Photography by Amy Poque
Joshua will soon star in Andi Mack. Andi Mack is set to premiere on Disney Channel in April 2017. Joshua plays Cyrus, one of Andi‘s (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) two best friends. Cyrus is quirky, not athletic and a little bit awkward, but he has a sense of humor that can make just about anyone laugh.
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Appealing to a wide range of audiences, Joshua can be heard and seen in a plethora of productions including animated projects, both in television and film. He can be heard in hit shows such as Family Guy and The Cleveland Show. On the big screen, fans may recognize his voice in movies such as Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and Escape from Planet Earth. Currently, he voices ‘Jeremy Birnbaum’ on Disney’s Star Vs The Forces of Evil, ‘Toby’ on Netflix’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Breehn’ on Cartoon Network’s Clarence and ‘Bunga’ on The Lion King sequel series, The Lion Guard.
In television, Joshua appeals to an older and more mature audience. Best known as ‘Young Chuck Bartowski’ on the television series Chuck, and as ‘Little Sylar’ on Heroes, he can also be seen in television work including CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Medium, Children’s Hospital, Private Practice, and See Dad Run.
Joshua proves himself to be wise beyond his years by the projects he has chosen in his career. At such a young age, his resume already includes several film festival projects and big budget films. His starring role in Parental Guidance alongside Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei stole the holiday season in 2012. He also starred in Break Point alongside Jeremy Sisto and David Walton, Sex, Death and Bowling with Adrian Grenier, the independent film Saving Lincoln and the horror film Emelie.
Originally from Houston, Texas, 15-year-old Joshua loves science, technology and animals and is incurably addicted to Apple products. We had an opportunity to catch up with Joshua between projects.
Congratulations on landing the role of Cyrus! You play a quirky, not athletic, and a little bit awkward kid, who has a sense of humor that can make just about anyone laugh. Sounds like a fun role! Tell us how you got the part.
Thanks so much! I got the role through a long auditioning process with a lot of stages, starting with an audition in front of the casting director, Amber Horn, and ending (after three stages in the middle with producers, directors, and Terri Minsky herself) with a session in the Disney building in Los Angeles in front of company executives!
Your voice has been heard on some of the hottest shows on television, such as Family Guy and The Cleveland Show. On the big screen, fans may recognize your voice in movies, such as Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and Escape from Planet Earth. How did you become a voice actor?
I was lucky enough that my agent did not only on-camera acting, but also voice! Having the right agent, the right people behind you, is one of the most important things in this business!
Currently, you voice ‘Jeremy Birnbaum’ on Disney’s Star Vs The Forces of Evil, ‘Toby’ on Netflix’s The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Breehn’ on Cartoon Network’s Clarence, and ‘Bunga’ on The Lion King sequel series, The Lion Guard. Impressive! How do you balance the roles?
Here’s a little known secret! There are probably only about three or four major voice-over studios in LA, and they’re all within 3 miles of each other in Burbank! I sometimes can jump between studios in just hours, and some days I’ll record Bunga and Jeremy on the same day! The voices are interesting, because a lot of the voices that I do (minus Jeremy and Breehn) are very similar to one another, with small changes to the acting or voicing that give the character their own special je ne sais quois!
How are you able to change your voice to do different characters? How do you look after your voice?
Like I said in the last answer, a lot of my voices are very similar, so it’s just remembering the slight changes I’ve made. The real job is in the details and in the acting of the lines! I take care of my voice by not yelling (ever, pretty much) and drinking all kinds of tea. My favorite is called Throat Coat, and though it might not be the best tasting, it’s made from echinacea flowers and is an immune booster alongside being super good for the throat!
Do you have a favorite of all the characters you play?
I like to not pull favorites! Every role is different and special!
Let’s talk about your role in “Andi Mack.” When you learned that you were going to play ‘Cyrus’, what was your first impression of him?
Cyrus is very special. I really felt a great connection to him that grew over the course of the season and through the course of the auditioning process! It’s been a joy to give him a voice. My first impression of him was “wow, this kid sounds a lot like me!”
Let’s talk television. You have also appeared in CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Medium, Children’s Hospital, Private Practice, and See Dad Run. Do you think there is a difference between appearing in adult and children’s shows?
There’s a difference between a lot of kids shows and adult shows, no doubt, but something I think is so cool about Andi Mack is it’s blurring that line. It’s treating kids more like adults, who can handle storylines that don’t end after one episode, that aren’t played big, and I like the new movement in kids television (which I think Andi Mack is trailblazing in) to treat kids more like adults!
You have such an impressive acting portfolio! Looking back, when you first met all your cast mates for the various shows you appeared on, is there anyone you clicked with the most?
I remember the day I met the Andi Mack cast. It was such an immediate connection, and I just had this feeling we would be friends forever, even if we didn’t all get the part. We did all get the part, though, and I still think we’ll all be friends forever.
Let’s talk music. What kind of music do you like?
Alt-J! I love their new single, 3WW, and their original album An Awesome Wave receives the awesome distinction from me of albums I have listened to in their entirety more than 10 times!”
Looking forward, is there a role you really want to play?
James Bond would be a dream to play! The cars, the gadgets, the . . . spying! I’d probably have to hit the gym a bit though!
Are there any projects you’re working on that you can share?
Andi Mack, coming out April 7, is a pretty big one. Beyond that, we’re waiting to find out what its future is so I can’t take on any more projects . . . not yet at least!
Let’s talk movies. Do you have a favorite you can’t wait to see in 2017?
I’m an action movie/Marvel movie guy myself, so the new Spiderman will be so awesome to see! I screamed pretty loud when I first saw the poster!
What’s your favorite hobby?
I like to read the news, especially political news. I’m fascinated by politics and the way our government works!
What advice do you have for kids want to make acting a career?
Having the right people behind you is crucial. Without the right agent, manager, coach and, of course, friends, you’ll get eaten alive. I’m lucky enough to have all of them!
Connect with Joshua:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshuaRush
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuarush
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaRushOfficial
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Web: http://www.joshuarush.com/
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