Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman Talk 'Song Sung Blue'

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, they star in the highly anticipated new movie, it's called Sung Sung Blue, the beautiful true story of a couple who started a Neil Diamond cover band and took the Midwest by storm. Once you start singing, you just can't stop. Particularly Neil Diamond. I know. Particularly Neil Diamond. I am so happy that you're here. First of all, you guys are in the hall of fame of today's show guests, both of you being the most charming, the most lovely, to have both of you sitting on one couch is like it's going to crack the lens of loveliness and fun. So thank you. It's true. And congrats on the movie. I'm going to start with you, Kate. You just got a Golden Globe nomination for this role. I did. I'm so excited. I'm thrilled. Were you surprised? Were you like hoping? I mean, I mean, yeah, of course, you know, I was actually feeling quite anxious about it. I was sort of like, I don't even want to wake up and look at it. I just and then my phone started blowing up and I was like, I think I might have gotten a nomination because it was so early. It's exciting. You know, people are loving this movie and that's just like you only hope that you make a film that people love to see. And it's it's just touching people's hearts. And it is touching because I just saw it yesterday. I knew nothing about this because it's not only just the joy and the fun and the songs which we saw in that clip. It's also a really heartbreaking, true story. Hugh, I heard that you you kind of recruited Kate like you were going to play the lead role, but you had to find your Claire. So yeah, my friend Michelle was watching a morning show, an inferior morning show. I didn't want to miss some morning show. And not this one, but and just said, you got to turn it on because Kate is promoting her album and she's singing and I think she could be Claire. And I turned and immediately texted the director and I said, Kate Hudson is Claire. Claire is Kate. And he texted back, said, OMG, 100 percent. I'm going to call her. We're friends. And that was it. Like within 24 hours. I think you're on board. Yeah. And I read the script and I was like, how often do you get to do all of these things and run one role for both of us just to be able to sing and perform, to be performers and then to go to the places we do in this. And the love story is so beautiful. Savannah, as much as I as much as I sort of could see it, nothing prepared me for how amazing Kate was from day one. Literally the moment she walked on with that, I think the moment I saw you in the makeup trailer with hot rollers every morning, it's a Luke. It's a hot roller. It was like the 80s. We were like, just hot rollers everywhere. You also perfected the Midwest accent, which I just I mean, and you didn't do it in like an over the top parody way. It's very real, but that is a very distinct accent. Yeah. Yes, yes. And you grew up in California. How do you know that? Well, I had I had someone that I worked with for 20 plus years who's from Milwaukee. That was helpful. But also we had the documentary and Claire's kind of, you know, it's a it's a very specific kind of sing song type of accent. And then we had Jess Platt, who's an amazing dialect coach. So all in all, we had a lot. I had a lot of. I'm always amazed. But you guys are professional actors. And I mean, let's give you your due. You're an Aussie. And you you had a good accent, too. Nice. Well, thanks so much. American accent. I was like, you always have to have an accent. I know. You know, very rarely. I mean, I've got a dialect coach out the back to get me prepared for this. You know, remind me of my Australian accent. Normal people like us are always kind of like shocked that you professional actors can do this. It's like you can juggle fire. It's just such an amazing skill. Yeah. And I know some people who can just do it like a party trick. I need someone. Yeah. I've had Jess for almost 30 years. You can I bet you could flip. There's certain accents. I can go right into. And then there's certain ones like if I had to do an Australian, I would need Jess with me like every second. OK. Or Hugh. I can teach everyone how to do it. Ryder can do any accent. What's a good like. I can teach you how to speak Australian. OK. Please do. You know I was born there. Say rise. Rise. Up. Lights. Rise up lights. Razor blades. You just said razor blades. Rise up lights. There you go. Now they're trying that at home. Rise up lights. Oh my gosh. Amazing. Yeah. Tell me about the first time you sang together. Well that was we we recorded before we started any filming and I think and we sat down on a sofa kind of like this with two with two microphones and we had that sort of like moment of like how's this going to work. You know we didn't really know each other and you seemed very at home. I was I'm a bit nervous in the recording studio more nervous there than on stage. But you were very at home. Well I was nervous to know if we were going to have like if we were going to if it was going to work. You know I was like that's nervous. I didn't know you. I was like. But it just felt incredibly easy. It felt easy. And I just remember as we were singing and because Kate Neal's all Neal songs are basically him alone. So all the harmonies and this duet was kind of invented. Yeah. Really. Which was really fun because we got in the studio and Craig our director was very much like you know we I got to find the harmonies and work you know play around with them. And then and then we were told we had a nice blend. We've got a good blend. You do have a good blend. I got to see the movie last night. It's what it has so much a great holiday movie to go out the theaters and see you laugh you'll cry you'll sing. Yeah. All the things. And you're feeling inspired and hopeful at the end of it. By the way bone to pick though y'all went to a New York City bar and started doing karaoke. Yeah. Next time call me. I won't sing. I promise. Not with this scratchy voice. Is it okay if it's after 730 p.m. Oh no. What is it? A rave? What is it? A rave. Exactly. What is it? Are we in Ibiza? No. 730 p.m. We go to bed at 5 p.m. on this show. Yes. Heaven. That's my idea of heaven. I know. Dinner at 330. Bed by five. Great. Australia hours. Yeah. All right. Thank you so much. Rise up lights. Appreciate it. And the Kitties, Rise of the Blade, Song Sung Blue from our sister company Focus Features in theaters everywhere on Christmas Day. Go check it out. Al, over to you. This is why I love this job. I got to see these guys and I also got to sing with Neil Diamond out on our plaza. I got to one time. He did sing Sweet Caroline back in the day. Yes. Really? That's right. Sweet Caroline. That's awesome. I did too. I got to do some karaoke. Do the weather. It's more important. Come and tell. You can come over and tell me the story. Yeah. I got you. Come on over. I'll keep talking. I went to his house. I invited myself over. Right. And he said, do you want to do some karaoke? And I said, 100%. So I did that with Neil. Anyway, welcome back. We've got some cold. We've got some highs. It's going to be very cold. It's super cold. Very cold. 31. A little bit up north. A little bit of snow. Uh huh. So why don't you just come out here for a little vacay. There you go. We've got some record highs. It's going to be 120 degrees in Los Angeles. And yeah. Bit of a flood threat. All good. Just look out the window. Don't worry about it. Go see the movies. That's what's going on around the country. Here's what's happening in your neck of the woods.