The Kelce family has officially entered their acting era. Weeks after Travis Kelce made his debut in episode three of Ryan Murphy’s TV series Grotesquerie, his mother, Donna, is set to appear in a pair of holiday-themed films for Hallmark.
Each of Kelce’s roles will pay homage to the cities where her sons played in the NFL—Travis as tight-end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jason as center for the Philadelphia Eagles before he retired at the end of last season. On November 22, she will appear in Christmas on Call, which according to the network centers on “the lives of first responders in Philadelphia” who “intersect over the holiday season while juggling work, personal lives, and their dedication to protect and serve their city.” Then on November 30, Kelce plays a role in Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, a film that may or may not be inspired by her younger son dating Taylor Swift. Both will premiere as part of Hallmark’s 15th annual “Countdown to Christmas” lineup.
“I can’t really say a whole heck of a lot, but I can say that it was really interesting. It’s kind of fun to see people that have been in the industry and to try to learn from them, because I’m such a novice,” the 71-year-old Kelce told Glamour of her foray into acting. “I just started. I just have been fortunate because people know who I am. I know where this is coming from. I know they’re interested because of who my children are and who they know, and I just take it with a grain of salt. But it was really fun.”
Travis Kelce “pleasantly surprised” costar Niecy Nash-Betts with his performance as a flirtatious orderly named Eddie on Grotesquerie. But that doesn’t mean he imparted any wisdom about acting to his mother. “We really didn’t talk about it,” the athlete recently told People. “I don’t think I’m far enough in my acting career to be out giving advice. She’s a star though, so she knows what to do.”
The NFL player, who has hosted Saturday Night Live and is also host of the new game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, did reach out to Donna after she was cast in her debut films. “I was so excited when I heard that she had a role in the Chiefs Hallmark movie,” Travis recalled. “I shot her a text saying, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re a movie star now! Did you ever think growing up in East side of Cleveland that you were going to end up being in the movies one day?’”
