JOSH SEGARRA
Photo by Ryan Jerome @ryan_jerome Grooming by Jessica Chu @jessicachumua Writing by Adrienne Strand
He certainly isn’t an actor who sticks to one lane — he goes in all of them. As a child he wanted to be a professional wrestler, but a refusal to play Jesus and a burning desire to depict the Devil in church plays led American actor Josh Segarra to pursue a different plan. The former Arrow cast member is now a father of three and ready for his new appearance in ‘Scream VI.’
How did you get into acting?
It all started with church plays. I never wanted to play Jesus. I always wanted to play the Devil. It seemed like the more interesting part. My first production in children’s community theatre was “The Wizard of Oz” and I played the cowardly Lion. I still sing, “If I… was the king… of the forrrrreeest” in the shower. It remains one of my favorite parts I’ve ever played.
We most recently saw you in Marvel Studios ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ where you did an amazing job as attorney Pug. What was your experience like working on this show?
Working on ‘SHE HULK’ was a dream. I grew up as a big wrestling and Ninja Turtles fan. They were my superheroes as a kid. I didn’t get into comics until college. But now, I’m an avid comic book reader. I started collecting them when I worked on the television series ‘ARROW.’ I’ve now got every She Hulk that is in print. I also have a nice little collection of She Hulk action figures. Pug is a collector. And I’m a collector.
You have appeared in both action, comedy, horror films and even Broadway productions. Which one is your favorite and why?
I love doing it all. My favorite part of what I do is that I get to live in someone else’s skin for a while. I get to bring them to life. What makes each character tick. What makes them laugh. What makes them cry. With Giorgio in ‘BIG DOOR PRIZE,’ he’s a very layered cat. Figuratively and literally. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. He’s got a giant heart, only to be matched by his confidence. And I get to play a New York Ranger!! How friggin’ cool is that. Go RANGERS! Let’s go!
Can you tell us more about your upcoming appearance as David in ‘Scream VI?’
I wish I could tell you everything. But I’m pretty sure Ghostface would slash my throat if I uttered even a word. I’ll say this, to be in the same company as Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Liev Schreiber…. I’m geeking out.
What does punk symbolize to you? Have you ever had a punk phase?
Punk is being yourself. Punk is finding what rings true to you and being whole heartedly content in that. Growing up, I had some special people around me to remind me that I was enough. That I was perfect just the way I was. And to them, I’ll forever be grateful. Mom, Dad, brother, sister, teachers, friends. They know who they are. And I love the crap out of them. Now it’s my wife and my three boys. They make me Punk.
Would you rather play the villain or the hero?
Villains think they’re the hero. So I always play the hero.
What are your personal goals for 2023?
My wife Brace just gave birth to our third son. His big brothers are hilariously obsessed with him. They laugh so hard when he cries. My oldest is working on getting his next Tae Kwan Do belt. My middle guy is so funny and dying to do anything his big brother does. When I was kid, I didn’t even know to dream this big. I’m a lucky cat. Whatever 2023 brings, we’ll be ready for it.