The Oscar nominee stars in the new movie “Song Song Blue,” based on the true story of a Neil Diamond tribute band in Wisconsin.

Kate Hudson knows you love her in rom-coms — but she wants to disappear into the dramatic

The Oscar nominee stars in the new movie "Song Song Blue," based on the true story of a Neil Diamond tribute band in Wisconsin.

By Gerrad Hall

Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at **, overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage. He is also host of *The Awardist* podcast, and has cohosted EW's live Oscars, Emmys, SAG, and Grammys red carpet shows. He has appeared on *Good Morning America*, *The Talk*, *Access Hollywood*, *Extra!*, and other talk shows, delivering the latest news on pop culture and entertainment.

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December 24, 2025 6:13 p.m. ET

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Kate Hudson in 'Song Sung Blue'. Credit:

Courtesy of Focus Features

Kate Hudson had a bit of an epiphany during the pandemic: She started saying "no" to a lot of things that came her way.

"I think over the years, I've learned, I love doing comedy. I love a good rom-com, but it's hard to make a good one, so you've got to say no a lot," she says on an upcoming episode of **'s *The Awardist* podcast. "I really just wanted to start working with really interesting filmmakers and make different choices. It makes me happy. So some of my favorite roles I've played, not many people have seen them, but they've been my favorite experiences, like *Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon*."

And she's adding to the list her new movie *Song Sung Blue* (in theaters Christmas Day), written and directed by Craig Brewer (*Hustle & Flow*, *Dolemite Is My Name*), based on the true story of Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Stengl, who meet later in life and form a successful Neil Diamond tribute band in Wisconsin. But then, life throws some big obstacles their way (things we won't spoil here if you aren't familiar with their story).

After starring in several successful rom-coms and earning a Golden Globe award and Oscar nomination for playing groupie Penny Lane in *Almost Famous*, Hudson has had her pick of roles (and notably turned down some big ones). Scripts come in now for "a lot of everything" — but her decisions are more about the filmmakers.

Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman in 'Song Sung Blue'.

Sarah Shatz/Focus Features

"They're usually coming from people I don't know who haven't done certain things, or producers that I know that we're trying to get going," she says. "The more dramatic roles that have a short list of three girls, I don't usually see those. I usually see the more bigger comedies and the rom-com comedy."

*Song Sung Blue*, she hopes, will finally be the thing that gets her onto the shortlist for those more dramatic roles.

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson share 'electrifying' meet-cute in 'Song Sung Blue' sneak peek (exclusive)

Goldie Hawn didn't allow daughter Kate Hudson to take acting jobs in high school

"I mean, look, I think when you come from a family of actors and you do it because you actually love it — I don't think anybody who comes from a family of actors probably doesn't usually get into acting unless they really like it, unless it's a calling to them because it's such a tumultuous industry, and it's nothing you can really rely on and you get into it not to be just one thing," she explains. "And for me, I've always seen myself...I like being more of a character actor."

She cites Bonnie in 2021's *Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon* as one of the favorites of her 35-year career.

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"I loved her. And that's sort of been my goal lately, is to do things that are a little more transformative than just where people get excited to see me," she continues. "That's kind of the blessing and the curse of being successful in a rom-com is that you get to make these movies, you get to make a great living, and you get people who really love them. So you've got these amazing fans, and people get so excited, but then the curse of it is that they like seeing you in that. And so that sort of seems to be what everybody starts to push. And then you're sort of like, no, I can really play a Wisconsin housewife who sings and then gets depressed."

She admits, though, that a lot of directors and audiences aren't used to seeing her "disappearing into something like that. So this is a nice total blessing that Craig believed in me for this. Hopefully that will change."**

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