Could Rob Gronkowski Be an Action Comedy Star? His Movie Director Says Yes

Rob Gronkowski made his silver screen debut two years ago in the American cinematic classic Entourage. He played himself in the film, but after enjoying how it felt to dip his toes in the Hollywood waters, the New England Patriots tight end is trying to take the next step dramatically.

He'll play a cop in the movie You Can't Have It, an independent film directed by Andre Gordon that's due out March 17.

The role feels like an appropriate fit for Gronkowski, known for his enormous stature and work hard/play hard demeanor. Given his universal likability, a career in entertainment seems natural for the two-time Super Bowl champion, whom the New York Daily News reported wants to emulate the career of action star Jason Statham. Gordon, for one, believes the 27-year-old Gronkowski has a future in front of movie cameras.

"How many people in life are 6'5" and big? Whenever you have that type of size advantage, you can definitely carve out a niche for yourself on the screen," Gordon said of the 265-pounder. "I could see him doing action comedies. He's a funny guy, and he's got a great spirit about him. I think he'd fit right in."

When putting together the list of people he wanted to cast in the film, Gordon noted Gronkowski as someone he wanted to reach out to immediately. Gordon, a football fan, noticed the tight end's physicality and personality and thought he would be a good fit for his movie, which IMDb describes as a film that documents a night in a bar where "drinking, sex and murder ensue." Through producer Lyle Howry, Gronkowski agreed to join the film.

"The expectation with any athlete was that they were just gonna come in, and it would be a fun day for them and not take a lot of interest in it," Gordon said. "But I try not to keep any expectations. I try to be open. He plays for one of the greatest organizations in the history of sports with the greatest coach, so you have to be able to take direction and be able to follow through."

Gronkowski spent one day on set with Gordon and the cast, which includes Joanna Krupa of Dancing with the Stars and Real Housewives of Miami fame. While Gronkowski's role is relatively small, Gordon said the NFL star plays a pivotal part in the film that he doesn't want to spoil.

"Gronk was awesome. There was one day where we were working through the script and going through all of the lines, and the thing that I loved about Gronk was that he wanted to get it right," Gordon said. "It wasn't just about him showing up and showing off. He wanted to get it down, so we ran it and worked on it and had some fun while doing it, and what can I say? He made it easy. It would be great to work with him again."

While expectations for athletes in acting roles are always tempered, Gordon said he was impressed by Gronkowski's chops.

"I was surprised that he was willing to go above and beyond, and he wanted to make sure he got what I wanted," Gordon said. "It was great that he really is that much of a perfectionist as far as dedication."

What's next for Gronkowski on the silver screen is still up in the air. He will reportedly play a role in two comedies called The Clapper, starring Amanda Seyfried and Ed Helms, and Deported, both due to be released in 2017.

"I think the cool thing about athletes, especially with an athlete like Gronk, is you see his energy on screen in games, you can see he's energetic and likes to have fun, and you can see that he has a great presence," Gordon said. "I just thought of him because hey, when you're watching football and you're thinking of people who you could work with, who doesn't want to work with Gronk?"