Lisa Ann Walter gushes over Jason Kelce’s acting skills

Jason Kelce has Lisa Ann Walter’s approval as an actor.

Ann Walter believes Kelce is a natural when it comes to acting. The Abbott Elementary star expressed her admiration for the NFL alum and his former Philadelphia Eagles teammates, Jalen Hurts and Brandon Graham, who made guest appearances on the ABC sitcom during its season three premiere last year.

“I was very impressed that they knew all their lines coming in,” Walter shared during her January 27 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. 

“That nobody had to be kind of on the side and be like, ‘No, no, no, you say this, you say that.’ They were on it. They were off book. A lot of times we go into work not off book.”

The trio portrayed themselves on the Philadelphia-set series as they assisted Gary, the boyfriend of Walter’s character Melissa, in his failed attempt to propose via Zoom. While the proposal didn’t pan out, the NFL players’ performances were a resounding success.

Walter, best known for her role in The Parent Trap, singled out Kelce for how seamlessly he adapted to the acting environment. 

“I was impressed by Jason Kelce,” she said. “You know, it’s not their gig. They are very good at their gig. If anybody asked me to do a hot route, I wouldn’t know what I was doing.”

Jason Kelce also reflected on the experience and expressed his admiration for the show and its creator, Quinta Brunson. 

Speaking on a February episode of the New Heights podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother Travis Kelce, Jason shared his thoughts on being part of the beloved show.

“I love what [Abbott Elementary] represents,” the 37-year-old said. 

“And anything that shines a light on public schools and the Philadelphia school system is pretty special. And Quinta does a fantastic job, as does the whole crew over there at Abbott Elementary, so it was an honor that they asked us to be a part of it for sure.”

The Abbott Elementary cameo marks a memorable crossover between sports and entertainment, with Kelce and his teammates proving they can shine both on the field and on-screen.