Donna Kelce To Star In New Hallmark Holiday Romantic Comedy
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on July 14, 2024 at 2:00 PM EDT
From the football field to the television screen -- Donna Kelce, mother of NFL stars Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, is set to appear in Hallmark's "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story."
As The Blast previously reported, the network announced 40 new films would spread joy as part of Hallmark's annual Countdown to Christmas. In addition, a new streaming service, Hallmark+, will launch which will give exclusive access to special Hallmark experiences and events.
One of those films will tell the story of a Kansas City Chiefs superfan and will star America's football mom, Donna Kelce!
Hallmark's 'Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story'
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"Holiday Touchdown" features Diedrich Bader ("American Housewife," "Office Space"), Megyn Price ("The Ranch," "Rules of Engagement"), Richard Riehle ("Barry," "Office Space"), and Christine Ebersole ("Bob Hearts Abishola," "The Kominsky Method").
In addition to Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and players Trey Smith, Mecole Hardman Jr., Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and George Karlaftis, Travis and Jason's mom, Donna Kelce, will star in the film.
“Donna Kelce is off the bleachers and in the game, joining the cast of Hallmark’s Countdown To Christmas movie, Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” Hallmark said in a statement, per Us Weekly. “Kelce will play Donna, the manager of the Kansas City BBQ Restaurant Norma & Nic’s.”
It is unclear if Travis Kelce or Jason Kelce will make cameos, but additional casting will be announced later.
Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Love Story
The new Hallmark film comes after the romance between Chiefs star Travis Kelce and pop icon Taylor Swift took over Hollywood.
The two first sparked romance rumors after they were spotted together following an NFL game last year, creating buzz among fans and media. Ever since, they have been seen going out to dinner, spending quality time with friends and family, and attending each other's big events.
“They have so much fun together, and it just works,” a source close to the couple recently told People Magazine. “It’s funny to their friends because, at first, everyone wondered what they had in common, but you realize how similar they are. They both wear their hearts on their sleeves and are all-in with everything they do, whether it’s with career, family or friends.”
Travis And Taylor Are 'Proud' Of One Another
For her TIME Magazine 2023 Person of the Year profile, Taylor Swift spoke out about her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.
“When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there, and we don’t care," she told the outlet last year. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other."
What Else Does Hallmark Have In Store?
At the TCA Summer Press Tour on July 11, Hallmark thrilled fans by announcing that Jonathan Bennett will host their new reality competition series, "Finding Mr. Christmas."
Ten aspiring actors will compete with to claim the title of Mr. Christmas and secure a starring role in one of this year's Countdown to Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.
"There are two types of people in the world. There are people that watch Hallmark movies and then there are liars," Bennett said, per People Magazine. "The idea for Finding Mr. Christmas ... was sparked out of something that's really happening in real life where people want to join the network, they want to be part of the family because they see how successful the brand is and how much people love the brand and they want to be in on the party."
"And so we thought, why not make a journey that people can watch on TV?" he continued.
What Is Hallmark+?
Alongside the new reality series, Hallmark plans to release 40 original films this holiday season, along with a new streaming service called Hallmark+. The network describes it as a hub for "the best of Hallmark all in one place," featuring exclusive movies and series, special offers, benefits, and surprises!
“Hallmark+ marks a seminal moment for Hallmark,” Mike Perry, president and CEO of Hallmark, per Variety. “By intertwining new, rich content experiences with tangible rewards and premium Hallmark gifts, we are delivering a unique, new program that reflects our commitment to spreading joy through our deeply beloved brand touchpoints.”