Cindy Ord/WireImage; Sarah Shatz/Focus Features
Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn (left); Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman in ‘Song Sung Blue’
Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell became emotional while watching Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue.
Speaking during a post-screening panel at AMC The Grove 14 in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 13, Q&A moderator Hawn, 80, revealed that she and Russell, 74, were in tears as they watched an early cut of the film.
Explaining she hadn’t cried at a movie like that since she was 11 years old, Hawn revealed how Russell had said her daughter might be the greatest actress of all time, adding, “And he does not say those things.”
Hawn recalled on the panel, “When I first saw this movie, Kurt and I were sitting together and it wasn’t totally put together yet. So it wasn’t color corrected, there were certain things they needed to do and balance the sound and everything and make it the whole finished movie. But the two of us held onto each other and cried.”
Eric Charbonneau/Focus Features via Getty
Goldie Hawn (left) and Kate Hudson attend the ‘Song Sung Blue’ screening at AMC The Grove 14 in Los Angeles on Jan. 13, 2026
“From the minute you did the Patsy Cline song!” Hawn told Hudson, 46. “I mean, literally cried. And it was like one of those moments where we thought, ‘What have we just seen?’ And it was such [an] extraordinary surprise.”
Hudson plays Claire in the movie, which is based on the real-life Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. The character ends up forming a tribute band with Mike Sardina (played by Hugh Jackman) in 1989, before their professional relationship turns romantic.
During Tuesday’s panel, Hawn compared Jackman’s character to Russell as Hudson commented on the film being “about chosen family, too, which was something that’s very relatable to us.”
Hawn said, “You know, he looked so much like Kurt,” as Hudson laughed, while Hawn continued, “Because actually that’s what Kurt did, came into my life and took on our family.”
Hudson commented, “It’s a heroic thing to do.”
Russell and Hawn share four kids: Boston Russell, who Kurt welcomed with ex Season Hubley; Kate and Oliver Hudson from Goldie’s past relationship with Bill Hudson; and their youngest Wyatt Russell. After Bill and Hawn finalized their divorce in 1982, she started dating Russell in 1983, with Kate having considered him to be her stepdad for over 40 years.
JC Olivera/Variety via Getty
From left: Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and Kurt Russell
Hawn’s comments about being in tears while watching Song Sung Blue isn’t the first time the family has spoken about getting emotional.
Hudson, who was nominated for a Golden Globe this year after starring in director Craig Brewer’s musical biopic, told PEOPLE in December 2025 that the film had her crying “every day.”
“I cry every day ‘cause every time Hugh and I start talking about the movie, we get so emotional,” the Glass Onion actress said.
She admitted, “I cry really easy. I’m an easy crier. … I could look at an Instagram and start [crying]. Especially [posts] of kids saying something profound will make me cry.”
“I think I probably cry at least once every other day,” Hudson added. “Crying is always a good thing. It really is.”
Courtesy of Focus Features
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in ‘Song Sung Blue’
She insisted that her mom, Hawn, brother Oliver and other family members were constantly in touch with their feelings, as well.
“We’re all criers,” Hudson told PEOPLE. “Our whole family, everybody but maybe Pa [Russell] and Wyatt,” adding, “We’re pretty emotional.”
Hudson’s comments came after she spoke to PEOPLE about the film alongside her co-star Jackman, 57, at the 2025 Gotham Awards on Dec. 1.
“His superpower is to connect, whether it’s onstage, whether it’s on set, whether it’s with anyone and everyone. He just wants to connect, and he wants to make sure that everyone’s happy,” Hudson explained, before addressing Jackman beside her. “And at the same time, I learned that one of the greatest gifts that you can give people is that you actually have a desire to connect to them, and I think you give that to everybody.”
Jackman responded, “I learned a lot from Kate. I’ve done almost 50 films, but somehow working with Kate — it’s a very difficult thing to describe, but the mixture of being prepared and just being instinctive is a really fine line, and no one does it better than Kate Hudson.”
He added, “Being with her … I think I became a better actor.”
