Hollywood Icon Kurt Russell Finds Echoes of Real Love in New Role
Hollywood veteran Kurt Russell has revealed that his latest on-screen portrayal in the Paramount+ series The Madison draws heavily from his enduring, decades-long relationship with Goldie Hawn. The 75-year-old actor, who has been a fixture in Hollywood for decades, noted striking similarities between his character’s marriage and his own real-life partnership with Hawn, 80, with whom he’s shared a life for 43 years.
The neo-Western series, which premiered its initial episodes on Saturday, March 14, sees Russell stepping into the shoes of Preston Clyburn, the recently deceased husband of Michelle Pfeiffer’s character, Stacy. The narrative unfolds in the wake of Preston’s death, compelling Stacy to leave her familiar surroundings and relocate to Montana. It’s there that she begins to reconnect with a life her late husband held dear.
In a candid interview with Men’s Health, Russell elaborated on the profound connections between his fictional life and his personal one. “Some of the conversations that [our characters Preston and Stacy] have, I’ve had,” Russell shared. “Goldie and I have had very similar conversations.”
Russell further reflected on the nature of the onscreen marriage between Preston and Stacy, highlighting its rarity in contemporary cinema. “Their relationship, it’s the kind of relationship you almost never see anymore,” he explained. “It’s a truly loving relationship. It’s not like there’s another shoe to drop. That’s what makes it so difficult for [Michelle’s] character when she loses her husband.” He added that Stacy grapples with the realisation of missed opportunities and the potential for more shared experiences that were never realised due to her own actions or inactions.
This sentiment of regret resonates deeply with Russell, who acknowledged its universal appeal. “I think a lot of people relate to that kind of regret,” he stated. The actor also opened up about how his own life choices have been shaped by the awareness of finite time. “As you get older and you’ve only got so much time left, that doubles things up in terms of looking at what you’ve done in your life so far and what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
Beyond the emotional nuances of relationships, Russell also identified parallels between his character’s deep connection to a specific place and his own life experiences, particularly his move to Colorado in his younger years. The Tombstone star recalled his decision to relocate at the age of 26.
“At a certain point, you find yourself asking whether you’re going to live the life you want to live, or if you’re just going to talk about it,” Russell mused. He recounted making the decisive move to pursue the life he envisioned. However, with his career primarily based in Los Angeles, his life became a balancing act of commuting between the two locations.
“I’m glad I did what I did,” he affirmed. “I’ve enjoyed my life the way I’ve wanted to and I’ve been able to continue on in the business too. I was able to make that happen. I could draw on that in The Madison.”
Goldie Hawn herself has previously spoken about the significance of Kurt Russell’s presence in her life and, crucially, in the lives of her children. Hawn is mother to Oscar nominee Kate Hudson, 46, and son Oliver Hudson, 49, from her previous marriage to Bill Hudson. She also shares son Wyatt Russell, 39, with Kurt Russell.
Hawn has often expressed how Russell’s seamless transition into a stepfather role was a defining factor in their relationship. “What really got me was when I watched my kids when they’d come to the set and how he was with them,” she told People magazine back in 2017. “He was amazing with them. He was such a natural.”
The first season of The Madison launched with three episodes on Paramount+ on March 14, with the remaining three episodes of the six-episode series slated for release on Saturday, March 21.
