Ryan Murphy Was 'Moved' by Travis Kelce's 'Ambition' Before Writing Part Specifically for Him in Grotesquerie

Travis Kelce knows how to market himself.

The Kanas City Chiefs tight end, 34, makes his scripted TV debut in Ryan Murphy's Grotesquerie, and the genius behind the show is lifting the curtain on how Kelce got involved in the first place.

"It was very unexpected," Murphy told Entertainment Tonight. "I did not know Travis, and I thought we were just having a general meeting."

During the meeting, Murphy, 58, said Kelce "was so passionate about wanting to try [acting], and I always have a theory which is, 'A star is a star is a star.' And he's a big star — in every arena."

"I was just moved by him and his ambition and he wanted to try it and he's a guy who likes to do new things," Murphy said.

The meeting prompted the Emmy winner to offer Kelce a part in Grotesquerie, which he said he "wrote" specifically for him. "We had a ball, and he's just the most delightful person."

"He showed up off-book. He knew all his lines, he knew all Niecy [Nash-Betts]'s lines," Murphy told the outlet. "And he was a little nervous at first — as, I mean, I would be too."

Nash-Betts, 54, echoed what Murphy said, as she told PEOPLE ahead of the show's premiere that Kelce was "lovely to have on set" and "always came prepared."

"Travis was very open. He was very open on if there was a note given or a suggestion given. So amenable. 'Tell me what I don't know. Tell me what your thought is on this.' I love that he didn't come in trying to act like, 'I know everything and I know it all.'"

She also teased that "fans are going to find him very charming" in the show.

At the Grotesquerie premiere in New York City on Sept. 23, Travis' mom Donna Kelce also reflected on the traits that helped her son as he stepped into this new world.

"He's pretty good at just about anything he does because he's got a good work ethic," she told PEOPLE. "He's very coachable."

"I think this is something he's always had in the back of his mind," Donna, 71, continued. "I just think that the thought, 'If I get an opportunity [like this], I would like to try.'"

Details surrounding Travis' character remains under wraps, but the thriller sees Niecy Nash-Betts star as a small-town detective who feels she's being haunted by a series of "heinous crimes" in her community. Courtney B. Vance, Raven Goodwin, Micaela Diamond and Nicholas Alexander Chavez also star.

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Grotesquerie premieres Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.