Joel Smallbone

He directed the 2024 Christian drama film Unsung Hero and played the role of his father David Smallbone.

• Background — person • Name — Joel Smallbone • Birth Name — Joel David Smallbone • Born — 5 June 1984 • Birthplace — Sydney, Australia • Occupation — * Singer • actor • Genre — * Christian pop • Christian country • alternative rock • soft rock • Current Member Of — For King & Country

Smallbone was born in Wahroonga,Sydney, but moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991. He is the brother of Luke Smallbone and younger brother of Christian recording artist and speaker Rebecca St. James. Smallbone is also the brother-in-law of Jacob Fink, former bassist for the band Foster the People. Smallbone's father was a music promoter, and Joel recalls, "going to these rock concerts, sitting on my father's shoulders, plugging my ears...Honestly, in a lot of ways I feel like music chose me and as I grew older, I made a clear decision to fully lean into it."

• Illustration — Smallbone with For King & Country performing at Kingdom Bound 2015 Smallbone provided backing vocals for his sister Rebecca in addition to light operation and stage management. He collaborated with his brother Luke and in 2008 they released their first EP, A Tale of Two Towns, initially performing under the name Austoville. The group was signed to Warner Bros. Records and later changed their name to For King & Country. Smallbone began his acting career in 2013 by playing King Xerxes in The Book of Esther and as Jake Reeson in Like a Country Song. In 2016, Smallbone was cast in the leading role of James Stevens in the film Priceless. In December 2025, he was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World. Smallbone won two Grammy awards in 2014 and was nominated for another Grammy in 2016. • Illustration — Smallbone performing at Rock the Universe in Orlando, Florida in 2022

Smallbone married Christian music artist and actress Moriah Peters (known professionally as MORIAH) in 2013. Christian singer Rebecca St. James is the older sister to Smallbone and his brother Luke. Their father David is a concert promoter.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2013 — The Book of Esther — King Xerxes • 2014 — Like a Country Song — Jake Reeson • 2016 — Priceless — James Stevens • 2023 — Journey to Bethlehem — Antipater • 2024 — Unsung Hero — David Smallbone — Also director • 2026 — Young Washington — William Fairfax • Drummer Boy — Jeremiah Clem — Also director