Youngstown’s Joshua Triplett Has Key Role in New Film

Joshua Triplett has built an impressive acting résumé that includes recurring or guest roles on several television series, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Raven’s Home,” “The Rookie” and “The Neighborhood.”

The Youngstown native has also appeared in about 150 national commercials, including six that were shown during a Super Bowl telecast.

But Triplett’s career will reach a new high next month when the film “Forty-Seven Days With Jesus” is released.

Triplett has one of the lead roles in the faith-based movie, which will be screened March 11, 12 and 14 in at least 900 theaters nationwide. It’s his first principal role in a nationally released film.

He plays the apostle Peter in the drama, which is set in the modern day but has an inner story in Biblical times.

“This could be my breakout role,” Triplett said in a phone interview. “This movie is a really big deal for all of us, and it’s grown into something bigger than what we ever imagined.”

Locally, “Forty-Seven Days” will be screened at Cinemark Tinseltown in Boardman.

Triplett, a graduate of Rayen High School, will attend the premiere in Los Angeles and then come to Tinseltown on March 14, where he will greet attendees. Tickets are on sale now at fortysevendaysfilm.com and the Tinseltown box office.

“I’ve got to do this at home with my friends and family, and old teachers and church members,” he said.

The 36-year-old actor got his start as a member of The Youngstown Connection, the song and dance troupe that selects the area’s best high school talent.

An after-party is also being planned at a nearby venue, after the movie.

Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown will present Triplett with a key to the city that day.

“Forty-Seven Days With Jesus” tells the story of a disconnected family that finds hope and unity through a retelling of Jesus’ last days on Earth.

The narrative goes back and forth between the present and the time of Christ, as one family member tells the story of Jesus to the grandchildren.

Triplett can be seen several times in the film’s official trailer, walking with Jesus.

The cast also includes Yoshi Barrigas and Catherine Lidstone, both of The CW series “The Chosen,” as the mother and father of the modern-day family.

Jonathan Byram plays Jesus.

Emelio Palame and David Gutel are the co-writers and co-directors.

Kristen Brancaccio, producer, said the family-friendly film connects with people who are facing the pressures of modern life.

“The movie radiates hope,” she said in a press release. “The family is very relatable. They’re dealing with health problems. They’re putting work first and they’re just so disconnected from one another. It’s a gentle, nonjudgmental reminder to step back and reevaluate what really matters.”

The movie was financed entirely by Rolland Jacks of California, who is the executive producer and also gets a co-writer credit. No Hollywood insider, Jacks simply wants to spread the gospel and the Easter message.

The buzz surrounding “Forty-Seven Days With Jesus” started small but has taken on a life of its own.

The number of screens it will be on keeps growing, and the producers are hoping it will be held over beyond its three-day run, Triplett said.

The CW’s “The Chosen,” a powerhouse of faith-based entertainment that is set during the life of Jesus, is currently being shown in serial format in movie theaters. Each screening is preceded by the trailer for “Forty-Seven Days,” which has helped the movie reach its audience, Triplett said.

Filming of the movie took place on the same Texas property where “The Chosen” is shot. “It was built to be Biblical-era scenery,” Triplett said.

Shooting “Forty-Seven Days” has been a highlight of Triplett’s career, but one scene stands out the most.

“Being able to walk on water with Jesus was one of the most memorable scenes I’ve ever shot,” he said.

The film’s soundtrack is a major part of its appeal and sets it apart from others in its genre.

“It’s not being advertised that way, but it is – in part – a musical,” Triplett said. “Music is a big part of it. I’m also a singer and a musician, and I am able to sing, dance and act in this film.”

The dialog-driven musical segments are woven into the film’s plot. Triplett explained it in a unique way.

“Imagine that ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘The Passion of The Christ’ had a baby and it became a family movie,” he said. “It’s a PG movie, but you get the realness of ‘The Passion of the Christ’ with the musical element of ‘Superstar,’ without it being overly cheesy or in your face. They kept it very grounded.”

Triplett has been entertaining people since he was a child. After graduating high school, he attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. While in that city, he appeared in national theater tours and Off-Broadway productions, and also appeared in the film “I Am Legend” and the TV series “30 Rock,” “Ugly Betty,” “Law & Order SVU” and “Lipstick Jungle.”

He later moved to Los Angeles, where his TV commercial work includes Super Bowl ads for Google, e-trade, Bud Light and GMC trucks, among others.

But he’s not the only member of his family making a name in show business.

His daughter, Jaidyn Triplett, 13, had the key role of Millicent in Nickelodeon’s reboot of the “iCarly” series for three seasons before it was canceled.

Jaidyn will next be seen in the feature film “Hauntology,” which is slated for release later this year. It’s a horror film that was shot in Columbus, Ohio, and other locations.

Like her father, Jaidyn is also a singer. She is recording an album that will be released later this year.

Pictured at top: Joshua Triplett plays the apostle Peter in a scene from “Forty-Seven Days With Jesus.”

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