Movie producer says Chiefs’ Travis Kelce brings Midwest sensibility to Hollywood
The movie “My Dead Friend Zoe” will be showing this week in Kansas City, and a local man is one of the film’s producers.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
As he continues to pursue a career in the entertainment world, Kelce got his first executive producer credit on “My Dead Friend Zoe.” The film is billed as a comedy/drama and stars Natalie Morales, Sonequa Martin-Green, Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman.
This is the movie’s synopsis via IMDB.com: “Engaged in a mysterious relationship with her dead best friend from the Army, a female Afghanistan veteran comes head to head with her Vietnam vet grandfather at the family’s ancestral lake house.”
At the movie’s premier Monday in Los Angeles, fellow producer Paul Scanlan was asked by People magazine if Kelce has a future in Hollywood.
“Even just seeing what a difference it’s made having him involved in our project, I would say yeah,” Scanlan said. “He’s such a likable guy and he’s a good actor. I mean, he’s proven that he’s been in some good material. And he’s a good producer.”
Kelce grew up in Ohio and has played his entire career with the Chiefs, and his Midwestern ways will suit him well in show business, Scanlan said.
And that was evident in Kelce’s work for “My Dead Friend Zoe.”
“He’s made a difference in our project,” Scanlan told people. “He’s really good at generating attention and getting attention on a worthy project. ... He’s a giving person, he’s very Midwestern that way. I feel like he wants to do purposeful projects. And having him involved has helped us achieve our mission, getting this film out to more people where it can really make a difference.”
Kelce told People magazine last week he was proud to be part of the film, which won the Grand Jury prize for Best Feature Narrative at last year’s Woodstock Film Festival.
“Being part of ‘My Dead Friend Zoe’ as an executive producer has been an incredible experience,” Kelce said in a statement. “(The movie) tells a compelling story and shines a light on the challenges our veterans face. My hope is to continue working on meaningful projects like this — stories that entertain, inspire and make a real impact.”
You can see the movie’s trailer on YouTube.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM.
