Meet the 11-year-old from Boca Raton who got to star in a commercial with Travis Kelce

BOCA RATON — Bianca Sanabria Serna has a lot going on at the moment. From commercials to print advertisements to a musical to a lead role in a short film, the 11-year-old Bak Middle School of the Arts theater major is truly living the life of a showgirl.

A few months ago, Bianca’s agent presented her with a casting call for a commercial for the sports hydration beverage Recover 180. It cryptically mentioned a celebrity with the initials “TK” would be starring in it.

A diehard Taylor Swift fan, Bianca had a hunch “TK” was code for Travis Kelce, a tight end on the Kansas City Chiefs. After submitting an audition tape, the sixth-grader received an email she had booked the part, and it was revealed that her instincts were correct. “TK” was in fact Travis Kelce.

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Filmed on June 10 at a hotel only 10 minutes from Bianca’s Boca Raton home, the commercial is set at a news conference for the beverage. Travis Kelce is standing at the podium fielding questions from a room full of kid journalists.

Bianca, who plays one of the reporters, had a chance to take a stab at all the lines in the script. In final editing, the producers used her take of her favorite line: “What can you tell us about this new relationship?”

And Bianca was well aware of the meaning behind the words.

“Since he was dating Taylor Swift, now engaged, it was really funny to me. In the commercial, he was actually ‘dating’ the sports drink,” she said. “I really loved the play on words.”

Bianca’s mom is a former television news reporter

Conveniently, Bianca’s mom, Carolina Serna, is a former television news reporter, so she helped her rehearse and run lines to prepare for the part.

Acting is a family affair. Bianca’s 9-year-old brother Valentino is also in the commercial as a background actor.

During the off-season, Kelce is known to spend time in Palm Beach County working out with Boca Raton trainer Andrew Spruill. In the weeks leading up to filming, Kelce and Swift were spotted out on a couple of dinner nights in the area, including at Buccan in Palm Beach on June 4 and Harry’s Bar and Restaurant in West Palm Beach on May 23.

Bianca made friendship bracelets in Chiefs’ colors that spell out “Tavis” for Kelce and Swift. She packed them in zip-locked plastic bags with stickers, lyrics, and candy and gave him the gift on set.

Although Kelce was present for only about 20 minutes, Bianca said he was gracious with his time. They filmed the scene efficiently and professionally, and he autographed her press credential from her wardrobe for the commercial.

Bianca’s message to Travis Kelce: ‘Please tell Taylor I said ‘hi’ ‘

“He was down to earth and so kind to everyone. When he walked in, he gave everyone a high-five. We were so excited to see him, and we all started cheering for him. It was so awesome. When you meet a really big celebrity, it’s just crazy. Top of the chart, screaming, and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Travis Kelce,’ ” she said.

“When I met Travis Kelce, I was like, this is probably the closest I’m ever going to get to Taylor Swift. Me, my brother, and my mom were some of the last people there and he turned around and was like, ‘You’re Bianca, right?’ I was like, ‘You know my name?!’ He was like, ‘You did really great.’ I said, ‘Thank you so much. Please say hi to Taylor for me.’ And he said, ‘Yes, I will tell Taylor you said hi.’”

Based on her brief interaction with Kelce and her observations of him with his brother Jason Kelce’s four young daughters, Bianca is convinced he’ll be a great father one day. “He’s a really good uncle, so I think he’s going to be a really good dad if he and Taylor decide to have kids,” she said.

Only 11 years old, Bianca is already a seasoned actress

At times, the entire Sanabria Serna family shares the spotlight and stars in ads together. Serna said that came about during the pandemic because casting directors weren’t able to build a family by mixing people from separate families. Knowing Serna had a background in television and wasn’t camera-shy, Bianca’s agent asked if she’d be open to appearing in ads with her two children. After thinking it over, she agreed.

Working as a family unit has come with perks. It’s provided them with unforgettable bonding experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. They have filmed in Disney World at 3 a.m. and got to see all the behind-the-scenes of the park during after-hours, and they filmed on a weeklong Disney Cruise in Alaska.

“It’s a lot of work, but doing it together makes it so much more fun,” said Serna. “It’s a ‘work-cation,’ we call it.”

They’ve also appeared in ads for Kennedy Space Center, Carter’s, The Children’s Place, Lucky Brand and Eddie Bauer. Bianca is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish, and she has previously starred in commercials alongside Disney Channel stars Scarlett Estevez, Brandon Rossel, Malachi Barton, and Christian J. Simon, as well as telenovela actress Flor Núñez.

“I did a part of Kennedy Space Center that hadn’t opened, and I was one of the first people to experience it. I tried all these cool games and some simulations. It was awesome. When the commercial came out, my friends were telling me, ‘Oh I went to the Kennedy Space Center after I saw your commercial and it was so cool,’ ” she said.

“It’s really fun because you get to go to places you’ve never been and try new things that you’ve never done.”

While many adults struggle to find their calling in life, Bianca has known since she was 3 that she loved to be in front of the camera.

“I had always wanted to be on the screen and performing and I had always loved being a performer. I would dance, sing, and perform in front of my preschool, parents, and family,” she said. “I’ve always dreamt of being an actor. My mom signed me up with an agency and then I got a manager, and it’s been really taking off.”

Bianca is proud of maintaining straight A’s on her report cards, all while balancing acting and figure skating and being a preteen. She is a master of time management, finding pockets during study hall and her commute to and from school to complete her homework and study for exams. Plus, her ability to memorize lines comes in handy when it comes to remembering lessons in study guides ahead of tests.

“It does come with a few sacrifices,” Bianca said of being a child actress. “I do miss school sometimes, but I make up all the work, and sometimes I will miss out on birthday parties or sleepovers, but I would still choose acting over that any day because a sleepover you can get back, but a commercial with Travis Kelce, you really can’t. You definitely have to take it when it comes knocking at the door.”

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Will Bianca follow in the footsteps of Arianna Grande and become the next star to hail from Boca Raton?

She’s off to a good start.

If you’re interested in watching Bianca and Valentino’s careers blossom, follow the siblings on Instagram @biancaandvalentino and catch Bianca in her first musical as Dory in “Finding Nemo Jr.” at Delray Beach Playhouse on December 20. She also plays Sasha, the lead in an empowering short film due to come out in 2026. It is about female friendships called “Strawberry Week,” filmed at a summer camp in Staten Island, New York.

Paige Feigenbaum is a features correspondent for The Palm Beach Post.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton middle schooler Bianca Serna stars in commercial with Travis Kelce