In a poignant moment on her daytime talk show, Kelly Clarkson has shared a rare glimpse into her personal grief following the death of her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. The candid reflection came during an interview with Oscar-winning actor Kate Winslet, who was promoting her upcoming directorial debut.
A Film That Hit Close to Home
Winslet appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, 15 December 2025, to discuss her new Netflix film, Goodbye June. The movie, written by Winslet's 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, follows four dysfunctional adult siblings who reunite to spend one last Christmas with their dying mother, portrayed by Dame Helen Mirren. The cast also includes Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough, and Johnny Flynn.
Clarkson, 43, confessed to her guest that she initially hesitated to watch the film due to its subject matter. "At first, I was like 'Oh gosh, this is going to deal with death and it's a little close to home with our family right now'," she said, referring to the passing of Blackstock in August 2025. "I didn't know if I wanted to take this on. But I kept watching and I was like ... through my tears, this is about life."
Navigating Loss in the Public Eye
Brandon Blackstock, a talent manager and the former stepson of country music legend Reba McEntire, died at age 48 after a more than three-year battle with melanoma. Clarkson, who was married to Blackstock from 2013 to 2022, shares two children with him: River, 11, and Remington, nine.
The singer and TV host has largely kept her family's grief private. She postponed her Las Vegas residency just hours before Blackstock's death, stating she needed "to be fully present" for her children. A statement released at the time asked for privacy for the family.
Her conversation with Winslet marked one of her most direct public acknowledgments of the loss. She expressed amazement that Winslet had directed a script penned by her own son, exclaiming, "Your family is annoyingly brilliant!" to audience laughter.
Finding Healing Through Conversation
This is not the first time Clarkson has touched on her grief with a guest. In October 2025, she had a heartfelt discussion with music icon Lionel Richie, who offered words of comfort. "If you hurt so badly, that means you loved so deeply," Richie told her, later joking about performing a "grief exorcism."
Clarkson returned to her NBC talk show roughly two months after Blackstock's passing, but has only shared brief insights into her family's adjustment since. The episode with Kate Winslet underscores how art and film can provide a conduit for processing personal tragedy, even for those in the spotlight.
Goodbye June, a film fundamentally about family and loss, served as the unexpected backdrop for one of television's more raw and genuine moments, connecting a host's personal journey with an actor's professional milestone.
