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Selena Gomez's boyfriend, Benny Blanco, has another supporter! Gomez's on-set brother David Henrie, known for the "Wizards of Waverly Place" and upcoming sequel series "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place," has shared his opinion on Blanco.
"He's a great guy," David said during a conversation with E! News on the new Disney Channel show set. "He's hilarious—had me laughing the entire time."
David, who shares three kids, Pia Philomena, 5, James Thomas, 3, and Gemma Clare, 2, with wife Maria Cahill, said they have much in common. "We had an amazing dinner together," David said. "Italian food, of course, and Benny's got a knack for picking the best dishes."
David continues his role as an overprotective brother and emphasizes the importance of seeing Selena happy. "I trust Selena completely and just want her to be happy," he continued. "She knows I'll always have her back."
David and Selena have been friends since they were teenagers and co-starred as siblings Justin and Alex Russo on "Wizards of Waverly Place." Now in their 30s, their dynamic has matured into something more equal.
"We're all adults now so it's changed," David said. "It was more big brother growing up, but now we're all kind of equals. Her and my wife actually get along very well. They have woman-to-woman conversations and I just chime in with a joke or something. But it's been good."
David attributes the strength of their real-life friendship to the sibling-like bond they formed. "That sibling dynamic you feel while you're watching the show, we were like that off camera too," he explained. We really did care about one another. I think it's a wonderful culture to have each other's backs, to have an openness. It's been wonderful."
With nearly two decades of friendship behind them, David and Selena continue to lift each other. “[We’re] always encouraging. Always there for one another," he said. "Her and I, we go back so far, 20 years now almost. She knows I'm gonna shoot her straight and I know she's gonna shoot me straight. So there's no fluff around it. We're just there for each other. We shoot each other straight and I think that's why our bond has always been there and will continue to be."