The Star Scoop just posted a great interview they did with David. Definitely worth reading. He talks about writing an episode for the 4th season, his production company, some of his charity work and his future plans.
THE STAR SCOOP:
We’re really excited to hear about the fact that you’re writing another episode of Wizards of Waverly Place!
DAVID HENRIE:
Thank you, yeah. Being able to stretch my creative wings has really been a blessing. Getting to do our show has been so much fun.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Is there anything different about this being the second time that you’ve written for the show?
DAVID HENRIE:
Yeah, 100 percent. When you write shows, you write a story, you get attached to things because obviously there’s birth from your mind, and for timing or for sake of the episode, certain things have to be cut. I was much more careful with that this go around. I just knew the process more, so things were easier.
THE STAR SCOOP:
What inspired you to want to write for the show? What was the first starting point for getting interested in even doing that?
DAVID HENRIE:
I guess how I sort of got into the business was in a creative manner, sort of indirectly. I have a big Italian family. Whenever it was someone’s birthday- aunts, uncles, relatives – I would make a video completely parodying their entire life.
It was very funny and I didn’t know it at the time, but I was writing and I was directing and I was acting. Seeing my family’s reaction off of that video, that was the sort of high that I had coming into the business.
It was that sort of feeling that I’d been after…Getting to do that on the show has just been great. I want to continue doing that. I want to hone my career and control my future.
THE STAR SCOOP:
So is there anything you can tell us about the episode and also, when we’ll get to see it?
DAVID HENRIE:
I can’t give away too much at this point. I’d assume we’d see it in the summer. I can tell you a little bit about it. There’s some fun relationship, boyfriend/girlfriend type things that I got to do with Alex, dealing with issues that all teens in a relationship or have been in a relationship can relate to. Which is trust, being someone that you’re not…to please that other person and seeing where that can eventually take you.
I got to deal with fun issues like this in a wizard setting and sort of poke fun at it. It’s turning out really well.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Tell us more about your production company. You’re 21, so that’s a huge accomplishment.
DAVID HENRIE:
In wanting to control my future and sort of take my career to a place that I see it, I established this production company. I’m working on developing original ideas with lots of talented writers out there as well as finding projects that are already out there for myself to act in or produce for other people.
There’s a handful of other things that I’m really trying to develop right now that I’m very excited for and wanting to jump out of the gates right after Wizards is done with.
THE STAR SCOOP:
You’re involved in a lot of philanthropic work. What advice do you have for kids who want to get involved in doing something, in giving back to their community?
DAVID HENRIE:
First and foremost, find what where you can best help and who you want to help. There’s a lot of help to be given in the world so find what you’re passionate about. My passion has always been children, so I’ve most recently did LA’s Best, I taught impromptu to kids after school, which was very fun. You can apply improv to all different aspects of your life where it can help you.
After that, I moved on tot he next project, which is United Way and that’s really for educating children under the age of three, because 85% of your brain develops before the age of three. It’s tough to sort of stop a problem once it’s already in motion but if you can do that before the problem even happens at an early age, by educating, by loving, by nurturing…will help exponentially.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Is there anything else we should know about your steps moving forward and where we should expect to see you?
DAVID HENRIE:
In the five year plan, I hope to be following a career path along the lines of Shia [LaBeouf]. I think he’s someone who came from a Disney audience and sort of bridged that into a successful feature film career. I think first and foremost, he’s talented and that’s why it happened. I’m hoping that I have similar success.
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