Houston will always be home to Joshua Rush
Joshua Rush, currently starring on the Disney Channel series “Andi Mack,” left Houston when he was just 6 years old. But the young actor still has lots of love for the city.
“Houston’s always been my home and it always will be,” Rush, 15, says. “I come back almost twice a year now.”
Those trips might become increasingly difficult with Rush’s increasing star wattage. “Andi Mack” is one of the year’s buzziest new shows for kids. The titular character, played by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, discovers in the first episode that her big sister is actually her mother. Rush plays one of Andi’s best friends.
The show is written by Terri Minsky, who created tween classic “Lizzie McGuire.” The series premiere earned 14 million viewers across linear and digital platforms, including a healthy 9 million for its TV debut.
Rush also is an in-demand voice actor, lending his distinct tone to “The Lion Guard,” “The Loud House,” “The Adventures of Puss in Boots” and “Clarence.” He talked about his work, his voice and his favorite local eats.
Q: What’s the reaction been like since the “Andi Mack” premiere?
A: It’s been pretty incredible. And just looking at the social media and everything that we’ve seen, it’s been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve gone up from a little over 10,000 (Instagram) followers before the show premiered to over 28,000. It’s been pretty insane. I jumped from 10,000 to 15,000 in two days.
Q: Are there similarities between you and Cyrus, your character on the show?
A: I feel really connected with Cyrus in a lot of ways. He’s very quirky. He’s a loyal friend. He’s just kind of a lot of fun to be around. The kind of triumvirate that we form on the show — Buffy is very hotheaded, Cyrus is very cool, Andi is somewhere in the middle and generally makes the better decision of the three. I think that’s a really cool format for the friendship.
Q: What do you miss about Houston?
A: There’s not a single Whataburger in the western United States. People who aren’t from here don’t understand the connection. I have to do the spicy ketchup. With jalapeños and bacon. I don’t take it vanilla.
Q: What are the keys to great voiceover work? It has to be more than just getting in the studio and talking.
A: It’s a little more complex than that. When you’re acting in front of a camera, you can really give all of your emotions with your eyes so the camera can see it. When you’re in VO, you can’t do that at all. It’s a lot tougher because you have to convey this emotion, and you have to have a lot of trust in the animators. Luckily, I’ve been able to work with animators at DreamWorks and Disney Junior and Cartoon Network who really know what they’re doing.
Q: Who’s your favorite character to date?
A: I think Bunga from “The Lion Guard” is really the one that’s proliferated the most. I have stuffed animals right next to my bed of Bunga. I can press parts of him, and he’ll make sounds in my voice. And I think that’s pretty weird.
Q: Do you get recognized for your voice?
A: Mostly at the Disney Store. I like to go to the Disney Store and look at all the Bunga-related products. It really excites me. Right now we have a hoodie with Bunga on it. I don’t fit in it. But it hasn’t stopped me from trying.
Q: Any funny stories from working with Bette Midler and Billy Crystal on the 2012 film “Parental Guidance?”
A: I used to have a prepared answer for that once, and I don’t anymore. They just span generations. Everyone from my generation to my grandparents loves Billy Crystal and Bette Midleri and Marisa Tomei. They’re just incredible actors.