Joseph Ashton (actor)

Joseph Ashton Valencia (born November 18, 1986) is an American former film actor and voice actor.

Personal life
Ashton was born in California; both of his parents have Cherokee ancestors. He is a graduate of the University of La Verne, where he majored in TV and radio broadcasting. He starred in The Little Rascals, The Education of Little Tree and a remake of Where the Red Fern Grows.

Career
Joseph Ashton is an award-winning actor in television and films. Joseph's voice is immediately recognized as the lead character 'Oswald "Otto" Rocket' on Nickelodeon's popular animated series Rocket Power. Joseph was on the series for 4 seasons and has been nominated twice for a Young Artist Award for his voice-over work. Joseph has lent his voice to other animated projects including Hey Arnold, Whatever Happened to Robot Jones and the animated films Babes in Toyland and Tarzan. Other voice work includes recording an audio book for Christian Day Parenting.

Joseph first appeared before the camera as an infant in a national McDonald's commercial and has worked steadily ever since. He had a regular role on the award-winning CBS drama LA Doctors and was nominated for a Young Artist Award. His guest-starring roles on television series include ER, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Walker, Texas Ranger, Martial Law, Cracker and Smart Guy. He reprised his role as the voice of Otto Rocket in the television movie Rocket Power: Race Across New Zealand for Nickelodeon. He appeared in Asylum as Young Tordone on HBO and the NBC mini series Blind Faith based on the #1 national bestseller authored by Joe McGinniss.

On the big screen, Joseph had the starring role of 'Sonny', in Slappy and the Stinkers and won a Young Artist Award for best performance in a feature film. Joseph's compelling performance of the title character, Little Tree in the critically acclaimed The Education of Little Tree earned him another Young Artist Award. Roger Ebert gave Joseph a hearty two thumbs up for playing the half-Cherokee orphan calling him "fresh and natural." The Boston Phoenix lauded him as "adorable and energetic."

Other film credits include The Little Rascals and Where The Red Fern Grows which recently premiered to rave reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival. Joseph Ashton has won a Crystal Heart Award, multiple Young Artist Awards, and numerous Native American in Film Awards, including the ICE Horizon Award, during his career.

Ashton's film debut was in the 1994 remake of The Little Rascals. He appeared in many television productions throughout the 1990s, and notably starred in the title role of the 1997 film, The Education of Little Tree, a well-reviewed low-budget film about a 1930s-era boy discovering his Native American heritage. Ashton has twice won the Young Artist Award.

Ashton is the English language voice of Oswald "Otto" Rocket on Nickelodeon's Rocket Power cartoon series, and also appeared in Walt Disney Productions' direct-to-video 2003 remake of Where the Red Fern Grows, playing the main character, "Billy Coleman".

Ashton has teamed up with EndlessEntertainment Co., and produces his own films.

In 2010, Ashton was specially thanked in this short film Wrong Night Stand.