Written By: Jayme Face
Clue 1: He’s musical.
Clue 2: He’s one of the first Filipino-American children’s show hosts.
Clue 3: He has a “Blue” sidekick.
You guessed it, it’s Josh from Blue’s Clues and You!
Photo Credit: James Jin
upfrontNY: What was it like filling Steve’s shoes on Blue’s Clues
Josh Dela Cruz: It’s a surreal feeling because I did watch the show with my younger sister. She was three or four at the time and I was seven so the show was not made for me, but whenever we would sleep over my aunt’s house (she had cable) we would always watch Nickelodeon. In the mornings, we would always watch Blue’s Clues. I remember laughing and singing with my sister. I remember vividly Steve drawing a paper cup that clue -a circle two lines and a line at the bottom. Fast forward to my first day on set and drawing my first clue and it’s a cup! I remember thinking ‘wow that’s crazy!’ I will never, never understand how I came to be here because it’s not something that I sought out to do. I never thought that I would be on television as a TV actor or in the movies. I went to school to be a musical theatre performer and that was where I thought I would make it for a whole slew of reasons. But you know it is a dream. I don’t know when I’m going to wake up especially after having met Steve Burns (Steve) and Donovan Patton who played Joe, his brother. We get along so well, we’re like brothers, we’re like cousins just like in the show. I still don’t understand what is happening because it’s turned out to be one of the most fulfilling and wonderful jobs that I have ever had or probably will ever have because we’re trying to help kids. That’s all that I’ve ever wanted to do was use the gifts and skills that I’ve picked up along the way to do something good.
upfrontNY: There was an episode where your Lola came to make Babingka. What was it like being able to show a part of your heritage on the show?
Josh Dela Cruz: You know time after time I am constantly surprised by how much care they are taking in making sure that people at home are feeling seen. Growing up I never felt like I was seen. It wasn’t until I was watching Star Wars Force Awakens seeing Asian actors just being, not being Asian, just being. I remember thinking to myself ‘Wow! This is the first time I’ve truly felt like I was included in this world that I wasn’t watching someone else’s story, like this is my story as well. This is an imaginary story that I can participate in. As Asian Americans and as Asians all over the world we’re living in an amazing time right now because we are finally being seen and being heard in the main stream world which is a huge vehicle for change as far as storytelling. I’m so excited for the Green Knight starring Dev Patel. I’m so excited for the American story Minari about a family of immigrants that are trying to make it in America just like my family did when they first immigrated here, when we first immigrated here. So, to be able to share something so specific to my culture and to my life means so much to me on screen that’s one of the best compliments that I could ever get. One of the most special things I can receive as far as texts on my phone from a friend or a friend of friend will send me a text and say my kid just pointed to the screen and said he looks like me. That is something I never really experienced growing up especially in a way I identified with. I saw people on screen that looked like me, but they were being made fun of or the villain or just background so it’s really really special. It’s especially great because I get to share it with such an amazing actor, Carolyn Fe. She’s incredible. We’ve been together on set maybe five days in total and you know we’re like family. I’m just really happy and blessed that she is a part of this journey with us. It’s amazing anytime you feel like you are seen and celebrated. There’s no better feeling especially when you come from an immigrant background because sometimes all you want to be is invisible, so you can fit in and blend in at the beginning; that’s how it was for me in the beginning.
upfrontNY: Can you tell us a little bit about what it is like breaking into the industry as one of the first Filipino- American children show hosts? Does it come with a certain responsibility or pressure?
Josh Dela Cruz: Absolutely. I think anytime to represent the Filipino people it comes with responsibility and pressure, but as far as the show there’s also that responsibility and pressure to be a role model. It’s something that I worry about because I play Josh on the show, but I’m a hundred percent a human being. As time went on I realized that this is probably the best thing for me because I do have a temper, sometimes I do get frustrated, and I am very, very stubborn, but because of this show and knowing the responsibility of that I do find myself breathing more. I do see myself trying to take a more understanding point of view. And that has helped me immensely as Josh the person. So, it is a responsibility, but it is a good responsibility to have especially because the outcome is helping kids at the end of the day.
upfrontNY: With the show, do you get recognized by kids now when you go out? How does that go?
Josh Dela Cruz: Oh, you know what it’s mostly by the parents which is so funny. Whenever kids know that it’s me I get varying reactions from like super excited and they want to play or they’ll shoot me with this side-eye like what are you doing out here. It’s always fun whenever parents look at me and they’re like oh you’re that guy. It’s always a positive experience and it’s so wonderful to know that families are enjoying our show. Hopefully they keep enjoying our show because we’ve got big things coming.
upfrontNY: Have you been to the Philippines since all of this?
Josh Dela Cruz: No. Oh my gosh, the last time I was in the Philippines was in high school. We were actually making plans for us to be in the Philippines for the show last June/July, but after everything with the Pandemic that put a wrench in our travel wheel so hopefully once we’re on the other side of this we can go back to the Philippines in a big way and really enjoy it and celebrate the show with the Filipino people and go back home.
upfrontNY: Can you tell us about American Morning?
Josh Dela Cruz: I’m so excited because American Morning is a show written by Timothy Huang, who is a composer based in New York. When I got to the city as a young actor all I wanted to do was work on a Timothy Huang show. First of all, he’s of Chinese descent so it’s one of those things like there aren’t usually Asian shows written by Asian people they’re almost always written by someone not Asian and it was always a story that was set in the past; Asians only existed in a historical context in some sort of struggle. I was so excited when I found out that there was an Asian writer writing amazing music and writing contemporary stuff. When I finally got to work with him on American Morning we were doing a two-week workshop at Playwrights Horizons in New York. I was so honored to be in the building of Playwrights Horizons and to be on the show with Timothy and with the cast. It’s about two cab drivers who emigrate from China. They share one cab; one person takes the morning shift and the other person takes the night shift. It’s essentially the American story of the immigrant story from two different perspectives. One comes incredibly hopeful and one comes more or less cynical. It shows where they meet in the middle and the rise and fall in the two of them and how their interpretation of the American dream kind of changes the way that they perceive each other and the way that they perceive life and take things for granted. It’s an incredible story. It’s an American tragedy at the end of the day, but it’s juxtaposed with this amazing upbeat contemporary score, this rock score that’s produced by Alexander Sage Oyen. He is another composer that I just worked with. You can stream American Morning on Spotify, on Apple music, on all streaming platforms. I’m just so excited for people to hear this studio cast recording of the show. Hopefully we’ll be able to do it in a larger venue when we’re on the other side of this, but I’m so grateful this is coming out. It was the last thing I recorded with people in a room before the pandemic shut down. There are two other albums that I am really really pumped about that we recorded in quarantine, but this I love this show.
upfrontNY: Do you see yourself going in a musical direction as well?
Josh Dela Cruz: Yeah, I would like to do it all. What’s amazing about this show is that it’s put me in contact with so many different parts of the business because we have composers and sound engineers. I’m in the booth more than I’ve ever been. I’m so fascinated by that and because we’re on film I get to ask the crew and our D.O.P., our first A.D., directors, and writers questions. I’m interested in all of it. Currently I’m working with three of my dearest friends, one of them is my brother in law, we’re working on three singles that hopefully we will be releasing soon. They are covers of Gregory Porter who is an artist that I completely admire and love. Alexander Sage Oyen, who produced American Morning the soundtrack, he came out with his album Discount Ghost Stories based on a musical that he wrote. It’s another studio cast album. I’m singing a song with Kristen Anderson, a Broadway performer. I’m so excited for people to hear it. It’s a folk musical. It’s fantastic. Again, you can stream that on all platforms. Ranked is another musical that I worked on with Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes, the writers of the show, where we were actually able to record the single in quarantine. What’s special about this was I was able to perform with my wife Amanda, who is also an actor, but we very rarely ever get the chance to perform together. You can stream that song; it’s called Come Up for Air and you can stream it on all streaming platforms. There’s a music video that we shot by ourselves at our apartment in quarantine that is also out. Streaming profits for Ranked, for Come Up for Air 50 percent are going to the Covenant House, which is a great organization that helps the homeless youth all over the country.
upfrontNY: Since you and your wife are both actors do you practice scenes together or prepare for auditions or keep it separate?
Josh Dela Cruz: It’s so funny because a lot of people say never marry another actor and we could not disagree more. She is my support. I love her dearly and I would not be here without her. We support each other and right now she’s actually getting her MBA in business administration because she just got off of Broadway doing Jersey Boys. She is such an incredible mind that she decided to get an MBA as well. If there is any way I can support her I will. I look over her shoulder while she’s doing homework and I just shake my head and I’m like yeah I don’t understand. Anytime that we get the chance to perform like we recorded this while she was in between her coursework so it was an awesome project that we will have forever. We’re really, really happy with the result.
upfrontNY: Being upfrontNY we have to ask what is something you love about New York or someplace you love to go?
Josh Dela Cruz: Oh, gosh, everywhere! We were actually just talking about neighborhoods that we love: the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side. The thing that I have been really craving there is a restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen on I believe 53rd and 9th called Bocca. They have some of the best food ever. Because Amanda and I are vegan, it’s always a little bit of a struggle to find food close to us that we are addicted to and Bocca is it. If you have a chance to go, if they are doing curb side or they are doing delivery do yourself a favor and get it because it is just perfect.
upfrontNY: Is there anything you would like to let our readers know?
Josh Dela Cruz: If you can check out Ranked the musical it’s on Spotify. Our single Come Up for Air is on Spotify as well. American Morning is streaming on all platforms and Discount Ghost Stories is streaming on all platforms as well. I’m singing with Kristen Anderson and it’s incredible. I hope everyone can check it out and hopefully more to come!
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