Disney Star David Henrie Compares Low Wizards Residuals to Huge HIMYM Checks

Former Disney Channel star David Henrie recently opened up about the stark financial differences between his major television roles, revealing that his work on the hit children's network yielded minimal residuals while network television provided substantial payouts. The actor discussed his experiences during an appearance on a podcast episode hosted by Josh Peck and Ben Soffer.

Henrie shared that he barely receives any residuals from his time on “Wizards of Waverly Place,” the popular Disney Channel series where he starred alongside Selena Gomez as Justin Russo from 2007 to 2012. According to the actor, the corporate structure at the time meant that residuals for children's television were virtually nonexistent compared to other sectors of the industry. He noted that Disney had not combined certain entities yet during that era, resulting in little to no ongoing compensation for the cast beyond small amounts here and there.

Despite the low financial returns from the original run, Henrie maintained a strong connection to the franchise. He recently returned to the magical world as an executive producer, director, and star of the sequel series “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” which concluded its run after three seasons. However, the initial experience on children's television stands in stark contrast to his work in primetime network broadcasting.

In contrast to his Disney earnings, Henrie confirmed that his recurring role on the beloved CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” still pays him very well over a decade later. Playing Josh Radnor’s on-screen son, Luke, from 2005 to 2014, the actor recalled receiving checks so large that he initially suspected an accounting error had occurred. He shared that he once called his business manager to report what he thought was an extra zero added by mistake, only to be told the high amount was correct.

The actor explained that network television during that era took exceptionally good care of its talent, questioning why children's television operated so differently. Henrie filmed 30 physical episodes of the sitcom as one of Ted Mosby’s teenage children who listened to the framing story. Because of how editors utilized the footage across the series, he compared the unique working arrangement to doing dozens of guest spots at lucrative network rates.

Looking back at his early career, Henrie also touched on behind-the-scenes dynamics of the hit sitcom, noting that he never actually crossed paths with late comedian Bob Saget on set. While Saget provided the voice for the older version of Ted Mosby narrating the story, Henrie worked exclusively on physical set recordings. Fans of both series continue to look back at his diverse television history as his iconic 2000s roles remain pop culture staples.