Former WWE star Killer Kross could be headed to the Oscars.
Outside of his in-ring work, Killer Kross (real name Kevin Robert Kesar) took part in an independent short film this year, with festivals across the United States getting the first look. The project, titled Blue Evening, stars Kross as Frank, a man who discovers a homeless addict on the streets of Los Angeles and offers to help him. In a new update, Kross revealed that Blue Evening is now up for consideration for the 98th Academy Awards, which will take place in March 2026.
“BLUE EVENING is Oscars Qualified!” Kross announced on X. “We are officially in consideration for the 98th Academy Awards in the Live Action Short Film category. Thank you to the entire cast & crew of the film- and everyone who continues to see the film as it screens during the film festivals! What started as a small story between friends has taken on a life of its own; connecting with audiences, filmmakers, and festivals all over the world.
“The response to Blue Evening has been amazing from both fans and fellow filmmakers alike, and we’re deeply thankful to everyone who has supported us, from our talented cast and crew to every festival that believed in the film, screened it and nominated it. To be considered at this level is a tremendous honor. No matter what happens next, the journey of Blue Evening has already been something truly special.”
Kross Discusses His Role As Frank
Earlier this year, Killer Kross sat down with WrestleZone to discuss his approach to his role as Frank in Blue Evening. According to Kross, he felt confident heading into filming, especially given the narrative context provided by writer and director Jett Jansen.
“From an acting standpoint — and I’ve even done this with wrestling — if I understand the entire narrative context of where we’re at and what we are doing and who’s involved, it’s sort of a safe place to start improvisationally getting things out there,” Kross said.
“It was more like just getting in there, understanding Gustavo [Ramirez] as an actor. And like I said, it was weird; I had moments of deja vu being there,” he continued. “Because I was so in love with the script and I had so much sympathy for the lead character in the film, Jack. And the way Gustavo played him is exactly how I imagined who I’d be on set with in my head. It was awesome. It was really really fun. When you have an opportunity to work with [Gustavo], and you have Jett as a director and a writer who provides flexibility and what he’s looking for, for us to find something and bring it to life the way we feel like we could do best, it’s just very fun and easy.”
In addition to acting in the short film, Kross also served as an executive producer. Blue Evening follows the story of a homeless addict (played by Gustavo Ramirez) as he stumbles upon a masterpiece at a thrift store, which set him up for a journey of redemption, survival, and self-discovery.
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