In a candid revelation, actor Oliver Hudson has opened up about the current state of his relationship with his 76-year-old biological father, musician Bill Hudson, marking a significant thaw in a long-standing family estrangement.
A Tumultuous Past Gives Way to Peace
Oliver Hudson, the 49-year-old son of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson, has confirmed that he and his father are now in a positive place. The actor, known for roles in films like A Merry Little Ex-Mas, told Us Weekly that their communication is more frequent than ever. "We are getting along great right now, we're in contact now more than ever," he stated, revealing they text almost every other day and are even discussing potential collaborative projects.
This reconciliation has deep roots in a public moment of pain. The journey back began unexpectedly after a 2015 Father's Day Instagram post by Oliver, which featured a childhood photo with Bill and his sister, Kate Hudson. The caption, "Happy abandonment day...," was intended as dark humour but ignited a media firestorm. "It just set off this firestorm that I wasn't expecting," Oliver admitted. "But it definitely brought us together."
Building Bridges Through Conversation and Reflection
From that difficult start emerged a beautiful new chapter. Oliver described having "amazing conversations" and lunches with Bill, where they shared beers, tears, and a growing mutual understanding. "It was really beautiful, honestly, to sit down with him and look at my reflection, in a way," he shared. The actor noted the profound biological connection, stating, "He made me; I'm half of that dude." He observed strong similarities in their appearance and outlook on life, a link he doesn't share with his stepfather, Kurt Russell.
Kate Hudson's relationship with her birth father remains more tentative. In a 2024 interview, the Almost Famous star confessed she still doesn't have a substantial bond with Bill but indicated a slight warming. "I have no expectation of that with my father," she said. "I just want him to be happy." Kate was just 18 months old when her parents split in 1980, finalising their divorce in 1982.
The Enduring Role of Stepfather Kurt Russell
While rebuilding a bond with Bill, Oliver was quick to pay tribute to the man who raised him: his mother's long-term partner, Kurt Russell. "What he did for me was took me from a little scared boy who was a mama's boy and taught me how to be alone, taught me independence," Oliver explained. He credited Russell with instilling toughness and independence, shaping him into the man he is today. "He made me the man that I am, 100 percent," Oliver affirmed, adding that he now applies similar principles of "tough love" with his own three children: Wilder, Bodhi, and Rio.
The blended family, including Kurt's son Boston Russell from a previous marriage and Goldie and Kurt's son Wyatt Russell, was raised between Colorado and Los Angeles's Pacific Palisades. Oliver's story underscores a complex but hopeful narrative of family reconciliation, acknowledging past wounds while embracing new beginnings and the different forms fatherhood can take.
