I think anytime I was doing a show I felt very insecure or exposing myself as a flaming lesbian,&#8221; Kiyoko said. &#8220;But obviously [for] the fans who have watched the show, Stevie is a part of their gay awakening, and I wasn&#8217;t able to mask my lesbian energy very much in the character.&#8221;
Disney has come under fire recently for inserting LGBTQ storylines into children’s programming. 
For example, the new version of “Blue’s Clues” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/childrens-show-blues-clues-features-pride-parade-cartoon-drag-queen-children-explaining-pride-flags" target="_blank" rel="noopener">featured</a> an LGBT pride parade with &#8220;non-binary&#8221; animals and a cartoon drag queen to celebrate Pride Month in 2021. The film “Lightyear” flopped after creators publicized their inclusion of a same-sex kiss as a way to protest Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill. 
Video of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-at-all-secret-gay-agenda-disney-employees-break-down-adding-queerness-to-shows-and-degenderizing-theme-parks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked</a> video call at the company showed an executive producer referencing her “not-at-all-secret gay agenda.” 
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">announced plans</a> for kids entertainment content.

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‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’ Showrunner Confirms ‘Obvious’ Same-Sex Relationship Between Alex And Stevie