Rodney Rush is an actor, musician and producer who is best known for his popular role as Combo in Breaking Bad, alongside Bryan Cranston as Walter White and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman. The character of Christian Ortega – nicknamed as Combo – was so well-loved that fans were beyond distraught at his death. The death of Combo, however, was integral to developing the plot of the other lead characters, and not only did Rush leave his mark on the characters but an indelible mark on the cast and audience too, with Aaron Paul growing to be a particular friend. Rush was not originally meant to portray Combo, and had never acted before, but when participating as an extra he impressed the producers of the show with his calm acting approach that they decided to expand his character; a testament to Rush and his unique skill.
Rush has since gone on to star in movies such as Bad Buddha, and is also a dedicated producer and musician. Rush owns his own record label named Five Star records, where he works on graphics, sound engineering and the marketing for his own company – he considers himself an architect of creativity, and is always looking for a new challenge. Although Rush creates mainly hip-hop music, he has experience in other musical genres.
Rush’s most recent project is acting in Cadillac Respect, directed and written by Christopher Michale Dailey. The project explores the mental health of a boss in charge of an Italian crime syndicate, and how that interacts with his romantic love. The short is set to be tense and thrilling, with Rush having the perfect environment to showcase the gritty acting that made him so adored in his iconic role of Combo in Breaking Bad.