For many 12-year-olds, life consists of school, sports and playtime. But for one Aurora boy, life took a much more cinematic turn.

Jeremiah Daniels is widely praised for his debut role in “Color Book,” a feature film that premiered at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival in June. The film will also screen at the Denver Film Festival in early November.

The heartfelt drama tells the story of a single father who navigates the challenges of raising his son who has Down syndrome following the death of his wife. The film was praised for its sensitive and authentic portrayal of children with disabilities. Jeremiah plays the role of Mason, the boy at the center of the story.

“I love playing Mason,” Jeremiah joked during a recent interview with Colorado Matters host Chandra Thomas Whitfield.

Courtesy of Nikolaus Summerer

The story of how this young actor found himself on the silver screen is a mixture of luck, perseverance and a touch of Hollywood magic. Before the recent red carpet events and movie premiere, Jeremiah had been living a quiet life in Aurora with his parents, Joi and Terrance Daniels. The couple said watching a commercial on TV set off a series of events that would change their lives forever.

“I remember sitting on the couch watching TV,” Terrance recalled. “There was an ad and there was a little kid with Down syndrome in it. I turned to Joi and said, “We don’t see very many African-American children with Down syndrome in commercials or in TV roles.” Little did we know that this was the beginning of something incredible.”

Soon after, they came across a casting opportunity and sent Jeremiah’s picture.

“We were scrambling to get all the information they needed,” Joi recalled with a laugh. “But we sent it and the next thing we know, they wanted Jeremiah to audition on Zoom.”

The Zoom audition was a family affair, with Joi directing and coaching Jeremiah as he read lines for the cast.

“We practiced together and when it came time for the live audition, Jeremiah nailed it,” Terrance recalled. “It felt magical.”

Joi describes the process as something “out of a movie” in itself.

“You don’t imagine sitting at home, doing auditions, and that lead to something this big. It still feels surreal.”

Chandra Thomas Whitfield/CPR News

The next step in their journey took them to Atlanta for an in-person “chemistry reading” with Will Catlett, the actor who plays 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’s like they’ve known each other forever.”

While enjoying a family dinner in Atlanta a few hours after the audition, the Daniels got the call they’d been waiting for—Jeremiah had been cast.

“Of course I missed the call,” Joi recalled with a laugh. “So I called (director) David Fortune back, and he didn’t immediately say that Jeremiah had been cast, but once he said it, oh my God, it was all I could do just to give my keep calm in this restaurant. Then it was like, “Okay, we need you guys to stay and we’ll shoot 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 her clothes for the extended stay, while Jeremiah and Terrance stayed behind to begin filming.

Courtesy of Nikolaus Summerer

Courtesy of Terrance and Joi Daniels

Ieremia quickly came to life on set with a debut teacher to help him keep up with his schoolwork between shoots.

“It was like he was a celebrity,” Joi said. “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 take advantage of 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.”

Courtesy of Terrance and Joi Daniels

Courtesy of Foster Lewis

In writing the film, Fortune said he originally set out to capture the rarely seen story of a positive relationship between a black father and son, but after speaking with a number of people in his personal circle of friends with children with special needs, eventually 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 children with special needs) is very vast and no one experience equates to another,” he said. “And you learn that yes, while there may be challenges in raising a child who has Down syndrome, there is also a beauty and a joy in not looking at their child as someone who has Down syndrome. They look at their child as, ‘This is 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 movie, they said Jeremiah’s journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. They faced early difficulties in finding suitable special education programs for Jeremiah, especially after the transition from All About Learning, a private preschool in Denver, to a public school.

“There weren’t many schools equipped to deal with students with Down syndrome,” explained Terrance. “It took us a few tries, but we finally found one that really understood how to support children with different abilities.”

With the right support, Jeremiah flourished. His elementary school teachers helped him not only academically, but also with his self-esteem.

“They loved him and challenged him, and Jeremiah rose to the occasion,” Joi said.

Courtesy of Nikolaus Summerer

With the success of The Color Book, the future looks bright for Jeremiah. When asked if he would like to continue playing, he gave a resounding “Yes!” enthusiastic! His parents are excited to see where his career might take him, while staying grounded in the present.

“We’re just going with the flow, taking every opportunity as it comes,” Terrance said.

Joi added: “It (was) an opportunity for the world to see that anything is possible; from birth, we were told all the things he couldn’t do,” she said with tears in her eyes. “And I said, ‘Oh, okay.’ And we went on and trusted God through it all and we’re here and (seeing) all the things He can do. Sometimes it’s a little slower, but he gets it and we’re getting there. And we just encourage him and raise him as we raise others. No difference. I just want other parents to know; don’t limit your child.”

As for Jeremiah, he’s back at school and already a celebrity on campus.

“He’s signing autographs at school now,” Joi said with a chuckle.

Chandra Thomas Whitfield/CPR News

The Daniels agree with their son; they hope that “The Color Book” is just the beginning of a successful acting career.

“This movie opened up so many possibilities for Jeremiah and we’re excited to see where it takes him,” said Joi. “But no matter what happens, we know it will continue to touch people wherever it goes.”

“The coloring book” will screen at the Denver Film Festival on November 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Some 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 purchase tickets, visit Denver Film website.