Joshua Nisenson (born December 14, 2001),[4][5] also known as Joshua Rush, is an American actor and political activist. He is known for playing Cyrus Goodman on the Disney Channel series Andi Mack (2017–2019), the first openly-gay character on the network. Rush earned significant praise and media coverage for his performance, as well as a Young Entertainer Award in 2019.
Rush was born in Houston, 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 is Jewish.[11] In December 2019, Rush revealed his intentions to study at New York University's Gallatin School.[12] However, he instead went to the University of Utah, graduating in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.[13]
Career
Early work (2001–2009)
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 the KHOU morning news in a segment on how to raise "smart kids."[14] 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.[15]
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.
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.[17][18][19] 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!".[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 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.[22][23] Rush volunteered for the 2018 congressional campaigns of Beto O'Rourke, Ben McAdams, Harley Rouda, and Katie Porter.[24] He served as the Under 18 Ambassador for National Absentee Ballot Day.[25]
Rush came out as bisexual on August 6, 2019.[36] In February 2020, Rush opened up about his parents' divorce and his mental health issues in a Teen Vogue article.[37] He is based between California and Utah.[38]
