Travis Kelce is proving to be a valuable teammate in NFL stadiums and in Hollywood.
After Sonequa Martin-Green’s new film My Dear Friend Zoe debuted at SXSW in March, the actress is sharing a glimpse into how Kelce’s involvement behind the scenes helped support the indie project.
“I found out after we shot that he was one of the original financiers,” Martin-Green, 39, told Extra on Friday, April 5. “It was because he mentioned to his team — hopefully I’m not telling too much, Travis. My bad if I am but it’s a good thing. He told his team, ‘I want to support veterans.’”
With Kelce’s role as executive producer, Martin-Green is hopeful more Americans can watch the film and see veterans in a deeper way.
“Let’s be real, it does bring more eyes to it,” she said when discussing Kelce’s involvement and notoriety, “and this movie was [made] to save lives.”
Not only did Kelce, 34, become a Super Bowl champion in February, he’s also dating Grammy winner Taylor Swift. The pair are currently enjoying the NFL off-season and planning on attending Coachella later this month, a source exclusively told Us Weekly.
My Dead Friend Zoe is a dark comedy following the story of a female Afghanistan veteran and her relationships with her dead best friend from the Army, as well as her estranged Vietnam veteran grandfather.
Director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes — who served five years in the U.S. Army and received a Bronze Star in Iraq — still remembers receiving the news that Kelce wanted to be part of the film.
While the Kansas City Chiefs tight end is more known for his football plays than his movie experience, Kelce has been supportive of the military and veterans for a long time, Hausmann-Stokes said.
“When this project came across his team and his desk and they decided to do it in a big part for that reason,” he told Variety in March 2024. “It was just really heartwarming and touching, and the amount of added limelight and energy that he’s brought to the project is just going to help it reach a broader audience.”
With help from Kelce and a talented cast that also includes Natalie Morales, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, Hausmann-Stokes is hopeful he can change Hollywood minds about how a veteran can contribute.
“I think the industry doesn’t see us veterans as being artistic or creative and that just couldn’t be further from the truth,” he shared. “Look at [Ernest] Hemingway. There’s a great veteran and author. So, I think we’re just trying to change that narrative a little bit.”
