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Kate Hudson dazzled in a pink dress with gold detailing at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Friday night, where she accepted her award for Arlington Artist of the Year.
The actress was recognized for her role in “Song Sung Blue,” a film based on a true story, in which Hudson portrays Claire Sardina of a Neil Diamond tribute band. The role has also earned Hudson an Academy Award nomination for best actress, her first nomination in 25 years.
The Arlington Artist of the Year award was presented by Gwyneth Paltrow, who reflected on her many years of friendship with Hudson and praised her for the performance.
“Oh my god, this performance, she absolutely took my breath away,” Paltrow said. “She is so raw and so real and nuanced and destroyed and redeemed.”
The film was adapted into a screenplay by the director, Craig Brewer, and based on a documentary about Sardina and her husband, Mike Sardina, played by Hugh Jackman.
Before playing Claire Sardina, Hudson explained that Brewer didn’t want Hudson to meet the woman she was portraying, and to base her performance on the script and documentary.
“He really wanted me to trust my instincts on it and not get too sort of connected to the parts of the story that either weren’t in the script or certain things about her, so I respected that,” Hudson said. “It actually felt like it took a little pressure off for me and then when I met Claire, I realized that Craig knew what he was doing all along and was being a great director.”
When Hudson watched the film for the first time, she said she and her parents, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, all cried and she realized how much she missed great movies.
“You sit in theaters when you’re young and you watch something, and a lot of us, it inspires us to want to make movies,” Hudson said. “The hope is that you one day get to be in one of those, and that’s what that felt like for me when I watched ‘Song Sung Blue.’”
The event was moderated by The Hollywood Reporter writer Scott Feinberg who, when introducing Hudson, said the role in “Song Sung Blue” was worthy of her talents.
“She’s one of those movie stars who you’re always happy to see on screen no matter what she’s in,” Feinberg said. “But it has been a particular joy to see with Craig Brewer’s ‘Song Sung Blue,’ her once again in a role that is truly worthy of her talents.”
Throughout the evening Hudson reflected on her career from her breakout role in “Almost Famous,” to iconic romantic comedies like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Bride Wars,” to her new Netflix television show “Running Point.”
However, she revealed that she was originally supposed to play an entirely different character in “Almost Famous.”
Hudson was originally cast as Anita Miller, who eventually would be portrayed by Zooey Deschanel. Sarah Polley was originally supposed to play Hudson’s part as Penny Lane but dropped out, along with Brad Pitt.
This led to the film’s director, Cameron Crowe, calling Hudson and begging her not to leave.
“Then I started getting offers for movies, and he started getting pressure and then I was like, ‘Cameron, I’m not leaving you, I’m not taking any of these movies, but you have to let me audition for Penny Lane,’” Hudson said.
Eventually Hudson would get to audition; in fact, Crowe would make her audition nearly five times before she was officially cast.
“Working with Cameron Crowe that young is like a master class of writer-director relationship,” Hudson said. “His writing is so specific to his tone so making Cameron’s writing feel effortless is actually very challenging, they’re like lyrics. So getting into his energy, it’s a vibe and it was a great, incredible master class to have at 19, 20 years old.”
Known for her roles in beloved 2000s romantic comedies, Hudson said the best romantic comedies are ones that feel like “warm blankets” and can be watched over and over again.
“We need to be making them; they’re such a huge part of cinema history,” Hudson said. “But you have to make them with the intention like everybody does a great film, not with the intention of making a romcom.”
Her goal with romantic comedies, Hudson said, is to make a great movie that lives forever, that people want to return to.
“The great ones, they’re great writing, and they’re movie stars, and it’s funny, and it tears your heart out — it has all of it,” Hudson said. “I love those movies, and I think they should be made with the respect that every great script, and when you’re trying to make a great script, it should be made with that intention.”
While accepting her Arlington Artist of the Year Award, Hudson thanked her family, praised the studio Focus Features for supporting the film, and even shared that she has so many friends moving to Santa Barbara, she wonders why she doesn’t move here herself.
She also spoke about what it meant to her to perform in “Song Sung Blue.”
“It was one of the great experiences of my life, and very rarely do you get the opportunity to play roles that ask everything of you,” Hudson said. “I get to fall in love, and I get to be silly and a mother and perform and sing and then go to the darker, more challenging places, while honoring a real woman who’s alive and well, Claire Sardina.”
From the Red Carpet
