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\u201cPower Book IV: Force\u201d star Isaac Keys joined the Fort Worth Police Department to discuss his new book, career transition and mental health awareness on Tuesday, Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
Shambhavi Rimal<\/p>\n
srimal@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
\u201cPower Book IV: Force\u201d star Isaac Keys<\/a> visited the Fort Worth Police Department this week to discuss his new book, career transition and mental health awareness with a group including students and city officials.<\/p>\n The 47-year-old actor grew up playing multiple sports including baseball and football with the support of his father. \u201cHe made it important for us to have that platform to play sports \u2026 my father always told me you\u2019re going to do twice as better than them and set a high standard for me,\u201d Keys said.<\/p>\n Keys, who played for multiple NFL teams including the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings, said that sports teaches you \u201cthe game of life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt teaches you how to work with the team, how to fall down and get back up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Keys said after putting \u201cso much\u201d into the game of football he did not have the \u201ceyesight\u201d to foresee what else he was interested in and that is when acting came up.<\/p>\n Known for his role as Diamond Sampson on the STARZ crime drama show, Keys said, \u201cThe power of acting is that I\u2019m able to substitute challenges or things that have happened in my own life into a character.\u201d<\/p>\n Keys talks about mental health awareness<\/p>\n Playing a drug dealer on the show \u201cdoes affect you, but it\u2019s also an outlet,\u201d Keys said. \u201cActing became my therapy, it probably saved my life coming out of football, because I was able to let go of inhibition, anger, bitterness that I had inside of me from football … and now I put into these characters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe all have trauma, but it\u2019s manageable when you have the tools to deal with it. That\u2019s what therapy gives you,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to go through things, but you\u2019ll have a toolbox to pull from. That\u2019s what you learn in therapy, and that\u2019s what helps you get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n The actor and former NFL player is releasing a book that shares his life story called, \u201cThe Grind Don\u2019t Stop, It Just Changes,\u201d<\/a> which is available for pre-order on his website.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople kept telling me, \u2018You need to tell your story.\u2019 I used to think, everybody\u2019s got a story, so why is mine so significant? But it\u2019s only because it\u2019s mine and it\u2019s unique \u2014 and it can still help somebody,\u201d Keys said about what inspired him to write a book.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m nervous about it, but I\u2019m also excited about it, because I\u2019ve never shared this much before publicly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Building a positive collaboration<\/p>\n Officer Tracy Carter invited Keys to Fort Worth to show good policing in the city and build a positive collaboration with the police department, he said.<\/p>\n Carter said Keys would participate in a simulation to see what it\u2019s like to be a police officer for the day. \u201cHe\u2019s going to go out in the community with the officers. It\u2019s a collaboration we hope to build on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe is great and the role that he plays, people can resonate with it,\u201d Carter said.<\/p>\n Katrina Hawkins, a Fort Worth resident who attended Tuesday\u2019s program with Keys, said, \u201cI think he was very personable and approachable \u2014 that\u2019s kind of how I thought he would be. And so just to see him in person just really resonates with me.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 1:02 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n Fort Worth police presented a poster to Isaac Keys as a gift during Tuesday\u2019s event. Shambhavi Rimal srimal@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n
City Council members greeted Isaac Keys and presented him with a gift on behalf of Mayor Mattie Parker. Shambhavi Rimal srimal@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n