Move over, Will Smith, here comes Mecole Hardman Jr. Since he was a child, the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver has had the dream of being an actor, and seeing his teammate Travis Kelce making his way in Hollywood has inspired him to follow in his footsteps finding his place in the world of film and television.
Just in October, Kelce made his acting debut, playing Ed Laclan for five episodes in the horror series Grotesquerie. The Chiefs tight end received good reviews in his first role, awakening in Hadrman that old dream of making it on screen.
Hardman is not completely foreign to acting. Beyond the school plays he participated in as a child, he recently made a cameo in the Hallmark movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” inspired by Kelce’s relationship with singer Taylor Swift. This small part renewed the player’s desire to pursue his childhood dream.
Acting might be Hardman’s next step
“I definitely want to act. I’ve been talking about this since I was a little kid,” Hardman said in an interview with People. “Every time I see a movie, I’m like, ‘I can really do that. That’s something that I can do.’ You know what I’m saying? I know I play football, but that’s just something that’s always in the back of my mind,” he said.
He recalled that he has always been fascinated by actors and cited some of his favorites, such as “Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael B. Jordan. I can keep going. They all kind of inspired me.”
Despite lacking formal acting experience, Hardman revealed the secret that has helped Kelce get in front of the cameras and that he believes could help him too, pressure from NFL fans.
Kelce’s secret, according to Hardman Jr.
“It’s pressure and confidence,” Hardman said when talking about Kelce’s success on screen. “Obviously, it’s my profession, but performing doesn’t really bother you because you play in front of thousands in person and then millions watch you at home,” he revealed.
The Chiefs wide receiver recalled that, as a player, he is constantly exposed to criticism from the media and fans. “I think it translates to the movie world because you have critics and everybody has their opinion. So, I think that kind of prepares you for it.”
However, Mecole Hardman Jr. knows he still has a long road ahead of him in the NFL and will leave his dream of being an actor for when he has given his all on the field. Time will tell if it was the right decision.
