In 1975, two stars at the height of their careers crossed paths in the most unexpected way. A renowned musician and the legendary actress Goldie Hawn met on a first-class flight from New York to Los Angeles. The connection between them was instant, almost electric.
The musician, already a big name, had shared stages with The Beach Boys, The Osmonds, and The Monkees. As a member of The Hudson Brothers, he was no stranger to fame. He had even dabbled in acting, with appearances in TV shows and movies, including the cult favorite Hysterical.
Recalling their first meeting, the musician shared, “There was instant electricity. The attraction was immediate. That night, I asked her to dinner, and that was it.” Their chemistry was undeniable, and their physical bond grew rapidly.
“The intimacy was incredible,” he continued, as reported by the Daily Mail. “Even when things started to go wrong, that connection was always there.” Despite the ups and downs, it often felt like their relationship was moving forward.By 1976, Goldie was pregnant with their first child, a son. The couple decided to get married. But the joy of their new family was overshadowed by a terrifying complication during the birth.
Their son was diagnosed with meconium aspiration, a life-threatening condition where a baby inhales contaminated amniotic fluid. This happened at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
Their newborn was placed in isolation for three days, and the couple was beside themselves with worry. “Goldie and I were ecstatic,” the musician recalled. “But she was so sick, and I spent all my time running between her room and the neonatal intensive care unit.”
The doctors didn’t think their son would make it. “They told us he might not survive,” he added. But, against all odds, their son pulled through. “From that moment on, he was our miracle.”
Three years later, in 1979, they welcomed their second child, a daughter. Life seemed perfect for their little family, but in 1981, the musician made a heartbreaking discovery: Goldie had been unfaithful. This revelation marked the beginning of the end of their marriage. The musician longed for a traditional marriage, but Goldie’s views on commitment didn’t align with his.
“Goldie was having affairs, and pretty much on our wedding night, she told me she wanted an open marriage,” he confessed to the Daily Mail. “She said she couldn’t imagine being faithful to one man for the rest of her life.” He added, “I wanted a traditional union, but it wasn’t possible with Goldie. So eventually, I left.”
After their split, Goldie found love again with actor Kurt Russell. They had first met on the set of Swing Shift, but their romance didn’t bloom until years later, in 1983, after reconnecting while filming The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. Three years into their relationship, in 1986, they welcomed their son, Wyatt Russell.
Merging their families wasn’t easy. Goldie’s daughter from her previous marriage described how challenging it was. “For me, it was a huge moment because my mom was madly in love with this guy,” she said. “And I was meeting his son, Boston. I remember thinking, ‘Does this mean Boston is my brother now?’” As a young child, it was overwhelming.
Goldie’s children from her first marriage struggled with feelings of abandonment after their parents divorced. Her son later opened up about how their biological father, Bill, had slowly distanced himself from them.
In a raw and emotional Father’s Day post, he honored Kurt, saying, “It really doesn’t matter which man is my biological father. I became who I am because of the man who stepped in when I was six years old.”
Kurt had taken on the role of father to Goldie’s children, a memory both siblings hold dear. While they didn’t maintain a close relationship with their biological father, Bill, they often expressed their gratitude to Kurt for his love and dedication.
Bill, on the other hand, felt deeply betrayed. He publicly accused Goldie of turning their children against him. According to Hello!, despite the tension, Kate and Oliver, Goldie’s children, focused on healing and maintaining a positive outlook on the future.
The tension between Bill and his children became public knowledge in 2015 when Oliver posted a controversial message on Father’s Day. He shared an old photo of himself, Kate, and Bill with the caption, “Happy abandonment day… @katehudson.”Bill, outraged, responded in an interview. “Oliver could’ve just called me, but he didn’t,” Bill said, clearly hurt by the post. “Instead, he posted that picture on Father’s Day, knowing full well how much it would hurt.” He went on to say that Oliver had successfully pushed him out of their lives.
The situation escalated when Kate wrote her own tribute to Kurt, following her brother’s example, which only made the tension worse. During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Kate explained, “Kurt was the father who was there for me during the toughest times.”
Bill, still bitter, responded by saying, “I’ve asked them to stop using the Hudson name. They’re no longer part of my life.” He continued, “To me, Oliver and Kate are dead. Their posts were a deliberate, cruel attack. Even though they’re still alive, I mourn the loss of my children.”
According to the Daily Mail, Bill even went as far as to get rid of all of Kate and Oliver’s childhood belongings from his home.
Despite the distance between Bill and his older children, Kurt embraced his role as a father figure and even became a devoted grandfather to Kate and Oliver’s kids.
While Bill remains hurt and angry, Kate and Oliver have chosen to move on. They’ve built strong relationships with their stepfather, Kurt, and are focused on the future, leaving the painful past behind.