NFL superstar Travis Kelce is set to star in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming FX series Grotesquerie, in a role that Murphy said was written and tailored specifically for him.
Speaking during a recent press conference for the series (via Deadline), Murphy reflected on how Kelce’s role came to be. Murphy said that Kelce “said he was interested in getting into acting…it ended with me saying, ‘Okay, well, I’ll keep you in mind, and maybe we’ll come up with something.’ And he said, ‘No, I want to do it now. I have three months now, and I really would love to have anything,’” said Murphy.
Murphy went on to say that he did have a role in mind for Kelce, and that he was willing to “specifically write and tailor it” for him. Kelce immediately accepted, according to Murphy, and took the job seriously, impressing Murphy in the process.
“I directed the first episode he did with Niecy [Nash-Betts]. Niecy and I just instantly loved him and took him by the hand and let him know that he would not, could not fail,” Murphy said. “He really was amazing. He worked with an acting coach for several months. He showed up off book. He knew everybody’s lines. He was so professional. He was so committed. He kept saying to me, ‘I’m real coachable. Coach me, coach me.’ So I did, and he ended up being a delight, and I would love to continue working with him on this and other things. I cannot say enough about him as a leader. He’s just the kindest, sweetest…everything you think about him is true.”
What is Grotesquerie about?
“In Grotesquerie, a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community. Detective Lois Tryon feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone – or something – is taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons,” reads the official logline. “With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan, a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity, yet she still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, on the other hand, fears the world is succumbing to evil. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.”
Grotesquerie is written and created by Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, with the Glee creator also directing alongside Max Winkler, Alexis Martin Woodall, and Elegance Bratton. It is executive produced by Nash-Betts, Vance, Winkler, Woodall, Baitz, Peter Liguori, Nissa Diederich, Eric Kovtun, and Scott Robertson. It is a production by 20th Television.
