- This American musician and actor is the father of a famous actress and her brother, whom he shares with his ex-wife Goldie Hawn.
- The siblings have a strained and estranged relationship with him after he “left” them to start a new family with his late wife, Cindy Williams.
- Cindy tried reconciling the two families but was unsuccessful. The actor was furious with his children retaliating and said the siblings were “dead” to him.
This well-known musician met Goldie Hawn at the pinnacle of their careers in 1975. The musician and iconic actress found each other while traveling from New York to Los Angeles on a first-class flight, and it was love at first sight.
He had already established a reputation in the music industry, being one of three in The Hudson Brothers group. The star and his brothers performed alongside The Beach Boys, The Osmonds, and The Monkees. The artist is also an actor and has featured in several films and TV shows, most notably “Hysterical.”
The American musician and Goldie Hawn pose for a picture together in 1976 | Source: Getty Images
He recalled that the chemistry between him and Goldie was immediate when they first met. The star described their connection as instantaneous, stating, “The attraction was instant. I invited her out to dinner that night, and that was it.”
He further remarked on their physical relationship, saying, “The [intimacy] was mind-blowing. Even when everything else in the relationship turned sour, the [intimacy] was always amazing.” Despite the challenges they faced, there were periods when things seemed to improve for the couple.
Goldie Hawn and her partner at the “Taxi Driver” premiere in 1976 | Source: Getty Images
The Stars Marry and Welcome Children
In 1976, the couple married when Goldie was pregnant with their first child, a son. After his birth at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital, their son was diagnosed with meconium aspiration, a life-threatening condition that occurs when a newborn accidentally inhales amniotic fluid contaminated with meconium.
The newborn had to be isolated for three days following his birth, which was a deeply distressing time for the couple. Reflecting on the ordeal, the singer said, “Goldie and I were beside ourselves.”
Goldie Hawn, pregnant with son Oliver Hudson, and her husband at an advance screening of “Taxi Driver” at the headquarters of the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood, California, on February 19, 1976 | Source: Getty Images
He continued, “She was really sick, and I’d go from her bedside to the neonatal intensive care unit.” The star further explained, “The doctors didn’t think [son’s name] would make it. But [son’s name omitted] pulled through, and from that moment, he was our precious miracle.”
Goldie Hawn and her children at the “Overboard” screening in 1987 | Source: Getty Images
The couple welcomed their second child, a daughter, in 1979, three years after their son was born. Goldie’s husband adored and deeply loved both his children and for a few years, the family of four lived happily in a bubble of “deep love.”
However, their marriage came to a sad end in 1981, shortly after he discovered Goldie’s extramarital affairs. The Hudson Brothers member had a desire for a traditional marriage, which ultimately did not align with his wife’s interests and lifestyle.
Goldie Hawn and her husband at a party in Beverly Hills, California, on February 4, 1976 | Source: Getty Images
He once shared, “Goldie was having affairs [and] she told me pretty much on our wedding night that she wanted an open marriage, that she couldn’t imagine being faithful to one man for the rest of her life.” The actor added, “I wanted a traditional marriage, but Goldie couldn’t settle. Eventually, I moved out.”
The American singer and Goldie Hawn at the Third Annual People’s Choice Awards in Hollywood in 1977 | Source: Getty Images
Goldie’s Relationship with Kurt
After the split from the musician, Goldie began dating actor Kurt Russell in 1983. The pair had first met in 1968 while filming “The Only One, Genuine, Original Family Band.” Kurt had been previously married to “Vice Squad’s” Season Hubley, with whom he had a son in 1980.
They divorced in 1983, the same year he and Goldie reconnected. When they reunited on the set of “Swing Shift,” sparks flew, and their relationship quickly deepened. Their son, Wyatt Russell, was born three years after they became an exclusive couple.
Goldie Hawn, and Kurt and Wyatt Russell backstage during a game at the LA Forum on March 20, 1995 | Source: Getty Images
Reflecting on the process of blending their families, Goldie’s only daughter recalled her initial feelings as a child. She said, “For me, it felt like such a big moment because it was like, ‘My mom is madly in love with this guy.’”
Kurt’s stepdaughter further reflected, “For me, at the time, it was like, ‘Is this going to be my dad?’” She recalled, “And I was meeting his son [Boston], which meant, ‘Does this mean that this is my brother?’ It was a lot to handle at such a young age.”
After Goldie split with her ex-husband, he entered a long-term relationship with “Love Story” star Ali McGraw before marrying his second wife, Cindy Williams. The couple had two children together, Emily and Zachary, before divorcing in 2000.
Following their parents’ divorce, Goldie’s children with her ex-husband recalled feeling abandoned by their father at a young age. According to the siblings, their musician father had gradually begun to “check out” from their family.
Goldie Hawn’s children escorted at the Pediatric Cancer Research Benefit on November 5, 1986 | Source: Getty Images
Abandoned by Their Dad
The actor’s son remembers his father being absent as early as six years old. Responding to comments on a controversial Father’s Day post dedicated to his stepfather, Kurt, Goldie’s son said, “It doesn’t really matter which one of these men is my father. My pa stepped in when I was six and made me the man I am today.”
Much like her brother, the well-known actress has only faint memories of their father being present during their childhood. The “Fool’s Gold” star discussed with Howard Stern in an interview how their father gradually faded out of their lives when they were very young.
She mentioned, “He was around when we were young, and he sort of teetered out, you know? It was like that kind of thing.” In defense of her mother, she explained, “My mom never spoke poorly of him, and I was a real tough little girl. I did understand that it didn’t have to do with me and [brother’s name]; we did understand that.”
Goldie Hawn and her children at the premiere of “First Wives Club” benefit for Stop Cancer on September 16, 1996 | Source: Getty Images
She later expressed that she “forgives” her father and recognizes the “tough” time he must have gone through. The “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” actress also praised her bonus dad, Kurt, for stepping up as a great father figure.
The siblings have often expressed their close bond with “The Thing” actor, Kurt. In separate tributes, they have thanked him for dedicating his time to being a father figure while their biological father moved on to build a new family with Cindy.
Kurt Russell and his stepdaughter at the Michael Kors dinner for The World Food Programme in Beverly Hills in 2018 | Source: Getty Images
The “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” star also opened up about how her strained relationship with her biological father affected her decision to pursue a music career. She once admitted that she held back from releasing music early in her career out of fear of not living up to a craft her father was so well-known for.
Goldie’s daughter explained, “Earlier on in my career, I thought I would definitely do music, but then ‘Almost Famous’ happened.” She added, “But later on, I kind of rejected it because I was like, ‘You know what?’ As you do when you’re dealing with daddy issues.”
Goldie Hawn’s daughter on season 21 of “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” on July 11, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
She concluded, “If that one connection that I had to him, I failed miserably at, would be devastating to me, I wasn’t ready for that.” Later on, someone entered their lives and made efforts to unite their families into a blended one.
Goldie Hawn’s daughter at the “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” screening in New York City in 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Cindy’s Efforts to Unite the Absent Father with His Kids
When the singer married Cindy and they had children together, she became a strong advocate encouraging him to spend time with his first two kids. She consistently tried to organize family activities that included everyone.
In a 1985 sit-down interview with People, Cindy shared a specific instance when the couple went to pick up Goldie’s children. She recalled, “The last time we went to get the kids, Goldie and Kurt were gone. When we left with [the two siblings], Wyatt, whom we all love, wanted to come with us.”
Cindy Williams and her husband during The Los Angeles Film Teachers Association Annual Luncheon in Los Angeles, California, on March 13, 1989 | Source: Getty Images
“But we had to leave him behind with his nanny. Everyone felt terrible,” she concluded. Adjusting to her role as a stepmother to the pair presented challenges, especially when coordinating visitations. However, Cindy’s love for the two children was unwavering—she loved them as if they were her own, as Goldie herself attests.
The American singer and Cindy Williams at their wedding reception in Santa Monica in 1982 | Source: Getty Images
A Special Father’s Day Tribute Gone Wrong
By the time Father’s Day rolled around in 2015, Bill Hudson had just enjoyed a pleasant walk on the beach with his nine-year-old daughter, then the youngest of his five children. As he sat down for dinner and opened his laptop, he was met with an unexpected and hurtful surprise.
His son, Oliver Hudson, had posted a less-than-loving tribute on social media. The post featured a clear throwback picture of Oliver, his sister Kate, and Bill, all smiling together. The caption, however, read, “Happy abandonment day… @katehudson.”
Bill was seething as he saw the controversial post, which quickly went viral. In an unfiltered interview with the Daily Mail, he directly addressed his son’s targeted message. He stated, “Oliver could have picked up the phone and called me, but he hasn’t.”
The singer added, “What shocks me is that this was clearly premeditated; he chose the photograph and posted it on Father’s Day when he knew it would cause maximum pain.”
Brett and Bill Hudson participated in The Hollywood Show held at Burbank Airport Marriott on April 21, 2012, in California | Source: Getty Images
“Oliver has lived in the shadow of his mother and sister all his life [and] maybe he wanted to be in the headlines,” Bill claimed. The outraged father concluded that if Oliver’s goal was to cut him out of their lives, he had succeeded.
Bill emphatically stated that he no longer wished to see or speak to his oldest children again. The situation escalated further when Kate followed her brother’s lead, posting her own heartfelt tribute to Kurt, which only added fuel to the fire.
The actress endearingly refers to Kurt as “Pa,” writing, “Pa, just simply….. Thank you. Happy Fathers Day (sic) I love you to the moon and back.” This post was essentially the last straw to break the camel’s back for Bill.
In his already wounded state, Bill had a scathing response, saying, “She wants to be Kurt’s daughter? Well then, take his name, [and] stop using mine.” He continued, “I say to them now, ‘I set you free.’ I had five birth children, but I now consider myself a father of three.”
Bill Hudson appears in the series “More Than Brothers” in 1985 | Source: Getty Images
Putting the final nail in the coffin, he declared, “I no longer recognize Oliver and Kate as my own.” He suggested that his children might feel this way because they had been “poisoned” by their mother. According to Bill, Goldie manipulated Kate and Oliver into believing that their father had moved to Portland and abandoned them.
Bill clarified that while he did go to Portland, it was only for a couple of months to record an album, after which he returned to Los Angeles when the project was completed. In a symbolic gesture, the actor even purged his home of any memories related to his children with Goldie.
Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Oliver and Kate Hudson at the “Dark Blue” premiere party in Los Angeles in 2003 | Source: Getty Images
Bill’s Retaliation against His Kids
When Kate appeared on Howard’s show, she spoke about how Kurt was the father who was present during the difficult and challenging times. In response, Bill stated, “I would ask them to stop using the Hudson name [because] they are no longer a part of my life.”
He further expressed, “Oliver’s Instagram post was a malicious, vicious, premeditated attack; he is dead to me now, as is Kate. I am mourning their loss even though they are still walking this earth.” Following this, Bill decided to remove all childhood memorabilia of Kate and Oliver from his home.
Bill Hudson and Cindy Williams at the wrap party for “Hysterical” on February 1, 1982, in Culver City, California | Source: Getty Images
Pictures of the two kids were taken down from the walls, and the “knitted baby booties” that the singer once carried around for “good luck” have been discarded. Bill clarified that his request for Kate and Oliver to change their last name is not because he does not “love them any less.”
A screenshot from the interview Bill Hudson did talking about his strained relationship with Kate and Oliver Hudson on Inside Edition in 2015 | Source: YouTube/Inside Edition
However, he added that if they feel he has not been a father to them, it would be fitting for them to “shut up already” and change their last name to the one they consider their “real” father. When speaking about his daughter, Bill claimed, “Kate is her mother’s child. She has a harshness about her.”
He further explained, “She has aligned herself with her mother and perpetuated this story about me abandoning the family. That simply isn’t true; I fought legally, and I physically showed up to see them.”
Advertisement
Kate and Oliver Forgive Their Biological Father
The relationship between Bill and his two oldest children remained somewhat strained, but time offered hope for reconciliation. In several interviews, Kate has made it clear that, despite the pain her father’s actions caused, she has chosen to “forgive” him.
Oliver has expressed similar feelings. In an interview with Larry King, the “Rules of Engagement” actor shared that he had been in touch with his father after the controversial social media post was published.
Advertisement
Oliver confirmed that they had a positive exchange, saying, “He did an interview and talked [expletive]. He felt hurt by it [and] I called him, and we got on the phone and talked; it was really productive.”
Kate’s brother continued, “Then we saw each other, [we] had breakfast, and it was the first time I had seen him in 12 years, and it was really amazing to see him. We talked it out, and we had a really great three-hour conversation.”
Bill Hudson posing for a picture in 1970 | Source: Getty Images
In the spirit of healing old wounds, Kate expressed her desire to reconnect with her half-siblings. During a podcast recording of her and Oliver’s Sibling Rivalry show, the actress reflected on their distant connection with their other siblings.
She noted, “We’ve been talking so much about sibling relationships and distraught relationships, and we’re sitting here like, we’ve got the best family, we’re so great, and yet we don’t ever acknowledge the fact that we have four other siblings.”
The star added, “So I’ve been thinking a lot about the Hudsons. Thinking that it’s important that we reach out with all of our siblings and maybe connect with them a little bit.”
Though Bill has not been involved in his grandchildren’s lives, Kate and her brother ensure that their kids make the most of their time with their bonus grandfather, Kurt. An insider once shared, “Kurt has always been close to Kate Hudson and seen her as his own daughter, so he couldn’t be prouder as he watches her embrace motherhood.”
The source further explained, “He loves nothing more than taking the kids for a weekend if Kate is working or traveling, and he’ll play video games with the boys and let them eat a lot of chocolate. The same goes for [his son Oliver’s] children!”
Kurt has been the epitome of a devoted grandfather to both Kate Hudson and Oliver’s children, dedicating significant time to them and doing his best to fill the void left by the absence of their biological grandfather.
While their relationship with Bill remains distant, Kate and Oliver are focused on making the best of their past and moving forward in a positive direction.
