Joel Smallbone, the For King & County music star, who shares the stage with brother Luke, stars in the new faith-based movie Unsung Hero. Not only is the Lionsgate movie based on his family’s true-life adventures, but many of his family members were involved in the film as well. The movie is a tale about the Smallbone family and the father that led them from an uncertain future to, well, where the family is today. Joel plays the role of David Smallbone, his father. Meanwhile, young actor Diesel La Torraca plays a younger version of Joel. It must be a surreal experience to play the role of one’s father while another actor is playing the role of you.

For Joel, Unsung Hero has been a passion project for the singer/actor. Not only does he star in the movie, but he also serves as an executive producer, he co-wrote the script and co-directed the thing with Richard L. Ramsey. And he’s not alone. Many others of his family have been involved in the making of the film as well. Sisters Rebecca and Libby appear in the movie, brother Luke is an executive producer and momma Helen no doubt shared her two cents in the story telling as well. Ben, another brother, isn’t involved in THIS film, but he’s directed a number of other movies including directing Joel’s acting debut.

Joel’s first time in front of the camera for was for the short film, Taken where he played opposite Ben’s new bride Paige Smallbone. The six-minute mini movie was created, from start to finish, in just two days as an entry for the 48 Hour Film Festival in 2006. Inspired by Joel and Luke’s song of the same name, the Radiate Films movie won a number of awards at the festival including Most Inspirational Filmmaking, Best Art Direction, Audience Award, Best Musical Score, Best Editing, Best Romance and two honorable mentions for directing and cinematography. Joel appears in every scene with little to no dialogue, but his voice is featured prominently narrating the story about the struggles of a young married couple.

It took another seven years before Joel would take part is a full-length movie. He appeared in 2013’s The Book of Esther where he played Xerxes. In 2014, Joel starred alongside Billy Ray Cyrus in Like a Country Song. Not bad for someone from “down under.” In 2016, he co-wrote and played the lead role in Priceless which was also directed by Ben. The story of Priceless was inspired by true events regarding human trafficking. It won the Dove Award for Inspirational Film of the Year. And just last Christmas, Joel got the chance to play alongside Antonio Banderas for holiday nativity movie, Journey to Bethlehem.

Joel was just seven years old when his father, David moved the family to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991. He and his brother Luke were the youngest of seven siblings in the Smallbone family. (Their mother, Helen, was pregnant with the next sibling.) Up until that point, David, had been a successful music promoter in Sydney, Australia but things took a turn for the worst and his music company collapsed. Searching for a brighter future, David took a job in the states, but it wasn’t an easy fix. Finding work was difficult and the family struggled to make ends meet. For the kids, it was a culture shock. For David, he felt like he let his family down.

Press materials for the movie describe Helen as being one whose faith was tested as she tried to inspire her husband. But while the two of them were putting their own dreams on hold, they began to notice that their children had their own musical talents.

Joel’s older sister, Rebecca (now Rebecca St. James) actually began her musical career in 1990 at the age of 12 when she opened for Christian music artist Carman during his Australian tour. Soon after, she recorded her first independent album shortly before the big move. Although it took some time, Rebecca signed on to a major record label, ForeFront Records in 1993. Years later, Joel and Luke did background vocals for her music before they got their big break releasing their first EP, A Tale of Two Towns in 2008 (where St. James co-wrote one of the songs).

Years before Joel’s acting career, Rebecca got the acting bug appearing in 2000’s Left Behind: The Movie which was followed by a string of other faith-based films, here most recent being 2020’s We Three Kings. For Unsung Hero, she has a cameo role playing a flight attendant. Her younger sister, Libby also appears in a small role.

Unsung Hero was produced by Kingdom Story Company who have been getting quite the reputation for making quality faith-based movies including the recent release Ordinary Angels which stars Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson. Other successful movies from Kingdom Story include Jesus Revolution, I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, I Still Believe and the documentaries Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon and The Jesus Music. This winter the studio will be releasing a new version of the comedy, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

In addition to Joel, Unsung Hero also stars Daisy Betts, Jonathan Jackson, Lucas Black, Candace Cameron Bure, Terry O’Quinn and Rachel Hendrix. And here’s a fun fact, Don Most, the guy who once played Ralph Malph on Happy Days, is in the film too!

Main Image: Lionsgate