Kate Walsh Boards Oscar-Qualified Live-Action Short ‘The Runt’ As Executive Producer

Matt Grobar

10 December 2024 at 5:16 pm·2-min read

EXCLUSIVE: Actress Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy) has boarded The Runt, an Oscar-qualified live-action short film written, directed and produced by Emmy-nominated TV veteran Christy Stratton (Modern Family), as executive producer.

Walsh is just the latest to attach in that capacity today, following Brendan Gleeson with The Boat and Sharon Horgan with Calf. The project reunites her with Stratton, with whom she previously collaborated on the Emmy-nominated web series Everyone’s Crazy But Us.

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The Runt follows Janet Bauer (Luna Martin), who like most 12-year-olds in 1979, lives for Friday nights at the Moonlight Rollerway. This particular Friday is special — it’s the last one before junior high starts. When Janet finds out the 8th grade girls have chosen her to be the 7th grade “runt,” she decides she must skate with a boy to prove her maturity and avoid this fate, which would ruin her life forever.

Following its Florida Film Festival premiere, the short has gone on to win Best Live Action Short at the Lone Star Film Festival, Best Screenplay at the Wyoming Film Festival, Best American Spectrum Short at the Indy Film Festival, and Narrative Shorts Honorable Mention at Dances With Films. It’s also been selected to screen at the Florida Film Festival, HollyShorts, the Austin Film Festival, Imagine This Women’s Film Festival, the Catalina Film Festival, and the San Diego Film Festival.

“The Runt is a poignant and funny film about a tween girl learning how to fight through her fears. With themes of identity, friendship, and self-confidence, it really struck a chord with my 12-year-old self,” said Walsh. “Christy’s timeless story transcends generations, but hits me especially hard since I, too was a child in the 70’s and deeply committed to roller-skating, so I can dig it on that level as well.”

Stratton shared that “Kate’s immediate connection to the film was so gratifying to the entire team – we were delighted when she agreed to join us as an executive producer. It just goes to show what can happen when you ask for what you want.”

Known for her work on series like Grey’s Anatomy, Emily in Paris, and The Umbrella Academy, Walsh has also been seen in films like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Girls Trip, and Under the Tuscan Sun, among others.

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