Kate Hudson and her brother Oliver are sharing how their famous family handles different political views.
In the new episode of their podcast, “Sibling Revelry,” with guest Rahm Emanuel — the former White House chief of staff, former mayor of Chicago and former U.S. House representative — the topic of family came up.
Kate gave insight to their own family dynamic, revealing that they have “a lot of different beliefs,” but they always talk about it and hold discussions. She admitted those discussions can lead to arguments, but that they always come together no matter what.
Kate, 46, and Oliver, 49, are the children of actress Goldie Hawn and musician Bill Hudson. Hawn and Bill split in 1982, and she began a relationship with actor Kurt Russell in 1983 – the two first met in 1968.
Hawn and Russell have been together since, and share son Wyatt Russell.
Russell also has a son, Boston, with ex-wife Season Hubley.
Before Emanuel finished the interview, he took a moment to thank the siblings for focusing on the subject of family on their podcast.
“I want to say thank you to both of you. We don’t talk as a country enough about the fact how important family is … The fact that you guys decide … not about your professions or whatever, but about your person, I can’t thank you both enough for letting people in not only your lives but having people talk about theirs,” he said.
“Because we don’t do that. It’s a chronic problem for us as a country. We have so many other things that stem from that. So thank you,” Emanuel added.
Oliver reflected on the importance of family and having family discussions, and being able to find a common ground despite differences in beliefs.
“I appreciate that. And you’re so f—ing right. Because put everything aside, there’s such relatability within family discussions. Whatever side you’re on – it doesn’t matter — those family realities are all interconnected and if you can just talk about it, you find common ground in an area that is not so divisive. That is primal and real. That’s where a lot of common ground can be found,” Oliver said to Emanuel.
“We have a really interesting family too, because we have a lot of different beliefs in our family. We’re all very different. And yet we can talk about it. We can discuss it. We can argue about it. We can get a little loud about it. But at the end of the day like we still only want to be with each other,” Kate noted.
“Usually, our families don’t want to be with each other. But we like to talk,” Emanuel said.
After the interview with Emanuel wrapped, Oliver and Kate shared their final thoughts.
Oliver called him “great,” joking that he has “no choice” and that he has to vote for him if he chooses to run for president in 2028.
“I want to talk to everybody. I mean, I think what he is saying is so right. It’s so interesting and such an interesting time. I think anybody who lives and says ‘I want to be of service,’ it’s a ‘calling’… no matter what side you’re on, or what your beliefs are, I think everybody… that’s where it comes from,” Kate reflected.
The siblings talked about how music and movies can also affect people, noting that being an artist is also a calling – in a similar sense as being in public service.
“It’s interesting when you get to know people from the point of view of their family, and what drives someone to be in public service. I have to say I feel the same way about art, and it’s interesting that he is a dancer, and he has that real artist expression even though he says it’s physical for him. I think art is a gift too. It’s a calling too, meaning like when you want to entertain, that calling is not necessarily for yourself, even though I think creating art is for yourself, it’s to impact a community or an experience and so, it’s as important on one edge as it is to have the calling to actually be in service of community and structure,” she added.
Oliver agreed with her, saying, “I think it is a service, it’s just a different way to look at it. I mean for sure, you’re doing a public service when you put something out there artistically that touches people and makes people think differently and feel differently, and could potentially change their lives. Which sounds extreme, but art does that, music does that. I mean, do you know how many songs have taken people off the edge…”
“And not only that, it can shift your whole… you could see a movie and look at your life and go wait a minute, wait a minute. I don’t want to do this anymore, I want to do that. I’m not living the life I want to… and that I think from the artist side is a calling to be a part of that sort of emotional experience, whereas in politics, that calling is to actually feel like there’s something that they know that they can put out and that can really impact their community or globally. It’s just fascinating to me,” Kate explained.
Oliver joked how many lives turned because of his role as Eddie Doling on “Dawson’s Creek,” with Kate mentioning his work in “Nashville” was probably more relatable.
“We’re not like very political, you and I, so when we interview politicians or people who are in politics, it’s fascinating to me. I really want to do more of it,” Kate said.
“Yeah, it’s an education,” Oliver noted.
