Travis Kelce on his acting gig, White House visit and staying true to himself: 'Livin' the dream'
Travis Kelce is opening up about his life, sharing some updates from recent events including his acting debut, his visit to the White House, his future plans and more.
In an interview with "Good Morning America" which aired on Thursday, the 34-year-old three-time Super Bowl champion sat down with ABC News' Will Reeve, discussing what he has been up to during his off-season.
Last week, Kelce joined his Kansas City Chiefs at the White House for a Super Bowl celebration during which Kelce was given an opportunity to step up to the podium.
"President [Joe] Biden called me up this time," he recalled. "I didn't have to sneak around him to get to it…It was cool. You know, I had no idea he was gonna do that. He kinda just sprung it on me. And it was real."
"It was real. All the Secret Service guys that were there made sure to let me know that, you know…they got orders to keep me away from the podium unless asked…I was like, 'Yeah.'... I felt all the Taser guns on me when I walked up there," he said with a laugh.
"But it was cool, man. And that is such an unbelievable experience," he added.
Adding a new skill onto his resume, Kelce is making a foray into Hollywood after landing a role in Ryan Murphy's forthcoming FX series, "Grotesquerie."
Asked if he is now an actor, Kelce replied, "I guess you could say that. Yeah."
"I've been on a few shows before… I've only played myself in those shows, though," he explained. "So it's definitely different portraying a character and trying to find the emotions in everything, and the understanding of a script and the scene. But it's a challenge."
He said he has been "taking pointers" from everybody and "keeping an open ear" to learn.
"I feel like an amateur right now, but it's definitely a fun challenge, and I'm enjoying every bit of it, for sure… I'm coachable. That's one thing I know from being in sports, I am a coachable guy," he said. "It's just been awesome… Everybody involved in terms of the actors and the directors and the writers have just helped me out so much, understanding what I'm supposed to be doing. And I'm just havin' fun with it."
During the conversation with "GMA," which took place on the set of a commercial shoot for Accelerator, an energy drink brand that Kelce serves as an investor, the tight end star also dished on his relationship with his brother, Jason Kelce who is the former Philadelphia Eagles center.
The two co-host their own podcast called "New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce," which has continued to rise in popularity since it debuted in September 2022.
"I couldn't have even imagined it'd get to the point it is today. And I'm so fortunate that everybody, you know, kinda latched on to me and my brother's family dynamic, because that's really what my goal was too when we started the podcast," he said.
He said the podcast gave a different perspective to fans on their bond as brothers.
"If you looked at us on two different teams you really didn't even think that we were brothers," he continued. "We just had the same last name. Just because he's, like, the Neanderthal that wears flip flops in the winter and doesn't really care what he looks like, and I like to, you know, throw on fashionable stuff and have fun. Be a little bit more outspoken….And, you know, through the podcast we've been able to show everybody just how close we are as brothers."
Kelce's romance is also another aspect that has kept him occupied during his time off from the field. He reportedly made time to vacation with his girlfriend Taylor Swift on the European leg of her world tour.
Kelce told "GMA" that the life he is living right now is something that he couldn't have imagined for himself in the past.
"I can't really say that I had that much of a vision on where I was gonna be, especially off the field," he said. "So I don't think I could even fathom where I'm at right now in life."
Despite all the attention he received from his professional and personal accomplishments, Kelce shared how he continues to stay true to himself by crediting the support provided by the people closest to him.
"When you have good family and friends around you, it makes that aspect of life that much easier," he explained. " I have such a beautiful family… And I've always been a very grounded guy."
He continued, "You know, it might not come off like that when I'm playing football…but off the field, I just wanna be a genuine person. Somebody that seems very relatable…if anybody asks me for a picture and it's just not the moment to take a picture, you know, I'll have a conversation with you."
Asked about his life plans for the next few years away from football, Kelce shared he is focusing on being in the present.
"I'm so in the present, man. Just being present during the now is something I really pride myself on," he said. "And I try not to get too far down the road because you just never know what opportunities are gonna present themselves. So I know I got a 2024 football season coming up that I'm pretty fired up about."
"I'm so fortunate and so grateful [for] everything that's come my way in life," he reflected. "I feel like I'm on top of the mountain, even after winning' the Super Bowl and having' the off-season that I'm having. And just looking forward to what's next in life, man…I'm so grateful. So appreciative. And yeah. Livin' the dream, baby."
