Diary of a Future President is impressing Disney+ subscribers everywhere. The show tells the story of Elena – in the present and the future. Twelve-year-old Elena is a Cuban-American girl navigating the ups and downs of middle school. Elena dreams of becoming president of the United States, and writes her experiences in her diary. The show flashes forward to the future, where Elena lives her dream of becoming president! She lives with her older brother, Bobby, portrayed by Charlie Bushnell. YEM spoke with Charlie about being a young, up and coming actor. And what’s it’s like to star in Diary of a Future President!
Photo Credit: Emma Mead @theemmaexperience
Young Entertainment Mag: With your father a musician and your uncle an actor, you come from a very gifted artistic family. Were you in some way influenced to take up acting by growing up around them?
Charlie Bushnell: I do have a very creative family! When I was little I didn’t even realize that my parents were “working” because they loved their jobs so much. I love watching my dad perform on stage because he always seems like he’s just having so much fun! My parents didn’t force me into acting, but when you grow up in a family of artists, that rubs off on you. Especially when you see how passionate they are about their work. So yes, I would say that definitely influenced me.
YEM: Gina Rodriguez is an executive producer of Diary of a Future President and directed the first episode. What was it like working with her?
Charlie: Gina is the best! She is the kindest, most generous person you could ever wish to work with. I remember when I met her for the first time, she immediately made me feel comfortable and confident and I learned so much just from watching her work. Being on set with Gina was always a blast!
YEM: Diary of a Future President centers on a female, Cuban American character becoming a future president. How do you think kids watching Diary of a Future President will be impacted by this representation?
Charlie: Representation is key! I think it’s super important for kids and teens (everyone!) to see characters they can relate to…who look like them.. achieving amazing things. I hope our show will inspire and empower people to stand up for good and follow their dreams. No..chase their dreams! And to be proud of who they are. As Gina always says..”you do you!”
YEM: Bobby recently began dating his very first girlfriend and exploring new areas of adolescence. In what ways do these milestones affect Bobby’s character?
Charlie: Well, in this season, Bobby is in eighth grade, so he feels like he’s king of the castle. He’s captain of the tennis team, has a cool group of friends, and I think having a girlfriend gave him even more of an ego boost – haha. Especially considering that it’s “Monyca-with-a-y”, who’s beautiful, smart, and the cool girl in school. But like most teens, Bobby’s still figuring stuff out.
YEM: Bobby is growing up in a family of strong women. What does he think of his mother and sister’s accomplishments? Is he happy to have another father-figure in Sam, his mother’s boyfriend, to look up to?
Charlie: Well, I think Bobby’s pretty preoccupied with his friends and “Monyca-with-a-y” most of the time, but I think that he’s extremely proud of Gabi and Elena. He may not show it all the time but he loves his family deeply, and is super proud of them. And yes, Bobby loves having Sam around. He thinks Sam is pretty chill, and they have some really nice moments this season.
YEM: The show has a mischievous streak of humor to it, from paying for burgers in pennies to trying on bras in an undergarment store. What was your favorite funny scene from the show?
Charlie: There are so many moments that are lol hilarious in the show, like when the boys are trying to figure out what Miami second base is, or the dream sequence in episode 4 after Elena accidentally stole the bra, but I really love Elena’s storyline in episode 7 where she’s trying to become an eighth grader to impress Joey. When Tess (who plays Elena) was observing the eighth grade girls in their natural habitat while doing a voiceover in a British accent like David Attenborough, I was laughing so hard!
YEM: We know Elena wants to be president in the future. What do you think Bobby wants to do when he grows up?
Charlie: Well, right now Bobby is super into tennis, so I think he could have a bright future as a tennis player. He likes to keep things chill, so I don’t think Bobby would want to go down the same path as his sister… but you never know!
YEM: Other than Diary of a Future President, what is your favorite show or movie to watch on Disney+?
Charlie: Disney+ is coming out with some amazing movies and shows! I’ve watched HSMTMTS, which was so good! I’ve watched Timmy Failure, which is a super fun movie! I’m watching Shop Class right now, which is really interesting and cool! And I’m a huge Star Wars fan so I’ve watched the Mandalorian and every Friday I love watching new episodes of The Clone Wars Season 7!
A new episode of Diary of a Future President is available today on Disney+!
