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Jenna Bush Hager © NBC

Jenna Bush Hager unveils secret project on Today Show as she marks double celebration

The Today Show host announced her forthcoming acting debut as she celebrated her 43rd birthday

Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
November 25, 2024
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It may be Monday, but over at the Today Show, it is an exciting, celebratory day.

The Monday, November 25 installment of the long-running talk show kicked off by commemorating none other than Jenna Bush Hager, who was celebrating her 43rd trip around the sun.

Plus, it's not just her birthday that she was celebrating, as she also took a moment to finally reveal an exciting project she worked on over the summer that is finally being unveiled this coming week.

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Though Jenna is no stranger to being on the screen, over the summer, she prepared for the screen in a totally different way: to make her acting debut on one of Hallmark's most anticipated movies of the holiday season, Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, inspired by the Kansas City Chiefs.

"You guys you know I've always wanted to be an actor," she jokingly shared with her fellow Today anchors, as she detailed the movie's plot, which reads: "Chiefs superfan Alana tries to win the Fan of the Year Award as a Christmas gift for her family, falling in love with someone in the Chiefs front office along the way."

Jenna went on to share a "never-before-seen glimpse" of her day spent in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, where she filmed her role as one of the broadcasters featured in the movie.

Still from the Today Show on Monday, November 25, 2024 in which Jenna Bush Hager is sharing a glimpse into her time filming for the movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story© NBC
Jenna spent a day in Arrowhead filming on the final day

She recalled the day they filmed a Christmas movie in 100 degree heat, with more than 150 cast and crew members and 1,000 extras, plus bonding with Donna Kelce, Travis Kelce's mom, who also has a part in the movie.

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Jenna further walked fans through her day, including her fitting with the movie's costume designer for her role as the emcee, getting "the full movie star treatment" on the hair and make-up chair, and memorizing her lines.

Still from the Today Show on Monday, November 25, 2024 in which Jenna Bush Hager is sharing a glimpse into her time filming for the movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story© NBC
Her role was of emcee

She also got to hand Donna a note to pass on to her son Travis, a tight-end for the Chiefs, in which she shared that he has made her daughters, Mila, 11, and Poppy, nine, "love football," amid his romance with Taylor Swift.

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Still from the Today Show on Monday, November 25, 2024 in which Jenna Bush Hager is sharing a glimpse into her time filming for the movie Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story© NBC
The movie will be out November 30

As soon as the video montage wrapped up, she quickly received a round of applause from her co-stars, as Carson Daly joked: "That's the sounds of Oscar!"

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The couple have been dating for over a year© Getty
It is of course in part inspired by Taylor and Travis' own love story

"You guys it was so fun, and I have to say, everybody there was so nice, because even though I only had three lines, I definitely messed some things up, and they were patient with me," Jenna further shared.

Later on during 4th Hour with Hoda & Jenna, which come January will change to Today with Jenna & Friends, Jenna also shared what she did to celebrate her birthday: a murder mystery dinner party hosted by her husband Henry Hager, and later in the week she and her sister will have a birthday party during their family's Thanksgiving celebrations.

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