Though many saw her as the offspring of Hollywood royalty, Kate Hudson has consistently demonstrated her own talent and resilience as an actor. Born in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, Hudson grew up in a family deeply rooted in the entertainment world. Her parents, actress Goldie Hawn and musician Bill Hudson, separated when she was just 18 months old, and from that point on, she was raised primarily by her mother and her mother’s long-time partner, actor Kurt Russell, who has been a part of her life since 1983.
Despite her early interest in acting, Hudson didn’t begin auditioning for on-camera roles until she was 17, thanks to her mother’s cautious approach. Her television debut came in 1996 with an appearance on the popular series Party of Five. However, it wasn’t until two years later that she made her feature film debut in Desert Blue (1998), a small but meaningful step in her journey. She continued to build her résumé with roles in independent films like 200 Cigarettes (1999), but her true breakthrough arrived in 2000 when she was cast as Penny Lane in Almost Famous, a film set in the 1970s that captured both critical and popular acclaim. That same year, she married musician Chris Robinson, marking a significant personal milestone.
Hudson’s performance in Almost Famous was widely praised and brought her into the spotlight. Her bright, charismatic screen persona soon led to a role in the romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), opposite Matthew McConaughey—a genre that seemed to suit her well and one she would return to often. She also appeared in The Divorce (2003) alongside Naomi Watts and starred in the atmospheric Southern horror film The Skeleton Key (2005). Later, she joined Matt Dillon and Owen Wilson in the comedy You, Me and Dupree (2006), further expanding her film portfolio.
Though her personal life experienced changes—Hudson and Chris Robinson divorced in 2007—her professional career continued to flourish. She reunited with McConaughey for Fool’s Gold (2008) and took part in the star-studded musical Nine (2009), a film that, while ambitious, did not achieve the commercial success many had expected. Hudson also ventured into television, portraying Cassandra July on the hit show Glee from 2012 to 2013.
In the years that followed, Hudson took on a variety of roles that showcased her range. She co-starred with Zach Braff in the nostalgic Wish I Was Here (2014) and appeared in the uplifting ensemble film Mother’s Day (2016). Demonstrating her versatility, she also tackled more serious fare, including the intense disaster film Deepwater Horizon (2016) and the biographical drama Marshall (2017), where she portrayed a real-life figure with nuance and depth.
In 2019, Hudson expanded her horizons once again, co-starring in Music, the feature film directorial debut of musician Sia. Throughout her career, Kate Hudson has proven that she is much more than just a product of her famous lineage—she has carved out a unique and enduring place for herself in Hollywood.
When it comes to Kate Hudson’s filmography, one of her standout performances can be seen in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), which happens to be her highest-rated movie to date. On the other end of the spectrum, A Little Bit of Heaven (2011) is regarded as her lowest-rated film. While Kate Hudson has delivered a variety of roles throughout her career, these two films represent the peaks and valleys of her work in terms of critical reception. It’s interesting to note how Kate Hudson has evolved as an actress from A Little Bit of Heaven to the more recent success of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.