A young boy is found dead on an idyllic beach and a major police investigation gets underway.
While it may sound like the scene of a horrible tragedy, for a Penticton actor it could be one of the best things that ever happened to him. Nikolas Filipovic is playing the deceased 12-year-old boy Danny in Gracepoint, a soon to be aired TV-series on Fox based on Broadchurch, the U.K.’s critically acclaimed and wildly popular crime drama.
“It is a little different than the original series and it branches out after the first episode. It’s pretty cool because it isn’t your average mystery show where they try and find the killer. It is about the town and has great characters. It revolves about how they all deal with my character being dead,” said 15-year-old Filipovic.
The crime takes place in a northern California seaside town and is deemed a homicide. It turns neighbour against 
neighbour and sparks a media frenzy, which not only throws the boy’s family into further turmoil but also threatens to upend the lives of all the town’s residents.
Filipovic’s was discovered at a Kelowna talent search. He landed a gig at just five years old on a Fisher Price Learn Through Music TV commercial and since then he was hooked.
Even at such a tender age, Filipovic was already hamming it up for whoever would pay attention.
“He used to pretend he was Milo from the Atlantis cartoon. If we had to go shopping or anything I would have to bend down to his eye level and say ‘OK, Nikolas now you have to be a little boy.’ Just so he would not pretend there was monsters around that he had to fight,” said his mom, Danica.
Filming for Gracepoint got underway in January in Victoria, and is expected to air for the 2014-2015 TV season.
The series features a number of prominent actors including the original Broadchurch lead actor David Tennant (Dr. Who) who reprises his role as Detective Emmett Carver, a by-the-book cop who just arrived in Gracepoint to fill a high position in the town’s police force. That job previously had been promised to Detective Ellie Miller, played by Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), who, in light of the tragedy, must put any resentment aside and work the case with her prickly new boss.
Danny is survived by his grieving parents Beth, played by Virginia Kull (Boardwalk Empire), and Mark Solano, played by Michael Peña (End of Watch), who are devastated by the loss of their son. The entire town of Gracepoint is pulled into the chaos of the investigation, including Jack Reinhold, played by Nick Nolte (Luck), a private and stubborn man who Danny used to volunteer for.
The show also stars Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook), Kevin Rankin (Justified), Kendrick Sampson (The Vampire Diaries), Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl) and many others.
“It is so cool getting to hang out with them. We talk about acting and fans. David Tennant met this woman who had a giant tattoo of him on her shoulder. It was crazy,” said Filipovic.
This isn’t the first time Filipovic has been on a television set. He worked with Noah Wyle on Falling Skies as the character Markley, appeared in Fringe in 2010, and has been in two TV movies. He takes performance classes regularly in Penticton with Acting Classes by Jacqueline.
“I just want to act a lot. I’m not into the Hollywood star thing but I love acting,” he said.
Besides regular trips to Vancouver to audition, Filipovic said he is just like any other kid.
“My friends think it is cool, but they like to poke fun of me about it too,” he said. “I get to meet famous people and have met new friends from all over the place. The whole thing is just a lot of fun.”
