Rush Hour

There’s Beyoncé, Alexis Bledel, Hillary Duff and myriad other Houston luminaries, and now young star Joshua Rush, 15, is ready to join the lineup. With a role in the 2012 family comedy Parental Guidance and his starring spot in Disney Channel’s newest sitcom, Andi Mack, Rush is really taking off. “[Parental Guidance] is the one, to this day, that everyone recognizes me for,” Rush says. “But Andi Mack, so far, has had the biggest [impact] on my life.”

Born in Houston, Rush moved to Los Angeles at the age of 6 on a three-month stint after his mother, a video producer, noticed his talent in front of the camera. Houston acting coach Mari Ferguson also suggested the move to Tinseltown. “Our three-month stint hasn’t really ended,” Rush notes. After the move, he landed roles in feature films and TV series like Chuck, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, House and Private Practice. Eventually, his success brought him an audition with Disney Channel’s Terri Minsky—creator of the iconic Lizzie McGuire series—for the role of Andi’s best friend, Cyrus. “[At the audition], I pulled out a long paper with questions I had about the character because I wanted to portray him right,” Rush says. “I think that set me apart.”

Rush’s days now consist of nine hours on set, 30-minute lunch breaks and three hours of school in 20-minute blocks. “I want to go to a good college [like Yale] and study political science,” he says. “I’m fascinated by the government and how one can make a difference in people’s lives.” With the lack of a dull minute, the young whiz’s favorite pastimes involve watching the news and reading the paper. “We had a subscription to Modern Luxury’s Houston until about a year ago, and we visit about once or twice a year. I still feel like I have a lot of roots in Houston.”

RUSH'S HOTS
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, breakfast burritos, reading the news, plaid sports jackets

RUSH'S NOTS
Bullies, Twitter tech support pages, emails stuck in your outbox, pink Lyft mustaches on cars