After becoming the face of microdramas, Joseph Purcell is reflecting on how much his acting career has changed.
“[When His Nerd blew up], it didn’t really feel like I was the face of microdramas. Nothing had changed in my real life,” Joseph, 27, who is the son of actor Dominic Purcell, exclusively tells Us. “But the momentum of the microdramas coming out and some of them being successful on the internet allowed me to have bigger auditions that I wasn’t getting.”
Joseph’s work on microdramas at CandyJar — including His Nerd and Falling for My Bodyguard — “changed a bit” of his trajectory. After his scene-stealing performances on Inkitt’s streaming app, Joseph isn’t walking away from microdramas any time soon.
“They work with me and try to find the script that best suits me. The last two scripts I’ve done have been my favorite that I’ve done so far,” he says. “It’s definitely a case-by-case thing, but plot and character are definitely the driving forces that helped me decide what to do.”
Joseph’s newest project is Haunted, a 40-episode short-form vertical series that follows a high school student who can secretly see and talk to ghosts. Joseph plays Cade, a fellow student who becomes a prime murder suspect because his father is a notorious serial killer.
“I got a chance to develop the character of Cade very specifically,” he tells Us. “And it didn’t feel as much of a horror to me. I really felt with Cade that I loved creating his backstory. That one just meant a lot to me personally. I treated it more seriously.”
Looking ahead, Joseph isn’t opposed to working both in front of and behind the camera. “I wanted to be a writer first and I still write,” he says. “I haven’t produced anything [yet].”
When it comes to his budding career, Joseph is grateful for the support he has received from his family. Stepmom Tish Cyrus, who married Dominic in 2023, is also playing a big role in the young actor’s life.
“The support from my family is great. I love them all. They’re so good. And Tish is also managing me,” Joseph tells Us. “It’s great to have someone that you can really trust that’s on your team. She knows what is best for you and her intentions are pure.”
Haunted is now streaming on CandyJar.
