Kids
Meet Josh dela Cruz, Blue’s Clues Friend on Television
Josh dela Cruz puts his spin as the beloved host alongside Blue on television
If you’re one of those parents whose kids have watched Blue’s Clues through the years then you would know that it has a new host in the person of Filipino-American actor Josh dela Cruz in its revival. Josh, who stars in Blue’s Clues and You produced by Nickelodeon first started his career in theater. Since then, he has appeared in other productions and roles on television.
Let’s get to know more about Josh and how his role on the show has played a vital role in inclusivity on US television.
Josh was picked among 3,000 actors who auditioned for the part
In a 2019 Build interview, Josh talked about auditioning and being picked among 3,000 actors.
“They sent me this video that Nickelodeon put out saying that the search for the next Blue’s Clues host looked over 3,000. Oh my gosh, and I was like oh,” he said after finding out about the details.
Josh was also asked about working with the previous hosts’ Steve Burns and Donovan Patton, who appeared in an episode. Watch the clip to know more about it.
Josh’s other passion is photography
If Josh is not busy with his acting and hosting gigs, he takes beautiful photographs. He would often share his snaps on his Instagram and on his website.
Josh on showing Filipino culture in Blue’s Clues
During an interview with CNN Philippines in 2021, Josh excitedly shared about incorporating Filipino culture in an episode of the show. In that particular episode, he got to introduce his grandmother and classic Filipino food.
“This special episode means so much to me because we get to share a piece of our culture,” he said. ” We get to share Philippine cuisine think like going back to my childhood. My lola made biko and my mom taught me how to make biko.”
In the episode, Josh and his lola meet up. They also showed everyone in making baked bibingka.
Josh dela Cruz on being the first Asian-American host of the show and promoting inclusivity
In the same CNN Philippines 2021 interview, Josh was asked about his feelings about becoming the first Asian-American to host the show.
“It’s crazy! I watched the show with my little sister and I remembered sitting on my tita’s pink rug because she had cable and we didn’t,” he said. “Whenever we would come and sleepover and watch us, we would watch Nickelodeonall night and watch Blue’s Clues for my little sister when she was growing up. So the show is huge for me.”
Josh dela Cruz also mentioned that his cousins would learn to speak English properly thanks to the show.
“To be able to be in this role because of what I brought to the table not just simply because of my ethnicity, but because of the skills that I have is so important. And what’s even more important now that I am here, is that how do we celebrate you and share you.”
He also spoke about the responsibility and importance of his role as an Asian-American host during his 2019 Build interview.
“When I was growing up, I never really saw myself on screen in the way that I could connect with me,” he said. ” There were few moments of my life that I would say oh man that person is really doing it. I connect with them.”
“My friends, the kids of their friends, they shoot me texts and they were like ‘hey, my kid would say hey he looks like me!” And like oh man, that hits me like a ton of bricks just because I never got to experience that.”
Josh’s words of wisdom
Although he was in theater, he never thought of television he said.
“But looking back, I hope whoever you are whether you are an Asian-American, whatever you like or identify with just because you don’t see yourself there, don’t shut yourself off with the things that you love, you never know. If you really love it, you’re going to work hard and if you work hard and you’re kind to everyone and you’re prepared for the opportunity that intersects that moment with your life, whose going to say that you are not that person that’s going to open that door.”
Now that Josh is on television hosting Blue’s Clues and You, his moment just shows that the Filipino can make it on the international stage.
You can catch Blue’s Clues and You on Nickelodeon and the show’s YouTube page
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