Joshua Rush

Early life and education Rush was born Joshua Nisenson on December 14, 2001, in Houston, Texas, to parents Adam and Beryt (née Kiselstein) Nisenson. His father is a marketing strategist as well as a marriage and family therapist and his mother is a corporate documentary producer. He is Jewish. In December 2019, Rush revealed his intentions to study at New York University's Gallatin School. However, he instead went to the University of Utah, graduating in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Career

Early work (2001–2009) Rush was ten months old when he first appeared in a local television special. By age 2, he had the ability to identify cars by logo and body style, and was featured on the KHOU morning news in a segment on how to raise "smart kids." Before working on Heroes, Rush appeared on Private Practice, and tailored several film credits, such as Blue Boy, The Journal, and Mindsight. He also acted in commercials for Space Center Houston and Safeco Insurance, and an e-card for americangreetings.com.

In 2009, Rush appeared on The Jay Leno Show as the "Super Duper Nanny Son." The same year he also appeared on Medium as Tanner Campbel, the boy in the banana costume, and on Criminal Minds as Ronny Downey. Rush's first major television role came in 2009 when he was cast on Heroes. He played Zachary Quinto's character, Sylar, at a young age. This recurring role was part of a major plot point in season three. After Heroes, Rush had minor roles on Parenthood, CSI: NY, and Special Agent Oso.

Acting breakthrough (2010–2017) In 2010, Rush began portraying a young version of Zachary Levi's character Chuck Bartowski on Chuck. In this role, he worked with such actors as Scott Bakula and Linda Hamilton. Following his work on Chuck, Rush did ADR work on the Hallmark Channel movie November Christmas, and commercials for McDonald's and GameStop. In 2012, Rush appeared as Turner Simmons in the feature film Parental Guidance, which earned him a Young Artist Award nomination as Best Supporting Young Actor Age Ten and Under in a Feature Film.

From 2017 to 2019, he gained prominence through his role as Cyrus Goodman, one of the two best friends of the title character on the Disney Channel series Andi Mack. Rush, who is Jewish, requested Andi Mack creator and executive producer Terri Minsky, also Jewish, to write a bar mitzvah scene for his character, which occurs in Season 2 Episode 13, "Cyrus' Bash-Mitzvah!".

Rush also appeared as Jacob in the 2015 thriller film Emelie. He voiced Toby in Netflix and DreamWorks Animation's The Adventures of Puss in Boots and Breehn on Cartoon Network's Clarence. From 2016 to 2019, he voiced Bunga on the Disney Junior series The Lion Guard.

Political ventures (2018–present) Rush started a weekly news series on social media in 2018, titled News in a Rush, covering politics and current events in minute-long videos aimed to make younger viewers understand certain topics. Rush volunteered for the 2018 congressional campaigns of Beto O'Rourke, Ben McAdams, Harley Rouda, and Katie Porter.

In 2019, Rush interned at the United States House of Representatives. He told Teen Vogue in an October 2019 interview that he identifies "as a Democrat, probably on the more progressive wing." Rush was a surrogate for the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. He then volunteered for Senator Ed Markey's reelection campaign, as well as interviewing several down-ballot congressional candidates. He is a panelist for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

In April 2019, it was announced he would voice the titular character in DreamWorks Animation Television series on Universal Kids, Where's Waldo?. In February 2021, Rush announced that he has started a new job as the communications director for the Utah Democratic Party.

In September 2022, Rush visited UNEP where he discussed the recent climate change and the retreat of glaciers since 1850. As of 2023, he is deputy press secretary for California state senator Toni Atkins.

Personal life Rush came out as bisexual on August 6, 2019. In February 2020, Rush opened up about his parents' divorce and his mental health issues in a Teen Vogue article. He is based between California and Utah.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2012 Parental Guidance Turner Simmons 2013 Saving Lincoln Tad Lincoln Escape from Planet Earth Young Shanker Voice role 2014 Mr. Peabody & Sherman Carl Voice role Break Point Barry 2015 Emelie Jacob Sex, Death and Bowling Eli McAllister

Television Year Title Role Notes 2009 Private Practice Will 1 episode 2009–2010 Heroes Little Sylar Recurring role, 6 episodes 2009 Medium Tanner Campbel / Boy in Banana Costume 2 episodes The Jay Leno Show Super Duper Nanny Son 1 episode Criminal Minds Ronny Downey 1 episode 2010 CSI: NY Luke Garito 1 episode Chuck Young Chuck 3 episodes 2011 Childrens Hospital Seth 1 episode 2012 House Ryan 1 episode Gravity Falls Soldier Kid 1 episode 2013 The Cleveland Show Dudley 1 episode 2014–2016 Clarence Breehn Recurring voice role, 15 episodes 2015 40's and Failing Max 4 episodes 2015–2017 Star vs. the Forces of Evil Jeremy Birnbaum Recurring voice role, 5 episodes 2015 The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar Bunga Television film Bones Bradley 1 episode 2015–2018 The Adventures of Puss in Boots Toby Main voice role 2016 The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show Wheels 1 episode 2016–2019 The Lion Guard Bunga Main voice role 2016 The Loud House Classmate No. 1 / Quarterback 2 episodes 2017–2019 Andi Mack Cyrus Goodman Main role 2019–2021 Where's Waldo? Waldo Main voice role

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2012 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Ensemble Cast Parental Guidance