Henry Winkler Applauds Travis Kelce's Performance in Grotesquerie: 'He's a Natural'

Henry Winkler has shown appreciation for Travis Kelce's performance both on the field and in the new Ryan Murphy thriller series, "Grotesquerie", writes People. The 78-year-old Emmy winner shared his admiration during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Spotlight with Jessica Shaw on October 15.

Winkler also discussed his friendly connection with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. The Happy Days star previously complimented Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, leading to unique interactions. After hearing Winkler's praise, Mahomes reached out to the actor, inviting him to a game and gifting him a jersey.

Winkler remembered a moment from the game, noting, "Travis came on the field wearing a Fonzie t-shirt." Although he admired Kelce's spirit, Winkler shared that he and the football player did not meet at that time.

Max Winkler, Henry's son, directed Kelce in his initial scripted role in "Grotesquerie." Henry expressed his pride, mentioning, "I got an autographed picture and made him a video to tell him how great he is."

In discussing Kelce’s talents, Winkler emphasized, "He's a natural and we spoke on his podcast with his brother."

On October 5, Winkler first highlighted Kelce’s acting skills on X (formerly Twitter). He commented on a funny video of Kelce asking his assistant to call his mom for mac and cheese, stating, "AND Mr. K is doing an amazing job as an Actor on ‘GROTESQUERIE’ on FX."

Travis Kelce and his brother, retired NFL player Jason Kelce, referenced Winkler's tweet on their New Heights podcast on October 16. Jason remarked, "I will agree with Mr. Winkler, though, dude. You're really killing it. Honestly, I wouldn't say this if it wasn't true."

In response, Travis shared, "I’m enjoying watching everything unfold," emphasizing how he was in and out of Los Angeles during filming.

"I didn’t see any of the scenes beforehand," he noted, expressing his excitement about observing everyone's performances.

At the premiere of "Grotesquerie," Niecy Nash-Betts praised Travis, stating he was "lovely to have on set" and "very professional." She highlighted his positive attitude, mentioning, "Travis was receptive to feedback, asking, ‘Tell me what I don't know.’" Nash-Betts appreciated his willingness to learn and engage with the production.