Kate Hudson on Honoring Claire Sardina and Going Back to Her Musical Roots in ‘Song Sung Blue’ [VIDEO INTERVIEW]
It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Almost Famous made Kate Hudson an Academy Award nominee and, well, famous. In that film, Hudson played Penny Lane, a young woman who has devoted herself to following the fictional band Stillwater (headed by Billy Crudup as Russell Hammond). Penny eschews the term “groupie,” dubbing herself and her friends “band-aides” since their dedication is not about sex but love for the music. Along the road to the Oscars that year, Hudson was nominated for supporting actress at BAFTA, the Golden Globes, and Critics Choice where she was also recognized with the Breakthrough Artist award.
It was a monumental role for Hudson, who had a few prior TV and film credits, including Party of Five, Desert Blue, and 200 Cigarettes. But soon after Almost Famous she was a leading lady starring in a variety of comedies and rom coms (Bride Wars, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), horror movies (The Skeleton Key), adventure, action, musicals. In 2022, she joined Rian Johnson’s excellent ensemble in the second Benoit Blanc murder mystery, Glass Onion.
She also released her own album, Glorious, in 2024. The success of Glorious was part of what led her to Craig Brewer’s Song Sung Blue. In the film, Hudson and Hugh Jackman star as Claire and Mike Sardina, known to their Milwaukee community as Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute act who rose to local stardom in the 1990s. The film was inspired by a 2006 documentary about the couple who, in addition to bringing their love and joy for music to fans, suffered a number of devastating tragedies, but always tried to stay positive in the face of difficulty.
Hudson has been nominated for a Golden Globe, and we spoke about the film just hours after she was also nominated for a SAG Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. We spoke about the overwhelming audience response to the movie, honoring Claire and Mike Sardina and Neil Diamond, and working with Hugh Jackman for the first time.
Song Sung Blue is currently in theaters from Focus Features.
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Kate Hudson on Honoring Claire Sardina and Going Back to Her Musical Roots in ‘Song Sung Blue’ [VIDEO INTERVIEW] 
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