Get the 411 on Alkaio Thiele, one of the young stars of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place follows up on the original Wizards of Waverly Place which ran from 2007 to 2012 and still stands as one of Disney Channel’s all-time most popular original series.
The all-new sitcom follows legacy cast members from the OG show acting as mentors to a new crop of magic users. Alkaio Thiele portrays Roman Russo, the oldest son of David Henrie’s Justin Russo.
Meet Alkaio Thiele - Biography Details
Alkaio Thiele Started Out Acting at I Can Do That! Performing Arts Center
14-year-old Alkaio Thiele studied musical theater at Danville, California’s I Can Do That! Performing Arts Center (via Thiele’s official site), which centers around singing, acting, and singing classes for individuals of all ages, but with a specific focus on teaching kids.
Speaking to Nyota Magazine, Thiele went into detail about a role he played at I Can Do That!, which he described as nothing short of "life-changing:"
"My parents have always wanted my brother and me to be well-rounded, so we were encouraged to try all kinds of activities before we decided they weren’t for us. I’ve been told that when I was young, all I ever did was sing and perform and draw attention to myself, so when I was 11, they told me I had to try musical theater one time before I decided I didn’t like it. I auditioned for a role in High School Musical at I Can Do That! Performing Arts Center in Danville, and the entire experience was life-changing. I was in tears after closing night and told my parents that this is exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life."
Playing Spider-Man Is a Dream Come True for Alkaio
Look out, here comes Alkaio Thiele! Indeed, the actor has voiced everyone’s favorite Friendly Neighborhood Web-Slinger Spider-Man in the Disney Junior animated series Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Thiele took over the role from Benjamin Valic starting with Season 3.
Alkaio Thiele discussed voicing the Wall-Crawler with Tresa Magazine, where he hyped up the part as "an actual dream come true:"
"It is an actual dream come true to play the role of a hero! Spider-Man is such a popular character. Plus, he’s relatable and funny. My little brother also loves Spidey so it was awesome to get to be a part of a show that was already watched at home. To actually get to be Spider-Man is such a privilege and the team makes the sessions so fun."
He also explained his process for shifting into "Spidey mode" while in the recording booth:
"I always pre-read a script before any session to get a sense of how to make the writing come alive. It took me a couple of sessions to find the superhero voice that they were looking for, but now I just click into Spidey mode and the team and I have an easy rhythm. With Spidey, I try to go the whole session without having to do a second take on any line. Haven’t gotten it quite yet, but I’ve gotten close!"
Alkaio Has Also Performed on Stage
Despite still being a teenager Thiele has an impressive number of theater credits under his belt. He has played Michael Hobbs in Ogunquit Playhouse’s stage adaptation of Jon Favreau’s holiday classic Elf.
He has also trod the boards in a stage production of another Christmastime favorite, Love Actually Live. The actor additionally lent his talents to the role of pickpocketing ne'er do well, the Artful Dodger in 5-Star Theatricals' Oliver!
According to Alkaio Thiele’s official bio, the young man has his sights set on performing on Broadway.
Alkaio Is Inspired by Robin Williams and Jim Carrey
When it comes to role models, Alkaio Thiele has chosen some great ones. As he detailed to Nyota Magazine, he has drawn inspiration from such comedy luminaries as the ever-versatile Jim Carrey and the late, great Robin Williams, among big names:
"Comedy is by far my favorite genre, so I really look up to Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Ryan Reynolds, Adam Sandler, Matthew Perry, Ty Burrell, and Max Greenfield. I sometimes model my delivery of lines after my comedic inspirations, so I’m curious if viewers will be able to spot them!"
Thiele is in good company here, as all of these stars have experienced great success and impressive careers.
Alkaio Had a Lot of Fun Filming Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
In his series regular role as Roman Russo on the Disney Channel revival/sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Thiele was able to have fun while at work. This is something he relayed to Tresa Magazine, while also mentioning that he "[looks] forward to going to the studio every week:"
"When I decided to pursue acting two years ago, my dream was to be a series regular on a sitcom with other kids. Getting that call telling me that my dream came true still feels like it’s made up. Filming has been incredible so far and I look forward to going to the studio every week. All the people associated with the production are fantastic and the crew is so warm, friendly, inviting, and extremely patient. Even though we work hard in rehearsals and on filming days, we’re always laughing and having a ton of fun."
He also name-dropped his co-star David Henrie, making it known that Henrie "created a safe space for being ourselves," which proved extremely encouraging for Thiele:
"From the first day of filming, it felt like I was already a part of this amazing family, and I think a big part of that was because there was so much overlap from the original series. David Henrie has created a safe space for being ourselves and taking risks. He was immediately clear that we should be going all out and would never be reprimanded for trying something or making a mistake. They’ve both told us to buckle up because this whole experience is going to be an insane ride. I’m all in."
How To Follow Alkaio Online
Alkaio Thiele can be found on Instagram at the handle @alkaio.thiele.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place airs on the Disney Channel with the next episode arriving on Friday, November 8. The series also streams on Disney+.
