At Donna Kelce's Request, the Stars of 'Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story' Left a Surprise in Travis' Locker

Hallmark Channel is currently in its Christmas era—and one of this year's Countdown to Christmas flicks centers around a Kansas City Chiefs romance.

While Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story is not about Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, the latter's mom, Donna Kelce, appeared in the new holiday movie.

"It felt like the president coming to set," Tyler Hynes, who stars in the film, said of the Kelce matriarch during an exclusive interview with Parade. Hunter King, his costar, concurred. Hynes described Donna coming to set as "like royalty showing up and blessing us."

The holiday movie—which follows a Kansas City Chiefs superfan, played by King, and the NFL team's director of fan engagement, played by Hynes—marked the first time that Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, had been used as a filming location in a Hallmark movie.

Hynes revealed to Parade that Donna had him and King write notes for Travis that were then placed in his locker at the stadium. "So we both wrote little notes, and she put it in his locker," Hynes shared.

Although Donna kept things "private" when it came to Travis and Taylor on set, she did mention her NFL-playing son. King recalled, "She'd refer to her sons like, 'Oh yeah. Well, you know, one of my sons.' Like acting like we didn't know who she was talking about. We're like 'Yes, you mean Travis?' Like, of course we know who."

"And then Taylor was T.S.," King added, "But, yeah, [Donna] kept things nice and private for them, but she was just so funny."

Hynes and King's new movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, featuring Donna, premieres Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel. For more on the film and "America's mom" Donna, continue reading Parade's exclusive interview with Tyler Hynes and Hunter King.

How did it feel to create a Chiefs centered romance amid such a high-profile, real-life Chiefs love story?

Hynes: It felt like it was a bit of a moment. Do you know what I mean? It felt like a unique thing that'll probably never happen again quite this way. And I think that made it kind of unforgettable, for me.

With over 30 Countdown to Christmas movies this year, what do you think makes Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story so special?

King: Well, it's the first time that Hallmark has ever done a movie with a pro football team.

Hynes: Yeah.

King: So I think that in itself, is very, very exciting. Very different. You're just taking this huge Chiefs Kingdom and putting it into our movie. It creates pure magic, and it felt magical making the movie. We got to film in Arrowhead Stadium, which was just wildly cool. And then to have all the cameos, get to have some of the players in it, Donna Kelce's in it. It was very surreal making it, and I think that people are going to feel that when they're watching it.

Were you guys surprised to have Donna Kelce appear in the movie? 

King: Yeah. I mean, I just feel like she's so busy, you know?

Hynes: Yeah. It felt like the president coming to set. It was like royalty showing up and blessing us.

King: We had to try to hide her. There were a lot of fans waiting outside because Kansas City loves Kansas City, and they heard that there's a movie being made about the Kansas City Chiefs. And then all of a sudden, Donna's supposed to come to set, and we had to find a way for her to come, sneak through the back and not go out the front door. But yeah, it was a little bit like the president was coming to set.

Related: Your Guide to Travis and Jason Kelce's Mom, Donna Kelce

Did she ask either of you for tips or acting advice?

Hynes: I asked her for advice.

King: Yeah. She didn't need it.

Hynes: She's a professional, and I don't know how she is wandering into these circumstances that would be daunting for anybody to take on, and she's managing to navigate it so wonderfully, and she's so fun in the movie. And, yeah, there's no help that I could ever offer that woman. She's too, too lovely.

Did she share on set how Travis and Taylor reacted to the idea of a Chiefs Hallmark movie?

Hynes: [Asks King] Did she talk about that?

King: She kind of kept things kind of, you know, more private, to herself. Sometimes she would refer—She was so funny. She'd refer to her sons like, "Oh yeah. Well, you know, one of my sons." Like acting like we didn't know who she was talking about. We're like "Yes, you mean Travis?" Like, of course we know who. And then Taylor was T.S., but, yeah, she kept things nice and private for them, but she was just so funny. She brought her friend to set. Felt like a little girls' trip. They're just the cutest.

Hynes: It was fun. She had us write a note for Travis to go into his locker when we were at Arrowhead. So we both wrote little notes, and she put it in his locker. Yeah.

Related: Get Out Your Calendars! Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas 2024 Schedule Is Here

There were quite a few cameos in the movie. At any point, did you think Patrick Mahomes or Travis would appear on set? 

King: I think everyone was like secretly hoping, but we also knew just how busy they are, and to ask them to break away from their schedules, I think is kind of a like an impossible task. I think everyone [was] secretly hoping for that, but I mean, the cameos that we did get are just incredible.

Hynes: They were just starting their training camp like at the tail end of our shoot. I went to the training camp at the end. Their season seems like it never ends. And so the fact that like Trey Smith, Clyde [Edwards-Helaire], Mecole [Hardman], George [Karlaftis], Coach [Andy] Reid, they all came and took time to join us, some for a few days, felt like, really, it's a big gesture to do that. Because these guys are at the top of their game. They couldn't have more eyes on them.

Definitely. I gotta ask. Are you both Swifties?

King: Yes.

Hynes: She's an OG.

King: An OG [laughs].

Hynes: I did a movie with a young lady named Chloe. She played my daughter in the films just prior to shooting the Chiefs movie, and she's like a mega fan. And I wore a little bracelet, Swiftie-style, for her in the movie, and she turned me on to all of the endless amount of Swiftie music. She's got so much music. And she would quiz me every day. "Did you listen to this?" "I'm trying. Trying to get through them all. There's so many."

[Taylor] is known for her Easter eggs. Are there any Easter eggs that fans should keep an eye out for in the movie?

King: Yeah. Well, the one that I didn't know about till yesterday was the movie signs, when we're walking past the movie theater. Just pay attention to the movie signs and what says is now playing. I guess there's a little hidden Easter egg. Which I didn't even know. They did that in post, so.

What's your favorite Taylor Swift song or era?

Hynes: It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me.

King: [Laughs] That's your favorite song?

Hynes: That one touched me. Yeah.

King: "Tortured Poets Department" is like one of my favorites. Midnight is also one of my favorite albums. I can't pick a favorite album. I can't pick a favorite song. That's an impossible task with Taylor Swift. Just know that I love all of them, and I've loved all of her music and any journey that she's been on, whatever genre it is. I love them all.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story premieres Saturday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel

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