For many 12-year-olds, life consists of school, sports and playtime. But for one Aurora boy, life has taken a decidedly more cinematic turn.
Jeremiah Daniels is being widely lauded for his breakout debut role in "Color Book," a feature film that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City in June. The movie will also be screened at the Denver Film Festival in early November.
The heartfelt drama tells the story of a single father navigating the challenges of raising his son who has Down syndrome, following the death of his wife. The film has been praised for its sensitive and genuine portrayal of children with disabilities. Jeremiah plays Mason, the boy at the heart of the story.
“I like playing Mason,” quipped Jeremiah, during a recent interview with Colorado Matters Host Chandra Thomas Whitfield.
The story of how this budding young actor found himself on the silver screen is a mix of chance, perseverance, and a touch of Hollywood magic. Before the recent red carpet and film premiere events, Jeremiah had lived a quiet life in Aurora with his parents, Joi and Terrance Daniels. The couple said watching a commercial on television sparked a series of events that would change their lives forever.
“I remember we were just sitting on the couch watching TV,” recalled Terrance. “There was a commercial, and in it, there was a young child with Down syndrome. I turned to Joi and said, ‘We don’t see very many African-American kids with Down syndrome in commercials or TV roles.’ Little did we know, that was the beginning of something incredible.”
Shortly after, they came upon a casting opportunity and submitted Jeremiah’s picture.
“We were scrambling to get all the information they needed,” remembered Joi, with a laugh. “But we sent it in, and the next thing we know, they wanted Jeremiah to audition over Zoom.”
The Zoom audition was a family affair, with Joi directing and coaching Jeremiah as he read lines for the casting team.
“We practiced together and when it was time for the live audition, Jeremiah nailed it,” Terrance recalled. “It felt magical.”
Joi describes the process as something “out of a movie” itself.
“You don’t imagine sitting at home, auditioning and it leading to something as big as this. It still feels surreal.”
The next step in their journey took them to Atlanta for an in-person “chemistry read” with Will Catlett, the actor portraying Mason’s father in the film.
“From the moment they met, the chemistry between Jeremiah and Will was just beautiful,” Joi said, reflecting on the experience. “It was like they’d known each other forever.”
While enjoying a family dinner in Atlanta hours after the audition, the Daniels received the call they had been waiting for — Jeremiah had been selected for the role.
"Naturally I missed the call,” remembered Joi with a laugh. “So I called [director} David Fortune back and he didn't immediately say that Jeremiah was selected, but once he said it, oh my goodness, it was everything I could do to just keep my composure in this restaurant. Then it was like, ‘Okay, well we need you guys to stay and we'll be filming on Monday.’”
Instantly the Daniels found themselves living in an Airbnb in Atlanta, preparing Jeremiah for his debut role in "Color Book." Joi flew back to Colorado to pack clothes for the extended stay, while Jeremiah and Terrance stayed behind to begin filming.
Jeremiah took to life on set quickly, with an onset teacher to help him keep up with schoolwork between takes.
“It was like he was a celebrity,” said Joi. “His teacher even wanted his autograph! The love and support he received from everyone on set was just incredible.”
David Fortune, the writer and director of "Color Book," said he has deep admiration for Jeremiah and his family.
“Hearing their story and how they took a leap of faith to pursue this opportunity is incredibly moving,” Fortune said. He praised Jeremiah’s dedication to the project. “Despite being out of his comfort zone, Jeremiah showed up every day and delivered. His professionalism and joy lit up the set.”
In writing the film, Fortune said he initially set out to capture the rarely-seen story of a positive Black father and son relationship, but after speaking with a number of people in his personal circle of friends with special-needs children, ultimately decided the film could fill a much-needed void, by highlighting their experiences as parents raising children like Jeremiah.
“So you learn that one, the spectrum [of special needs children] is very vast and not one experience equates to another,” he said. “And you learn that yes, while there might be challenges raising a child who has Down syndrome, there's also a beauty and a joy to it because they're not looking at their child as someone who has Down syndrome. They're looking at their child as ‘That's just my child’ and I wanted to make sure that was reflected in the film.”
The Daniels can relate. Despite the excitement of being in a film, they said Jeremiah’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. They faced early struggles finding adequate special education programs for Jeremiah, especially after transitioning from All About Learning, a private daycare in Denver to a public school.
“There weren’t many schools equipped to handle students with Down syndrome,” Terrance explained. “It took us a few tries, but we eventually found one that truly understood how to support children with different abilities.”
With the right support, Jeremiah flourished. His teachers in elementary school helped him not only academically, but also in terms of self-esteem.
“They loved him and challenged him and Jeremiah rose to the occasion,” said Joi.
With the success of "Color Book," the future seems to be looking bright for Jeremiah. When asked if he’d like to continue acting, he gave an enthusiastic “Yes!” His parents are excited to see where his career might lead, while also staying grounded in the present.
“We’re just going with the flow, taking each opportunity as it comes,” said Terrance.
Added Joi: “It's [been] an opportunity for the world to see that anything is possible; from birth, we were told all the things that he couldn't do,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “And we said, ‘Oh, okay.’ And we went on and trusted God through everything and we're here and [seeing] all the things that he can do. Sometimes it's a little slower, but he gets it and we get there. And we just encourage him and raise him like we raise the others. No difference. I just want other parents to know; don't limit your child.”
As for Jeremiah, he’s back in school and already something of a celebrity on campus.
“He’s signing autographs at school now,” Joi said, giggling.
The Daniels agree with their son; they hope "Color Book" is just the beginning of a successful acting career.
“This film has opened up so many possibilities for Jeremiah and we’re excited to see where it takes him,” Joi said. “But no matter what happens, we know he’ll continue to touch people wherever he goes.”
"Color Book" will be screened at the Denver Film Festival on November 2, 3 and 4. Some of the screenings will be followed by a post-film Q&A with director David Fortune, actors Jeremiah Daniels and Will Catlett and producer Kristen Uno. For more information and to buy tickets, visit Denver Film's website.
