The Reluctant Vampire is coming to BBC One and it stars Lenny Rush as Val, a young ‘vampire’ leading a double life.
Teen actor Lenny Rush has opened up about confronting his health condition as he leads a new BBC comedy series.
The Reluctant Vampire launches on BBC One on Sunday, October 4, and the comedy series is an adaptation of the beloved book series of the same name by Eric Morecambe. BAFTA winner Lenny Rush plays Val, who finds out he is not a vampire after all, and starts living a double life as he grapples with his human side.
Actor Rush rose to fame starring in the Daisy May Cooper comedy Am I Being Unreasonable?, for which he won a BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance. He went on to star in the award-winning spy drama Slow Horses and has also recently been cast as Dobby in the upcoming Harry Potter series for HBO.
The 17-year-old star was born in Essex and has a medical condition called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita which affects his growth, resulting in dwarfism. In a bold response to questions about how his on-screen appearance has impacted the families of other disabled children, he told The Metro in 2022 that he was proud to be representing the disabled community.
He shared: “I’m proud because you don’t, it’s a shame, but you don’t see many [disabled actors]. It is getting better, it’s getting better and better. But yeah, I mean it’s sort of it’s still quite rare to see in my opinion, so I’m proud to be representing them and hopefully it brings more people in.”
He also expressed how vital it was to see parents of children with disabilities to see him on screen, adding: “When I was younger, things seemed way worse than they were. So, I think it’s good for mums as well, if they’ve got any kids with a disability, and it seems like the worst, you know they’ll be able to see people like me and feel they will get out of it and it will be good.”
Earlier in 2019, he appeared on Good Morning Britain to share a similar message, saying: “I think disability or not, I think anyone can play a role. I think it’s good for people with disabilities to have the same opportunities that other people do, because why not?”
Despite the producers of Am I Being Unreasonable? not initially looking for a child with a disability, Lenny’s showstopping audition landed him the starring role. Throughout his work, he continues to champion disabled artists.
He wrapped filming for the series in July this year, and shared a touching tribute on social media, along with some behind-the-scenes photos, saying: “Today was my last ever day playing Ollie in Am I Being Unreasonable? I’m officially wrapped! It was bittersweet. It really hit me today how much I am going to miss being part of something so special.
“I feel so lucky to have been surrounded by the best people. I’m going to miss every single person in front/behind the camera. I’m forever thankful to Daisy and Selin for having me on board their mad series, and trusting me with playing Ollie, it’s why I’ve been given so many other amazing opportunities.”
The star is certainly not letting his condition hold him back in any aspect of his life, as in August this year, he announced on Instagram he had passed his driving test. Celebrities flocked to the comments to congratulate him, including the likes of Katie Piper and Gaby Roslin.
Lenny was born to parents Lisa and Steve Rush. Lisa was a dental nurse, but gave up her job when Lenny was born, as his condition meant he was kept in hospital for four months, while Steve has a kitchen design business.
The Reluctant Vampire airs on BBC One on Sunday, October 4 at 6.40pm
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