Honestly, if you hear the name Billy Bush, your mind probably goes straight to a very specific, very loud scandal from 2016 involving a bus and a future president. It’s the elephant in the room. But if you look at the actual list of billy bush movies and tv shows, there’s a weirdly diverse career there that goes way beyond the red carpet interviews. Most people think of him as just a guy with a microphone on Access Hollywood, but he’s actually popped up in some of the biggest blockbusters of the last twenty years.
Did you know he was in a Disney Oscar-winner? Or a cult-classic comedy about a rock star? He’s not exactly Meryl Streep, but his filmography is a fascinating time capsule of "peak 2000s" entertainment culture.
The Unexpected Cameos: When Billy Bush Hit the Big Screen
When a TV host moves into movies, they usually play themselves. It’s easy. It’s meta. It works. Billy has leaned into this "playing Billy Bush" trope a few times, but he’s also stepped into actual characters that might surprise you.
Big Hero 6 (2014)
This is the one that catches people off guard. In the high-tech, heart-wrenching world of San Fransokyo, there is a news broadcast. That voice? That's Billy Bush. He provided the voice for the Newscaster. It’s a small role, but being part of a Disney animated feature that cleared over $600 million is a solid notch on the belt. It's the kind of credit that stays on a resume forever because kids are still watching that movie on repeat today.
Get Him to the Greek (2010)
In this Jonah Hill and Russell Brand spin-off from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Billy does what he does best: he’s the high-energy entertainment reporter. He appears as himself, and while it's a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, it adds to the frantic, celebrity-saturated reality the movie was trying to parody. He also popped up in the original Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), though his role there was similarly brief.
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Furry Vengeance (2010)
This one is... a choice. If you haven’t seen this Brendan Fraser "animals vs. humans" comedy, you aren't alone. It wasn't exactly a critical darling. However, Billy didn't just play himself here. He actually played a character: the Drill Sergeant. It was a departure from the suit and tie, showing he was willing to get a little goofy for a paycheck.
The Stepford Wives (2004)
Way back during the height of his Access Hollywood fame, Billy appeared in the Nicole Kidman remake of this classic thriller. He and Meredith Vieira both had cameos as hosts of fictional game shows. It was a clever way to use real-life TV personalities to make the creepy, "perfect" world of Stepford feel more authentic to the viewers.
The TV Years: Beyond Access Hollywood
While the movies are fun trivia, the real meat of the billy bush movies and tv shows catalog is on the small screen. Most of us grew up seeing him on Access Hollywood from 2001 to 2016. He wasn't just a reporter; he was the face of the show.
He had this specific, frat-boy energy that either really worked for you or really didn't.
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But he did more than just interview George Clooney.
- Let's Make a Deal (2003): He hosted a short-lived prime-time version of this classic. It didn't stick, but it showed NBC was trying to turn him into their next big star.
- Grease: You're the One That I Want! (2007): He hosted this reality competition to find the next Danny and Sandy for Broadway.
- Miss Universe & Miss USA: Between 2003 and 2009, he was the go-to host for these pageants. It’s a high-pressure gig, and he did it multiple times alongside stars like Daisy Fuentes and Nancy O'Dell.
- 30 Rock & Donny!: He’s made guest appearances on scripted shows, often poking fun at his own public persona.
The "Billy Green Bush" Confusion
Here is a pro-tip for anyone digging through IMDb: Don’t confuse Billy Bush with Billy "Green" Bush.
They are two very different people. Billy Green Bush is a legendary character actor who appeared in Five Easy Pieces, Critters, and MASH*. If you see a credit for a 1970s western or a 1980s horror flick, that’s the older Billy. Our Billy Bush (William Hall Bush) is the one from the talk shows.
The younger Billy is actually part of the Bush political dynasty—he’s the nephew of George H.W. Bush. That connection always gave his TV career a bit of an "insider" feel, for better or worse.
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The 2016 Gap and the Comeback
We can't talk about his TV career without mentioning the three-year "blackout." After the 2016 tape leak, he was scrubbed from the Today show and essentially vanished from the industry. For a few years, there were no new billy bush movies and tv shows.
That changed in 2019 when he joined Extra (later rebranded as Extra Extra). He took over as the main host, replacing Mario Lopez. It was a polarizing move at the time, but he’s managed to hold onto that seat for years now. He’s leaned into a slightly more "weathered" persona—still high energy, but with the perspective of someone who’s been through the Hollywood wringer.
Summary of Major Credits
- Big Hero 6 (2014) – Voice of Newscaster
- Get Him to the Greek (2010) – Himself
- Furry Vengeance (2010) – Drill Sergeant
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) – Himself
- The Stepford Wives (2004) – Game Show Host
- Extra (2019–Present) – Host
- Access Hollywood (2001–2016) – Host/Correspondent
- The Today Show (2016) – Co-host (Third Hour)
What to Watch if You’re Curious
If you want to see Billy at the peak of his "Hollywood Insider" era, go back and watch clips of his red carpet coverage from the mid-2000s. Whether it was the Golden Globes or the Oscars, that was where he thrived. He had a way of getting celebrities to drop their guard—sometimes too much, as history eventually showed.
For a more modern look, his work on Extra shows how he’s adapted to the post-scandal world. He's much more self-deprecating now.
The next step is to check out his voice work in Big Hero 6. It’s honestly the most "normal" role in his entire career and a reminder that behind the tabloid headlines, the guy actually has a pretty decent range when he's not just holding a microphone.