Joshua Nisenson (born December 14, 2001),^[4][5] also known asJoshua Rush, is an American actor and political activist. He is known for playingCyrus Goodman on theDisney Channel seriesAndi Mack (2017–2019), the first openly-gay character on the network. Rush earned significant praise and media coverage for his performance, as well as aYoung Entertainer Award in 2019.

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Rush in 2017

Rush began his career as achild actor, appearing inshort films and commercials, and the seriesHeroes (2009). For his role as Turner in the feature filmParental Guidance (2012), he received twoYoung Artist Award nominations. His voice roles includes Breehn on theCartoon Network seriesClarence (2014–2016),Bunga on theDisney Junior seriesThe Lion Guard (2016–2019) and thetitular character on theDreamWorks seriesWhere's Waldo? (2019–2021).

Rush was born inHouston, Texas, to parents Adam and Beryt (née Kiselstein) Nisenson.^[6][7][8] His father is a marketing strategist as well as a marriage and family therapist and his mother is a corporate documentary producer.^[9][7][10] He isJewish.^[11] In December 2019, Rush revealed his intentions to study atNew York University'sGallatin School.^[12] However, he instead went to theUniversity of Utah, graduating in 2023 with aBachelor of Arts in Political Science.^[13]

Rush was ten months old when he first appeared in a local television special. By age 21⁄2, he had the ability to identify cars by logo and body style, and was featured on theKHOU morning news in a segment on how to raise "smart kids."^[14] Before working onHeroes, Rush appeared onPrivate Practice, and tailored several film credits, such asBlue Boy,The Journal, andMindsight. He also acted in commercials forSpace Center Houston andSafeco Insurance, and ane-card for americangreetings.com.^[15]

In 2009, Rush appeared onThe Jay Leno Show as the "Super Duper Nanny Son." The same year he also appeared onMedium as Tanner Campbel, the boy in the banana costume, and onCriminal Minds as Ronny Downey. Rush's first major television role came in 2009 when he was cast onHeroes. He playedZachary Quinto's character, Sylar, at a young age. This recurring role was part of a major plot point in season three. AfterHeroes, Rush had minor roles onParenthood,CSI: NY, andSpecial Agent Oso.

In 2010, Rush began portraying a young version ofZachary Levi's character Chuck Bartowski onChuck. In this role, he worked with such actors asScott Bakula andLinda Hamilton. Following his work onChuck, Rush did ADR work on theHallmark Channel movieNovember Christmas, and commercials forMcDonald's andGameStop. In 2012, Rush appeared as Turner Simmons in the feature filmParental Guidance, which earned him aYoung Artist Award nomination asBest Supporting Young Actor Age Ten and Under in a Feature Film.^[16]

From 2017 to 2019, he gained prominence through his role asCyrus Goodman, one of the two best friends of the title character on theDisney Channel seriesAndi Mack.^[17][18][19] Rush, who is Jewish, requestedAndi Mack creator and executive producerTerri Minsky, also Jewish, to write a bar mitzvah scene for his character, which occurs in Season 2 Episode 13, "Cyrus' Bash-Mitzvah!".^[11] Rush's performance was praised, and he is noted for having played the first gay main character on Disney Channel, and the first to have a same-sex love interest, TJ Kippen (Luke Mullen).^[20][21]

Rush also appeared as Jacob in the 2015 thriller filmEmelie. He voiced Toby inNetflix andDreamWorks Animation'sThe Adventures of Puss in Boots and Breehn onCartoon Network'sClarence. From 2016 to 2019, he voicedBunga on theDisney Junior seriesThe Lion Guard.

Rush started a weekly news series on social media in 2018, titledNews in a Rush, covering politics and current events in minute-long videos aimed to make younger viewers understand certain topics.^[22][23] Rush volunteered for the2018 congressional campaigns ofBeto O'Rourke,Ben McAdams,Harley Rouda, andKatie Porter.^[24] He served as the Under 18 Ambassador for National Absentee Ballot Day.^[25]

In 2019, Rush interned at theUnited States House of Representatives.^[26] He toldTeen Vogue in an October 2019 interview that he identifies "as a Democrat, probably on the more progressive wing."^[24] Rush was a surrogate for theBernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign.^[27] He then volunteered for SenatorEd Markey's reelection campaign, as well as interviewing several down-ballot congressional candidates.^[28] He is a panelist for theGeena Davis Institute on Gender in Media^[29] and a member of theDemocratic Socialists of America.^{[30][non-primary source needed]}

In April 2019, it was announced he would voice the titular character inDreamWorks Animation Television series onUniversal Kids,Where's Waldo?.^[31] In February 2021, Rush announced that he has started a new job as the communications director for theUtah Democratic Party.^[32]

In September 2022, Rush visitedUNEP where he discussed the recent climate change and theretreat of glaciers since 1850.^{[33][non-primary source needed][34][35]} As of 2023, he is deputy press secretary for California state senatorToni Atkins.^[1][3]

Rush came out asbisexual on August 6, 2019.^[36] In February 2020, Rush opened up about his parents' divorce and his mental health issues in aTeen Vogue article.^[37] He is based between California and Utah.^[38]

• Joshua Rush atIMDb
• News in a Rush