Jenna Bush Hager Says She Is Retiring From Acting After Hallmark Role: ‘I Gave It a Shot’

Jenna Bush Hager is a woman of many talents, but acting just isn’t her cup of tea. The Today host revealed she is retiring from acting, just days after announcing she snagged a role in a new Hallmark holiday film.

Jenna, 42, recently headed to Kansas City, Missouri, to film Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. During a Tuesday, July 16 episode of Today, the former first daughter said that filming the project was “so much fun” and she “had the best time.”

However, it appears she could never see acting as a long term career venture for herself. Jenna recalled a phone conversation with her husband, Henry Hager, in which she admitted she wasn’t sure if acting was for her.

“I have to say, I called Henry last night and said I was retiring from acting,” Jenna shared. “I gave it a shot!”

While filming her role, Jenna said that one thing that was very helpful was listening to Today costar Hoda Kotb’s advice, which was not to “over-act.”

“[I thought] don’t over-act and just be cool, and it was so much fun,” Jenna reflected on the experience.

As for the character she plays in the film, Jenna could not dish out too much information.

“I can’t tell you too much about my part but I did get to star with some Chiefs players,” she told Hoda, 59. “And of course the film’s amazing stars who were so gracious, Hunter King and Tyler Hines.”

However, she did reveal that the plot of the movie is a “superfan who falls in love with a man that works for the team.”

But trying out acting has always been on Jenna’s bucket list, even though it meant going out of her comfort zone.

“As a little kid, I wanted to be an actress,” she told TODAY.com on Tuesday. “My mom actually would drive me to the Dallas Convention Center. And I would try out for musicals. But I can’t really sing, or dance, or act. So I never got the role.”

She also admitted that she had some butterflies when she first announced the gig on Today last week.

“I was nervous taking the script out to the [Today] set, because my colleagues try to get things out of me constantly,” Jenna reflected.

It was announced that Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna Kelce, would be starring in Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story too.

“Look who’s joining @hunterking and @tyler_hynes in #HolidayTouchdown: A @Chiefs Love Story! Please welcome America’s football mom @donnakelce to the cast. Don’t miss the world premiere later this year during #CountdownToChristmas,” Hallmark shared on Instagram.

Donna, 71, wished Jenna well in her role in a video that was shown on Today.

“Good luck, Jenna!” she exclaimed. “We’re so excited to see you!”

Some of Jenna’s other costars include Kansas City Chiefs players Mecole Hardman, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and George Karlaftis, and coach Andy Reid. Andy, 66, ended up giving Jenna some advice about her cameo.

“Just be yourself,” he said. “That’s hard — sometimes it’s hard to be just natural.”