Kate Hudson Credits A Long Letter From Kurt Russell For Changing Her Life

Goldie Hawn's ex-husband, Bill, may be the biological father of Kate and Oliver Hudson (via Entertainment Tonight) — but in fact, Kate Hudson has said publicly that she considers Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn's longtime boyfriend, her dad (via Today). Not only is Kate estranged from Bill Hudson, but Russell helped raise her and her brother Oliver. In an Instagram post from Father's Day 2021, per Today, the "Glass Onion" star wrote that thanks to Russell, she'd had "a childhood and adulthood of adventure."

Russell reacted emotionally as well when she made a similar post in 2022 (via Entertainment Tonight). He replied in a comment via Goldie Hawn's account, "thanks for making me the luckiest father in the world sweetheart. I love you, Pa." Russell, as a successful commercial actor in films like "Stargate" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2," has also offered his children advice as well. Here's what he told her after a major career disappointment.

In 2001, Kate Hudson was nominated for an Academy Award thanks to her star-making performance as Pennie Lane in "Almost Famous." But the actress ultimately lost out to Marcia Gay Harden in "Pollock" (via Oscars.org).

In a conversation with "Top Gun: Maverick" star Glen Powell for Variety, Hudson remembers processing everything the morning after the ceremony. "When I woke up the day after I lost, it was like, 'Oh, wow, that just happened.'" Her family however was concerned about how she'd cope, being only 21 at the time and new to the industry. Hudson remembers, "I got a four-page letter from Kurt, and you know Kurt: He is not exactly the dad that emotes."

The young star actually "felt grounded" after the Oscars, in part because of her new marriage at the time. But she told Powell that she was now grateful to her family, and Russell, for looking out for her. "I want that for my kids. I want that with my friends. I want to be able to have real perspective on all of it."