Extended interview： Kate Hudson & Hugh Jackman

So let's talk first about how this pairing came about, because Hugh, you were attached to the project first. And as I understand it, you were watching some TV show. Any cases on it? Yeah, it's this little known show, CBS Sunday Morning. Just a little show. I got a phone call from Michelle, who works with me. We've been friends forever. And we've been talking about, she'd read the script. And she goes, she texts me, she said, are you watching CBS Sunday Morning? I said, I'm not. Normally am. By the way, and that sounded sucky, but it's true, I normally am. And I wasn't, and she said, you gotta see it, check out Kate. I think she's clear. And I went, huh. So after the, I turned it on, and there was Kate promoting her debut solo album. And what I loved about, I loved the way you were talking about music. I loved that you allowed the cameras to, not only on stage, but in the studio. And I was like, I knew you had a great voice. I already knew that, but I was, there was something about watching you do your own stuff at this part of your life, talking about this part of your life, and where you're at. I texted Craig Brewer, the writer director, and I said, Kate Hudson is Claire. Claire is Kate. And he just said, oh my God, perfect. Tracy, as much as I could see it and feel it, nothing prepared me from day one of rehearsal through till the end, till I saw the movie. What do you mean? Of Kate's performance. Because it was like, I could feel it. You know, you just know, I'm like, oh, this is, she's gonna be perfect, and she's amazing, and I love her, and I love her as an actress. But then when there's somehow an alchemy of a part to an actress at that time, when that all comes together, magic. And it blew me away. That's a compliment to you, and then you just have to accept it, and there's no volleyback. That was. But it wanted to volley it back so bad. No, I was an ace, and you just let it go. Okay. Before we, well, you know what, let's talk about the script first. What did you love about this story? Well, I think I'm good to talk about this, because he saw the documentary before he read the script, and I read the script before I knew it was a documentary. And it read just like a great, epic story that you don't see very often anymore. One that's reminiscent of movies that we love, kind of that nostalgic feeling that it has, but it just was like the power. It had so many themes about love. Great love story, but it's also a love story to family and to music and to fandom. And then inside of it, inside of this big love story is just these people who have so much resilience and grit. And I was like, I don't get to see these very often. And the fact that he was doing it, I thought was so exciting, because he was the perfect, perfect Mike. And then I saw the documentary, and then I thought, wow, Craig's script was so brilliant and wonderful, because he was able to sort of condense this long period of time into a two-hour film and a great read from beginning to end. That's how I felt. Everything you said, I also cried when I saw the documentary. When we did our first read-through, like a table read, everyone was crying. But there was something about the tears that I... There was a couple that were weeps. There was some weeping. I mean, I can watch a movie like a crime versus crime. There's movies you can watch and you cry, but there's movies where you cry and it feels great. That's what I loved about this story. I would tell everyone I came across, what are you working on? I said, you've got to hear about this story. You've got to, because it's so inspiring, and parts of it are going to make you cry, because you're going to go on this ride, but you're going to feel great. Yeah, that terms of endearment type of cry. Right. It's a great cry. Yeah, you're just like, oh, life, life, love. And then you have 13 Neil Diamond songs. So you have that. So I've been in screenings where there's laughter, sing-along, and crying. And I was like, hmm, how do you get that every day? Yeah, how many movies can you say that about, right? None, not for me. I mean, X-Men 1, 4, and 7 have elements of that. So clearly you were familiar with each other before this, but how well did you know each other before this project? Not very well. Actually, it's become a bit of a joke, because I remember when we first met, but she has no recollection. I don't remember meeting him. That's the impression I made. Which is so weird, because it was in my mom's house. It was at my parents' house. So I feel like I would, how could you not remember? I mean, I was handing around hors d'oeuvres. I was like, how could I have forgotten meeting Hugh Jackman? I mean. But you blew in, it was in the kitchen, and you just came, as she is now, like this breath of fresh air, like, oh, you're like, hi, hi, and I'm like, hi. And it was like, wow, I'm sitting at the cool kids' table. This is great. And then you just. Left. I said, do you remember? And you were like, no. I was like, I don't remember. But you know, I kind of live life that way a little bit. I won't remember this in like a year. Hugh, it's Hugh. I literally, when he said that, I was like, not okay. But then. I was like, I need more lines. Then we did a workshop together. Yes, which was. For a musical, which never ended up happening. Which I did remember, and it was amazing. Yes. Yeah. We ran into each other a bit, but I've always just been a fan, and you know. Every time I'd see Hugh, like, whether it be at an event or something, you know, because you see people, and it's always like, hi, how are you? But like, there's certain people who have a way about them. Hugh's way, that light, and that generosity, and that openness, when you even just see him in passing. Like, then working with you became like, oh, that is everything you think Hugh is, he is that and more. So how well do you know each other now? Oh, well, very well. Very well. I know you very well. Yeah. Except consummating. No. Beyond that, pretty much everything. So talk about these. You touched on this before, but these roles. Are these roles, we have to move past that now. Are these roles different than roles you've been offered before? Well, yeah. For me, yeah. I don't think these scripts are around very often. So it depends on what you mean by that question. So let me ask you specifically, because last time we talked, you said that you felt like you were put in a box as an actor and not a singer, and clearly you proved everyone wrong on that front. Do you feel like you've been put in a box as an actor, as a certain type of actor? And was this a role that maybe wasn't necessarily coming around that often? I think, yes, absolutely. I think that's, yes, of course. I think that the second I became famous as the Andy Anderson how-to girl and rom-com kind of success, getting out of that kind of how people wanna see you in that light, especially as a woman, is really hard. It's very challenging. So you're constantly looking for other things to be doing, and it's like even coming off of Almost Famous and then doing How to Lose a Guy and then doing other things that were successful, it's still something like people can't really see you other than the things that are the big movies that you do. And so to see you as small characters or more character-driven things, which is kind of what I love to do in terms of my art, like that's what I'd like to be doing, more things like that, it's harder for, I think, directors and studios to see you in those things when something is so bright in another area. And so it's kind of like, it's like you honor it and you love it and you always wanna do it, because I always wanna do my comedies and rom-com. I love it. But then you also have to work a little bit harder to maintain some sense of like, I also would like to do all these other things. Not anymore. No. I felt with Mike, it was somehow demanding or asking of me so many different facets of the things I love to do that I, it's a cricket term, you don't have it in baseball. I guess a time is a bit like, but in cricket, we say you're an all-rounder, which means you basically, you pitch and you bat, you do everything. And so I like to do a bit of everything. I have a musical career, I like to, I do performances, I'll host the Oscars, I'll play Wolverine in action movies, or this had sort of, Mike's got that masculinity in a way of a Wolverine. He's like a, and yet he's a performer and he wears sequins and he'll dress up and there was singing and there was drama and there was relationship. It felt like it had everything. You touched on this, but how tricky is it to play real life people? I think Craig, I think we had the ability to play people that are not known. They're not very well-known, right? So I think Craig, one of the things was he didn't, we weren't married to the sort of mimicking of these characters, which I think is harder if you're playing someone that's incredibly well-known, must be much more challenging in terms of feeling the freedom inside certain movements and characteristics and things like that. So we, but inside of that, you wanna honor, again, these people. And Claire and Mike, we had the documentary that was so great. I mean, it was such a great resource. But Craig really wanted us to trust our instincts too, to not just stay connected to exactly the way Mike would have done it or exactly the way Claire would have done it. You know, it's funny, because you say you're playing people who aren't well-known, and yet at the same time, you're playing people who aren't well-known playing people who are well-known. Right? Right. Neil Diamond, and at one point, you're playing Patsy Cline, right? Yeah. So that's gotta be, what's that process like? It's sort of fun. That's why I was glad we were in the recording studio. I think we did, I did a vocal, because I'm a, we're both singers, we both have our own style. And so I had to kind of get rid of that, find Mike, and then find Mike finding Neil, although he's, you know, I'm an interpreter, I know I'm an impersonator, it was actually, that recording was like a rehearsal, like a finding of him for me. Also, like an instrument, like if you have, like, I don't see my voice as like the greatest technical instrument, but in terms of performance, like I can change, like I, you know, I can change my voice. I can change it to what the character is demanding, you know, of my voice, and try to lean into more Patsy Cline sound, lean into, you know, like, the hardest thing for me was finding my own voice, because I've done so much singing in other things, like whether it be in theater, you know, in school, in theater, or singing other people's music. Finding, like, your own instrument that is connected to, like, your soul, it was a much harder thing for me, than, you know, finding out how to create, like, use the instrument to get certain sounds for Patsy. I love seeing those Patsy Cline sounds. I wish I had, like, two more Patsy Cline sounds. Oh, yeah, they're so good. And they just did this thing at the Grand Ole Opry with, it's like 100 years, and they're doing a whole Patsy Cline thing at the Grand Ole Opry. I was really trying to get out there to sing a Patsy Cline song. And? I didn't have time. Too much going on. Maybe another time. Yeah. So you talked a bit about the reactions that you've seen. I know you screened it for Goldie and Kurt. Yeah, and it was Ella seeing it for the first time. Anderson is amazing in this movie. He plays my daughter, the stepdaughter, and her mother. And so it was a room of about, I'd say, 10 or 11 people. Brad, my publicist, my agent. You know, it was the team and my parents. And it was great. I mean, it was, I think everybody had the same reaction. It was just a bunch of tears, and everyone loved the movie. And, you know, my big thing was thinking, I was watching my mom watch it. I was like, God, because I'm so, I guess, not the glamorous version of myself, or even, honestly, my version, you know? I, you know, was a bit heavier and didn't see my skin person for a while. I, you know, I was like, I was like, God, it must be so interesting for my mom to see her middle-aged daughter on the screen. She must've been like, oh my God, she's middle-aged. Did they? Go ahead. No, I finished. Did they share a reaction with you? Did they say anything? Oh, they loved the movie. They loved the movie. They loved it. They were, yes, they were so, they just think it's, I think, amongst other people, I think they have probably a similar reaction to a lot of people are having when they see the movie. I think they love movies like this, and they were, they just enjoyed every second and loved us. Yeah. Although my parents don't like that word, for some reason. Yeah, because it feels like it takes ownership. I understand. They're like, it's not, you know, and yeah, they loved it. I had a couple of cool reactions. First was my agent, Patrick Whitesall of 30, but he rang me, I've never heard him so, he was like, dude, brother, I need to see it again. I'm like, I've never heard him say that before. And the other one was Neil Diamond rang, and he was teary, and he was with his wife, Katie, and he just absolutely loved it. He loved the movie, he loved, he knew of the story and the documentary, and obviously he gave rights to his music, to his catalogue, and that was, that was awesome, because of all the things we're paying homage to in this movie, of course, one of them is Neil Diamond, and who he is and what he represents, him as a songwriter, him as a musician, him as an artist, and he connects to Mike. He's like, I'm from Brooklyn. Okay, I ended up being Neil Diamond, but I would still be doing it. I'd be at the local bar, and I'd be doing my thing, and he loved it, that was really cool. That's cool. Yeah, he loves karaoke. As a matter of fact, I did just get a Christmastime invite to karaoke at the Diamond House. That is so great. Because Hugh has already karaoke'd with him. He has already karaoke'd, I have not yet. Hugh one's very competitive. When you say you got an invite, when you say you got an invite. He was like, for you to be home, come over, we can karaoke too. Was there a pre-call, like, so I heard. Yeah, so what's going on with this, that Hugh got to karaoke with you? And I'm your neighbor, that's weird. And you karaoke'd with him, and he also gave you a kiss? He did, on my forehead. He put his arm around me like that, and I sort of lent, and he just kissed me on the forehead. It was like, the whole night was, he walked up on the porch, we were in Colorado, and he said, you did good, kid. And then he said, you wanna do some karaoke? And I'm like, yeah. And he sang first, he sang I Dreamed a Dream. And I said, why don't you sing that song? And he goes, well, that's just such a pretty tune. And then we sang Can't Help Falling in Love with you, and then Sweet Caroline. Yeah, it's so funny, he's such a national treasure, isn't he, because he's so anthemic, all his songs are such anthems. And they're songs that are played in times of celebration, especially Sweet Caroline. I mean, whether it be in sport, or weddings, or bar mitzvahs, or movies, film, different films. I was even thinking he was in The Materialists, Sweet Caroline's in that movie. But I was thinking about it, his music is so, I didn't really even know his music before we did this, because I wasn't like, that wasn't my era of music, I was like a Madonna girl in the 80s, and then a hip hop grunge girl in the 90s. So Neil Diamond to me was a discovery, other than the big anthems. And when you're playing someone's music, and then you're playing other people that are playing their music, we kind of did our own interpretation of his songs. And to get sort of his love back for that is so great. I mean, what an amazing thing. His catalog is insane. He's written so many songs. And if you haven't delved into his music, you're gonna be shocked how prolific he is as a songwriter. So what a joy that he loved watching it. He did also say that he feels like every decade or so that his music has something comes along that gives his music a new life, and introduces it to a new generation. And he seemed incredibly grateful for this, and excited that people were gonna listen to his music. As you know, this film is part of the Oscars conversation. You both have been nominated before. Does it get easier or harder to be in this dance again? Oh my God, I feel like I was nominated back in like 1971. How long ago was that? I have a funny story to tell about my first round. Well, my only round of being nominated. I never forget the morning of my publicist Alan rang me. In the morning he goes, how you doing champ? I said, I'm good. I'm getting ready. He goes, great. Don't worry about writing a speech. I said, no. He goes, yeah, don't worry about it. I said, just go and have a great night. And I was like, cool, good to know. And so we did and went along and we got to sing One Day More. And I thought this was great. You know, I think it's just a given if you're in and if you're nominated and there's a Daniel Day-Lewis in the category, just don't worry about writing a speech. Was he in your category? Yes, he was. Oh my God. What was he not? What, did he win? Lincoln, the small little movie, the Lincoln song. You know. And I said, what are you talking about? He goes. Eight years, Daniel Day-Lewis has a movie and you're in that category. I was like, oh God. Curses. Does he get an easy win? Sure. Yeah, does he get? What do you think? I think it's such a funny thing because there is like the Oscar conversation and it is this sort of campaigning of the thing in the movies and there's this whole whirlwind that you go on and you sort of become like, I remember the first time, it's like, oh, I was the class of 2001. You know, you become this sort of, you know, group of people that are going around the world and having this actually really amazing experience celebrating what people are saying are their favorite movies of the year and performances of the year. And that part feels really good because it just is like, you want to make good movies and you want people to love them. And so there's some movies that are for audiences and there are some that we make for audiences. There's some movies that are really more focused on critics and critical acclaim. And then there's some movies that might have both. And honestly, for us, like, if the conversation and the hope that this movie can be something that entertains and at the same time be in that conversation is actually really special. And so I don't take any of it, like, lightly or for granted in any way. And, and it, yeah. And, and so, and so, and also I feel like this feels like the first real year back after all of the stuff in movies, whether it be COVID, The Strike, like all of a sudden there's all these great movies that are, you know, happening and the festivals were sort of ripe and full of great work. So it feels really like amazing to be a part of that right now. You know? That's... When I was in that round for Les Mis, I remember going to the Oscar lunch. It's a great event. Every nominee is there and every nominee gets caught up. You do like a class photo. It's really cool. And one person speaks. It was Norman Jewison got up and he was just so cool. And I've never forgot it. He just said, listen, you're all here. You're nominated. And for the next six weeks, you're going to be doing so many interviews and people are going to say, well, you're here. You've got a chance. You haven't got a chance. Like me, you haven't got a chance. You're going to be, he says, that's not the real conversation, but I understand it feels like it. But I can tell you now from where I'm sitting in my stage of life, as someone who's won them, as someone who's lost them, it doesn't matter. What will matter are the films you're proud of. And he said, and some of them at the time may be nothing. Some of them you'll win an Oscar for, but when you're my age, you may go, eh, that's not my best. So, and I just always thought that. Now, is there a little boy in me who would like to win an Oscar? Of course. I mean, I don't think- Right. But I think now at 57, being part of a movie that I am proud of now, I'm proud of it now. And hopefully when I'm, you know, at an Oscars lunch and they asked me to speak, I'll say the same speech. And who knows what moves them. But to make stories and do things that move people, that make them grab their family tighter, that make them, you know, embrace life even more, or have the resilience and courage to get through a tough time, that just feels, that's just magic. Yeah. I remember, I remember Kurt, when I lost to Marcia Gay Harden at, he looked, I was sort of in this interesting thing where everybody was telling me I was going to win. Oh yeah. Everybody. And I was like, I don't like stuff like that. Because for me, it was like, I also have a hard time when you have all these amazing, like Ellen Bernstein, all these amazing actresses. And then you have people kind of saying, and you're like, this is not what this is about. I guess it is in some way, but really for me personally, like I can be very competitive when there's a ball and a net, but I am not competitive in the arts. Like I just don't, I put my, you know, it would be great, but like I don't see it that way at all. And I, but, but I had so many people saying, and I kept saying like, stop, don't say that. You know, you never know. And, and then I lost. And, and, and my, and Kurt kind of leaned, I remember he leaned over and he goes, well, now you can go have your career. And I was like, I thought that was such an interesting thing to say. Cause it's like, welcome to the whirlwind. Welcome to what this is. Now just go, just go be an actor. At work. Yeah, just go to work. And, and that's how I see it. You know, it's like you take it in. If you do feel humble in it, I think it is humbling. And, and I know that sounds funny, but for, I guess for some people it's humbling. For me, it feels humbling. To like even be in the conversation. But the work is where it's at for me always. Isn't it? Totally. Yeah. And I think of you growing up, seeing one on the mantle. Oh yeah. There was one sitting there your whole life. And you didn't touch it? No. No, I don't want to touch it. No, not till I get one. Have you not touched it? No, I can't touch it. No, it's like the Stanley Cup. Like you don't touch, you don't touch the award unless you, you know, you got the award. So that's the one. That's awesome. Yeah. That's how I feel. That's awesome. Yeah. Cut to like some picture of me somewhere. I remember that. Was that the party where Hugh Jackman was there? I don't remember anything. That wasn't me. That is AI.