# Joshua Rush
**Joshua Rush** (born Joshua Nisenson, 2001, in Houston, Texas) is an American actor and political activist best known for playing Cyrus Goodman on the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) series *[Andi Mack](https://www.edgepedia.org/andi-mack)* (2017–2019), the first openly gay main character on the network, and for voicing Bunga on Disney Junior's *The Lion Guard*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2001, Houston, Texas; full name Joshua Nisenson[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/) |
| Signature role | Cyrus Goodman on *Andi Mack*, 57 episodes, 2017–2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/) |
| Milestone | Cyrus Goodman was the first main character on Disney Channel to come out as gay; Rush was the first actor on the network to play an openly gay character[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/how-joshua-rush-found-out-his-andi-mack-character-was-coming-out/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/) |
| Voice roles | Bunga on *The Lion Guard* (2016–2019, 74 episodes); Waldo on *Where's Waldo?* (2019–2021); Toby on *The Adventures of Puss in Boots*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/) |
| Award | Young Entertainer Award, 2019, Best Young Ensemble in a Television Series, shared with the *Andi Mack* cast[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/awards/) |
| Personal | Came out as bisexual in August 2019[5](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/joshua-rush-teen-actor-politics) |
| Second career | Democratic communications strategist; intern on Beto O'Rourke's 2018 Senate campaign; Communications Director for the Texas House Democratic Caucus since January 2025[6](https://joshuaru.sh/) |
## Early life and child acting
Rush was born in Houston, Texas, and raised in a Reform Jewish family with roots in Poland and [Lithuania](https://www.edgepedia.org/lithuania).[7](https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/231931/jewish-actor-joshua-rush-plays-disney-channels-first-gay-jewish-teen/) His mother worked as a corporate video producer; noticing that he liked being in front of the camera, his parents arranged an agent and an acting coach in Houston.[8](https://www.filmfad.com/exclusive-joshua-rush-talks-break-point-and-j-k-simmons/) • [9](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/) The family moved to Los Angeles, initially for what Rush described as a three-month trip that kept extending, to support his career.[9](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/)
He began working as a baby model and child actor, appearing in short films, commercials, and print work before his first major television role: a young version of [Zachary Quinto](https://www.edgepedia.org/zachary-quinto)'s character Sylar on the NBC series *Heroes*, a recurring part across six episodes in 2009–2010 that was tied to a plot point in the show's third season.[10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush) Guest appearances followed on series including *Criminal Minds*, *Bones*, *Medium*, *CSI: NY*, *House*, *Private Practice*, and *Chuck*, where he played Young Chuck Bartowski.[11](https://www.metacritic.com/person/joshua-rush/) • [10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush) In film, he played Turner Simmons in *Parental Guidance* (2012) alongside [Billy Crystal](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-crystal) and [Bette Midler](https://www.edgepedia.org/bette-midler), a role that earned him two Young Artist Award nominations, and appeared in the horror thriller *Emelie* and the sports comedy *Break Point*.[10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/awards/) • [12](https://occhimagazine.com/actor-joshua-rush-talks-andi-mack/)
## Voice acting
Voice work formed a large part of Rush's early career. He voiced Breehn on [Cartoon Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/cartoon-network)'s *Clarence*, Jeremy Birnbaum on Disney's *Star vs. the Forces of Evil*, and Toby on Netflix's *The Adventures of Puss in Boots*.[12](https://occhimagazine.com/actor-joshua-rush-talks-andi-mack/) • [10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush) His most substantial voice role was Bunga, the honey badger adopted nephew of [Timon and Pumbaa](https://www.edgepedia.org/timon-and-pumbaa), on Disney Junior's *The Lion Guard*, which he voiced for 74 episodes from 2016 to 2019; he later voiced the title character on DreamWorks' *Where's Waldo?*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/) • [10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush)
## Andi Mack and Cyrus Goodman
*Andi Mack*, created and executive produced by Terri Minsky, the writer behind *Lizzie McGuire*, premiered on Disney Channel in 2017.[13](https://behindthelensonline.net/site/interviews/joshuarushandimack/) Rush won the role of Cyrus Goodman, one of the title character's two best friends, after four rounds of auditions; unusually for a Disney project, he received the full script at his first audition and arrived with a sheet of questions for Minsky.[14](https://www.bsckids.com/2017/03/joshua-rush-from-andi-mack-interview/) • [13](https://behindthelensonline.net/site/interviews/joshuarushandimack/) He appeared as Cyrus in 57 episodes over the show's three seasons.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/)
**A first for the network.** In October 2017, the series revealed that Cyrus had a crush on his male friend Jonah Beck, making him the first main character on Disney Channel to have a coming-out story; in a later episode Cyrus stated plainly that he is gay.[3](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/how-joshua-rush-found-out-his-andi-mack-character-was-coming-out/) • [15](https://instinctmagazine.com/this-disney-channel-character-came-out-by-saying-im-gay/) Rush said he was proud to play the role and hoped viewers would see their own stories validated in it.[16](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/disney-channel-star-joshua-rush-proud-play-gay/story?id=54666243) He publicly answered one viewer who complained that a gay character set a poor example, writing that gay kids exist whether critics like it or not and that no child should feel alone.[17](https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/02/20/andi-mack-joshua-rush-complaint-gay-character/2/)
The character's Jewish identity also broke ground: in the episode "Cyrus' Bash-Mitzvah!", the series staged Disney Channel's first depiction of a bar mitzvah.[7](https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/231931/jewish-actor-joshua-rush-plays-disney-channels-first-gay-jewish-teen/) Rush had held his own bar mitzvah at Kibbutz Gezer in Israel, live-streamed to family in the United States, and on the show he recited part of the same Torah portion while wearing the tallit from his real ceremony.[7](https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/231931/jewish-actor-joshua-rush-plays-disney-channels-first-gay-jewish-teen/) • [18](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/jewish-stars-a-conversation-with-joshua-rush)
*Andi Mack* ended in mid-2019.[9](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/) In August of that year, Rush came out as bisexual, announcing it in a tweet without informing his publicist or manager in advance.[5](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/joshua-rush-teen-actor-politics)
## Politics and advocacy
Rush described his political awakening as watching election-night coverage in 2012, and he became more involved after the 2016 election.[5](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/joshua-rush-teen-actor-politics) While still on *Andi Mack*, he hosted **News in a Rush**, a weekly Instagram breakdown of current affairs for younger viewers that covered topics from US politics to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[9](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/) In 2018 he volunteered for the congressional campaigns of [Beto O'Rourke](https://www.edgepedia.org/beto-orourke) in Texas, Ben McAdams in Utah, and Harley Rouda, Katie Hill, and [Katie Porter](https://www.edgepedia.org/katie-porter) in California, then spent part of 2019 interning for two members of Congress on [Capitol Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/capitol-hill).[5](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/joshua-rush-teen-actor-politics)
After the show ended he moved fully into political work. His own account describes field organizing for [Ben McAdams](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-mcadams)' 2020 campaign, becoming at age 19 the communications director of the [Utah Democratic Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/utah-democratic-party), and leading Democratic outreach for [Evan McMullin](https://www.edgepedia.org/evan-mcmullin)'s 2022 Senate campaign in Utah, followed by roles including deputy press secretary to California Senate leader Toni Atkins and campaign manager for Natasha Marcus's 2024 North Carolina insurance commissioner race.[6](https://joshuaru.sh/) Since January 2025 he has served as Communications Director for the Texas House Democratic Caucus, a role in which he led communications during the chamber's 2025 redistricting quorum break.[6](https://joshuaru.sh/)
His advocacy has continued alongside politics. He has spoken in support of LGBTQ+ youth, attributing part of his own coming out to the experience of playing Cyrus, and has campaigned on climate issues.[9](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/) • [19](https://jmfdr.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/the-tragedy-of-andi-mack/)
## References
1. [Joshua Rush – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/)
2. [Joshua Rush – Criminal Minds Wiki](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush)
3. [How Joshua Rush Found Out His 'Andi Mack' Character Was Coming Out, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/how-joshua-rush-found-out-his-andi-mack-character-was-coming-out/)
4. [Joshua Rush – Awards – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019095/awards/)
5. [Joshua Rush Thinks a Lot More Celebrities Should Get Political, Teen Vogue](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/joshua-rush-teen-actor-politics)
6. [Joshua Rush – Communications Operative & Creative](https://joshuaru.sh/)
7. [Jewish Actor Joshua Rush Plays Disney Channel's First Gay, Jewish Teen, The Jewish Journal](https://jewishjournal.com/culture/arts/231931/jewish-actor-joshua-rush-plays-disney-channels-first-gay-jewish-teen/)
8. [Exclusive: Joshua Rush talks Break Point and J.K. Simmons, Film Fad](https://www.filmfad.com/exclusive-joshua-rush-talks-break-point-and-j-k-simmons/)
9. [Why Joshua Rush Advocates for the LGBTQIA+ Community, Mission](https://www.missionmag.org/joshua-rush-disney-andi-mack-lgtbq-interview/)
10. [Joshua Rush – Criminal Minds Wiki (filmography)](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Joshua_Rush)
11. [Joshua Rush – Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/joshua-rush/)
12. [Actor Joshua Rush Talks Andi Mack, Occhi Magazine](https://occhimagazine.com/actor-joshua-rush-talks-andi-mack/)
13. [Joshua Rush brings his inimitable style to Disney Channel's "Andi Mack", Behind The Lens Online](https://behindthelensonline.net/site/interviews/joshuarushandimack/)
14. [Joshua Rush Talks About What Makes Andi Mack Different, BSCkids](https://www.bsckids.com/2017/03/joshua-rush-from-andi-mack-interview/)
15. [This Disney Channel Character Came Out By Saying "I'm Gay", Instinct Magazine](https://instinctmagazine.com/this-disney-channel-character-came-out-by-saying-im-gay/)
16. [Disney Channel star Joshua Rush says he's 'really proud' to play a gay character on 'Andi Mack', ABC News](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/disney-channel-star-joshua-rush-proud-play-gay/story?id=54666243)
17. [Andi Mack star Joshua Rush shuts down complaint over gay character, PinkNews](https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/02/20/andi-mack-joshua-rush-complaint-gay-character/2/)
18. [Jewish Stars: A Conversation with Joshua Rush, Tablet Magazine](https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/jewish-stars-a-conversation-with-joshua-rush)
19. [The Tragedy of Andi Mack, José Manuel Flores](https://jmfdr.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/the-tragedy-of-andi-mack/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Ro to R*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license