Kate Hudson: Script Detectives
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Right now, I literally am rescuing people out of an elevator filled with gasoline on 911 Lone Star right now. And you're on your lunch break. Not even lunch break. We were like, all right, I'm going to do a podcast. Hello, everybody. Welcome. Bad English accent. Why do I do that? I don't know. There's an Englishman inside of me. Welcome, everybody, to literally, it's me, Rob Lowe. Well, hello.

Today, we have one of the great, beautiful, smart, truly multi-talented women out there, Kate Hudson. Second generation Hollywood royalty, as they always like to say. And we're going to get to it in a big, big, big, big way. As Penny Lane in Almost Famous would say, it's all happening.

I had this, I had this when I was shooting Truth Be Told. I just finished. We just wrapped with Octavia Spencer. And like, I'd have to figure out how to do my podcast in between shooting, which is kind of a weird thing to do. How did you do it? I need, I need, I need to learn from the masters. I relied heavily on Oliver Hudson to just be silly.

Because, you know, Oliver and I have our podcast together. It's like a sibling situation. Of course, yeah. And he's silly. And in those moments that I...

I'm unprepared. I, unfortunately, unfortunately I have to rely on him, but usually he pulls it through. No, but I love, I love the unprepared part. Cause I would like nothing more than to just not to, I want to work as little as possible. So tell me how to be unprepared. Okay. So I'm the wrong person. That's an Oliver question, Rob. That is an Oliver Hudson question. It is. I am like, I, I,

I've had to teach myself how not to be prepared. You know what I mean? I think in my early twenties, I was definitely more spontaneous in terms of like, there were, there were days I'd show up on set, not knowing my lines or what the, what was going on, but that didn't last long. That didn't last long. I like, I like knowing that.

I like being prepared. Not because I need to control things. I just hate it when other people aren't. Yeah. You know? Yes. Because some people are good at being unprepared. And unprepared is a misnomer because your process allows you to show up

with very little prep and do what you do. And there are other people who show up with little prep and can't do it. And that's, that's the issue. Oh yeah. Oh, that's, you know, I think one of the things that Octavia and I sort of, I mean, we were so like in love with each other was because we both showed up

Ready to go, you know, like, yeah, there was never an issue, you know, when you're doing like a two hander like that and you show up and everybody's prepared, you, you move through the day. It's like heaven. Yeah. But then when the hiccup comes in and you're like, someone shows up unprepared, I think maybe for us.

Because, you know, when you're doing shows or you're doing a film, you know, you only have so many hours in a day to get something done.

And maybe that kind of bleeds out into other things that sort of – like if you're the kind of person that really likes to get the day done, comes prepared, there are other things out there in the world where you can show up with a little looser maybe. For me, the looseness – I mean –

If I have a lot of dialogue, I know it cold when I show up. And when I... But other than that...

because I have a good memory. I like to, you know, it's about being, you know, as you know, to just be honest and follow the muse and to do all of that stuff. And that's what's fun. But you gotta, if you're doing a TV show, if you're number one or number two on the call sheet, you better be able to drive that train, right? Oh my gosh, a thousand percent. You know, this was, this show that we just did, I never had more dialogue in my life. It was the first time that,

that I would show up and with like three pages of dialogue, I mean, literally monologues, like maybe once finally I was like, I don't know if anybody wants to see anybody talk this much. I play sort of a, you know, like a self-help type author. So I'm always doing these kind of panels and, you know, speaking engagements to people in the show. And,

And I was like, you guys, like there's these three pages are really, they're starting to weigh heavy. Like once a week, a monologue is a lot, you know, but it, it, it got my, that muscle going differently than it has in a, in a really long time, almost since like I was in like in class where you were learning lines that were sort of, you know, a different kind of, um,

It is a different muscle when you have to learn that much. I always get caught up in...

wanting to be perfect throughout the monologue, which obviously should be the goal. But the fact of the matter is you always remember, wait a minute, they're going to be cutting away 75 times in this monologue to other people. So literally I could be bad 75% of the time and it would still be great. Yeah. You could do four lines and call out line and you'd still, no one will ever know. Did you ever work, you ever work with actors who, who, um,

Do multiple iterations of the same line in the same scene. Have you ever had that happen? Yes. Yeah. Actually, really interesting. I'm not I'm actually not going to say who it was because it was really not fun for me to experience it because I couldn't do the scene. Yes, of course you can. Well, it was like it was like.

What am I doing here? I don't have a scene partner. This person is just saying lines in different ways. And I don't know what I'm supposed to be reacting to. So wait, okay. So let's do it. Listen for the, for the listeners, let's you and I, let's you and I do that. Let's, let's do a scene, a little, I'm going to, I'm going to do, so you be the person you just start and I'll, and I'll follow you and then, and then do what this person does and action.

It's just been a really hard couple of weeks. You think it's been hard for you? What about mom? You think it's been hard for you? What about mom? You think it's been hard for you? What about mom?

Right. Okay. Should I go back to the beginning of the... Okay. Wait, I think we're good. I think we're moving on. Are you good? Oh, moving on. Right. Okay, guys. Yeah, let's keep going. That's what it is. Right. No, exactly. You know, they say that... I think it's a wives' tale. That's so funny. But they say that De Niro and... You talking to me? You talking to me? They say that he was doing that in that famous scene in the mirror in Taxi Driver. I just watched Taxi Driver again last week. By the way, it's amazing. If you haven't seen that movie...

In the era of political correctness, I warn you, it's shocking. I know. It's wild. Most movies from the 70s feel like that. Although, was that the 70s? Yeah, late 70s.

But he's, but I, but I don't think he was doing, you talking to me, you talking to me, you talking to me. I think he was doing a thing. No, he was. That is actually, I feel like, didn't he say that in a thing that he was actually just practicing how he was going to say the line and then,

And then Scorsese used it. I think it's the same thing as McConaughey when he was singing all those crazy songs and Wolf of Wall Street, because Wolf of Wall Street, like when he was doing that, I knew that he, what that wasn't written. Cause I have experienced that a million times before we get into a scene, how he like works himself up. And it's just like that. It's lovely. Yeah. I had him, I had him on the podcast. He told me the story. It was so

It was so great because it was so I thought Leo was so generous to be like, hey, you know that crazy shit you were doing right before we were rolling? Do that. Yeah. And Matthew's like, what? Yeah. Now, listen, here's here's the real question. Yeah. You've done multiple movies with Matthew McConaughey. He's a national treasure. Are you going to help him with his campaign for governor of Texas if he so decides to run?

That was a long pause. Can I say for the record, that was a very long pause. Hold on, let me just take this. I have not heard this. This is the first I'm hearing of McConaughey getting into politics. I'm breaking news to you.

Let's, okay. So would I help? I mean, I guess it depends on what kind of, you know, platform he's running on. A shaky one? Kidding. No, you know. I think he'd be great, by the way. I hope he runs. I think he'd be great. He's a really interesting guy. I honestly, if he does want to get into politics, like,

I believe that, Matthew, you probably wouldn't get a politician who would care as much as as he does. You know, I think he's very authentic and how how much heart. But the governor and the governor of Texas is a big job. I mean, is that what we're talking about? The governor of Texas? Governor of Texas, baby.

Oh, wow. Number one on the call sheet in Texas. And I if he doesn't use. All right. All right. All right. As a bumper sticker, then everybody on that staff needs to be fired. I just feel I think he'd encourage that, you know, but I actually feel like he'd have a real chance. Yes. Well, he's polling higher than the actual governor for reelection.

Wait, Rob, sorry. This is really shocking. This is how out of it I am. I literally, I choose to put my phone down. You know what I mean? Like I, I'm one of those people who I don't look at things. I turn my news ticker off. So clearly I've missed this. Okay.

Well, to be – full disclosure, it's – he's been very vocal about thinking about it. Okay. He's been talking – and now he is apparently – it's in the news this week that he's talking to people off the record about it, as one does. And, you know, I think he'd be great. But I figured if anybody –

I mean, it should be on his kitchen cabinet to be you, you know? I mean, you know where all the bodies are buried. Well, I wonder, you know, I think the thing about what I love about Matthew is he doesn't really have anything to hide. I don't think he's ever felt like he did, you know? Yeah. I mean, the only thing I think anyone's going to maybe like, you know, what, some like, you know, couple too many tequilas dancing in a bar. Like, I mean, you know, how bad can that be? Yeah.

No, that's great. No one's more fun on a couple of tequilas. Doesn't mean you can't run a, run a state. But he would be amazing. But yeah, I think, I think it's interesting. I think it'd be really interesting. I don't know enough about it and I don't know enough about the platform he'd be running on or what his sort of initiatives would be, but. Well, okay. Let's think of it. What would knowing Matthew McConaughey, as well as we know him, what do you think the pet issues would be? Bongos for everyone. For sure. Yeah.

Let's see. No, I give him more credit than that. Oh, I love him. I'm saying I love the man, but he does love bongos and Texas needs bongos. He likes, he likes a real sort of open expression. It was funny because we just had him on our podcast with his brother Rooster. And, you know,

Yeah, I just I think that I think people long for like honesty and transparency and just something that feels really original. And that's something that Matthew's never had an issue with, you know, like he just is who he is through and through. And and he's never sort of like.

He's never shifted his authentic self to please anybody. Yeah, he's the real deal. And his book is great. I mean, his book is great. His book is great. I mean, he's delivered some of the great performances. Speaking of great performances, I got to talk about Almost Famous because everybody loves to talk about it and everything. But I need to know...

Matthew McConaughey has had all right, all right, all right. And Penny Lane had it's all happening. What is where, where did it's all happening come from? That was a Cameron line. That was sort of like that. I believe it's God, I'm going to get this wrong, but I believe it came from a personal experience. And then it's all happening was sort of like in, in the movie obviously was like the Penny Lane line, but that all of the band-aids kind of like took is sort of,

It's all happening means it's like, we're all here. Everything's exactly the way it should be. And, but it really kind of came from Penny Lane, like Penny Lane, it's all happening. She was the one who coined the phrase, but I think it was Cameron. There were some things that were actually kind of like some things in that, that movie that,

weren't necessarily written that ended up being kind of like popular lines, but that one was a Cameron. That was a Cameron line. I remember because we used to, we had this thing called rock school and in rock school, it was about, it was about, I'd say five weeks before we started production. So we had a really intensive rehearsal process. And that was during that time, that was like the band-aids kind of,

you know, pump up phrase. So let me ask you a question. So, so you got Billy crewed up and Jason Lee, right? Smoke shows. Smoke shows. Smoke shows and so good. They're spectacular in it. And so the, in, in rock camp, rehearsal camp, they're learning rock stuff. They're playing, learning their, their instruments and all of that. What are the band-aids learning? We're just hanging out. I figured. Yeah.

No, you know, we were, yeah, it was, it was, I mean, that's literally what we were doing. We were, we were dancing around, we're feeling comfortable in the space and feeling comfortable with each other and literally creating the world. We were, we were being band-aids, you know?

We'd sit, we'd watch, we'd hang, you know, Cameron would ask us to like, you know, we'd be like, what, you know, you would just go, you help yourself to certain things. Like, you know, everything that's going on, you really, it's, it was more like we were taking, like taking care of everything. Right. Fold shirts or you make sure like everything was cleaned and like you were just sort of supporting their greatness. Yes.

And did they have that? Was the music pre-done all of what was Wildflower? Is that the name of the band? Stillwater. It was Stillwater. Yeah, it was it was already done. It was Mike McCready from Pearl Jam and Peter Frampton and Nancy Wilson. They all kind of had a hand in writing all the songs. But it was mostly like Mike, Mike McCready from Pearl Jam was the one playing all of them.

Russell or Billy Crudup's guitar. And, and so, but all of that music was already done. That was pretty much Nancy. And I think Peter Frampton, the fever dog and all of those songs that, so we were really learning all, I mean, we were, we were all learning it, you know, it was, it was fun. I, let me tell you something. We're so lucky as actors to have such unique experiences with,

creating different characters. And Almost Famous was a really, it was specifically unique and special. It was just the whole thing was...

so much fun. And it was such a fun group of like young, you know, we, there could have been a movie inside of the movie, you know, there was a lot happening. We talked about, it's all happening. There was a lot happening on that set, you know? And it was just, we were like a full family and we shot for seven months almost. So it was long. What, and, and, and the Stillwater is based on,

Equal parts Zeppelin and the Eagles. Is that is that right? I am a golden god was a Robert Plant line, correct? Well, I think it was sort of a, you know, a collection of all these different bands. Almond Brothers was one of them. Zeppelin, you know, the Eagles. Yeah, there was some stuff in there that was...

There was bands like Free. There's other bands that Cameron had met along the way that, you know, he just took a lot of it. But I think Jimmy Page and Zeppelin and really the Allman Brothers were a big one. I love my favorite line of that movie is, and another thing, your looks are beginning to be a problem. Yeah.

When Jason Lee says that to Billy Crudup, because he gets the big picture on the album cover. Well, it's so, it's so funny. It's a very, it was such a great, I mean, obviously only someone who's really spent a lot of time with bands can understand like band dynamics and the whole lead singer versus the guitar player. Like it's a, it is a thing. It's just a classic stereotypical rock problem that most lead singers have with the guitar. And the reality is it's like,

most of the time, usually the guitar player does a whole lot cooler than lead singer, even though the lead singer does they, and all the lead singers, they think they do everything. They think the band wouldn't exist without them. They're probably right, but they hold a different kind of ego space than the guitar player. And really deep down, I sometimes feel like the lead singer just always wishes they were the guitar player, you know? And,

But he just nailed that dynamic so well. And Jason was just the perfect person for that part. He was so great and so funny. Oh, my God. So funny. Yeah. That movie is...

It's spectacular. It also holds up, you know, I just showed it to my, you know, Ryder, like a couple of years ago. Ryder's not, how old is Ryder now? First of all, your oldest son, 17. My oldest is 17. Bing is going to be 10 in July. And then my baby girl's two and a half. Amazing. But, but yeah, Ryder was like shocked, you know, it was like all of a sudden I was cool. You know, he,

he doesn't like that my boobie shows like that makes him very uncomfortable. But, but, but other than that, he's like, this movie is so cool. Like it's still the kind of movie that makes you want to get on the bus or, you know, you still want to like, if you love music, you just can't wait to like hear live music or play music or sing, you know, it's just one of those. It's one of those movies. You know what else does that to me is dazed and confused. Yeah.

Oh, that's a great one. There's just certain movies you watch and you're just like, oh, the feeling just makes you want to just, you know, feel more free. I'm surprised that Penny Lane didn't sing because I, I mean, I knew, I guess I was aware you could sing, but at, when you sang at Gwyneth's and Brad Falchuk's. Oh my God, that's right, you were there. So you, so Ryan Murphy sang,

This party he threw for Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk's engagement was... I thought I was at, like, the Golden Globes. It was mental. I was like, there's so many people here. And then I got such stage fright because I thought it was going to be a little more intimate. Yeah.

Yes, it was. So first of all, let's set the stage. It's in this one of those amazing, you know, art deco theaters in downtown L.A. that the outside is falling down, probably falling down on the inside. I heard he paid a million, almost a million dollars just for the cleaning to get it ready. Just for that. I don't know. I don't know any. Wasn't it the Orpheum? Was it?

I think it wasn't it. I think it was the Orpheum. Maybe I'm wrong. I could be totally wrong. I feel like the Orpheum is more like, you're right. I know. I think it's like, this wasn't even used. No, it wasn't used. It had been shut down forever. And so, I mean, literally it was more star studded than, than like way, way more star studded than the Oscars or Golden Globes. Way more. For me, it was like, Gwyneth was like, we want you to sing for the thing. We'd love it. I was like, oh my God, of course, babe. Like that's so sweet. You know,

And then they're like, we'd really like you to show up for rehearsal. I was like, rehearsal? And I go to the theater downtown the day before and it's an orchestra. I'm like, I don't know if I can do this.

I'm like, guys, you understand. I don't really sing live very often, you know? And okay. So, so then I was like, okay. And then I go back home and I'm talking to Danny. Meanwhile, I, I I'm pregnant. I was pregnant. So I was like already feeling off balance, you know? And I said to Danny, I'm like, I can't, I'm going to freeze. Like I can't do it. It's a theater. I've never even sang in a theater and

Wow. Anyway, the day came, we're sitting there and it turned out that the girl, Maya, who I went to school with was the beautiful woman who was singing the whole night. And she was amazing. Oh, she was incredible. She's an incredible singer, but we were in school together and in chorus together. So she has known me my whole life and

And I wasn't going to sing. And she pulled me aside and she was like, okay, I am not letting you do this. If you, if you, you are a singer and you need to get up there and sing, I know you too well. I know you can do it. And she like basically pushed me up there and I was like, okay,

All right. You crushed it. Crushed. I pulled through. Well, you more than pulled through. I could not believe my eyes or ears. What did you sing, though? I don't remember what you sang. I sang My Funny Valentine. Not...

an easy song to sing. No. FYI. No, but it was, it was really great. You know, singing with an orchestra, you know, I got off that stage, you know what happens? You do sort of black out. Like I got up there, I was nervous. And then all of a sudden it's just that it all just goes away. The second I start to sing, um,

I just forget about everything. Like I don't even know what I'm doing. You know what I mean? I just sing. And it's, it's, it's like that pretty much every time I've gotten up on a stage or people, it's usually people dragging me to the stage. But then once I'm there and there's this thing that happens, I don't know if you have the same sort of performance thing. I think a lot of people do who love to perform, but like,

the second I'm on a stage, I feel like very comfortable. I don't feel uncomfortable on a stage. Like for me, when I'm feel, uh, uh, I feel like, Oh, I want a dance number. I want to sing. I want to like express myself, you know? Um, and I feel like I've always had that, but getting onto it

All of the thoughts and all of the things that start to go in my head before are pretty intense. And then once I get out there, it's like it all goes away. Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

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So let me ask you this, though. So your father, Kurt Russell...

Um, he, by the way, I am, and I told Oliver this, I did Oliver's podcast with Joe Buck. I, I love him, love him, love him, love. I mean, I, he's the fucking man. Um, but once upon a time in Hollywood, there are a lot of big stars in that movie, a lot of big throw down moments in it. But, and I went to the premiere of it. It was fantastic that I erupted when he put that beat in it.

I don't dig him. Yeah, no, it's so, I don't like the energy brings to a set. It's to me, I think Kurt, like take a wave, take, take us, like put aside that he is my, my stepdad and really raised us. And it's like, yeah, really my dad, dad, you know? Yeah. But yeah,

Put that all aside. As an actor, I think he might be in my top three favorite actors. You know? He's just... Like, I don't think he's ever missed a beat. No. Or something. You know? When you look at his work, like, I just get mesmerized every time. The thing. Like, I could watch that. If I see it on the thing, it's like, forget it. I'm in. I'm hooked. I'm on. And he's just...

There's something about how good he is, how much, you know, he cares how committed and, and like honest he is as an actor, but like how fucking cool. Like he's just, there's something just innately cool about my dad. And then there's the dad part, which is like another three hour podcast. But, you know, as an actor, I'm like,

He's just... I really look up to him. He's so... No bullshit, no frills...

just incapable of an, of a dishonest moment. Yeah. You know, watching, growing up, watching him, I think is, is like, you know, everyone always compares me and, or, and wants to compare me to my mom as if that's the only relationship I have in terms of, you know, similarity and acting. Right. Or, or, but I,

I usually remind people, you know, I had two amazing like teachers. And when we were kids, we were on set all the time. I love watching. My mother is a very different beast than Kurt. They're two very different types of actors. They're both like,

You can't stop watching them. But my mom is very improvisational. She's very physical in her, you know, and she's just, it's like watching Lucille Ball. Like she's just so comedic. She could do anything with anything. And, but she's, so she's, we were talking about that spontaneity, right? Like my mom in Learning Lines is very different than say Kurt, who is a very, a much more,

a very different kind of actor, very different process, very involved in character, very involved in story every, every single step of the way. And the one thing that I take from Kurt is, is, which I think is so important is that it doesn't matter what you do as an actor, if it doesn't serve a story, the story. And, and so,

Kurt's looking as much as at the story as he is what he's, what he's bringing to it. And so it's like, it's almost like he's, he's a great detective of script. I love that. Right. He, he finds all of these things that don't, that might not make sense or what could enhance something more recognizing that there's a storyline that's kind of

has a weakness to it that if it could be elevated, would make the story better. Like he does not bring his ego as an actor. And I love that. I take that with me. I think every time I work is that it's never about me. It's about the story. And the last time I saw him, I was on a flight to Europe and I looked over and he was laid out with a seat back.

Just everybody else had put on pajamas or sweatpants. He was in his jeans and like a like a.

A leather jacket. I'm surprised he wasn't in premium economy. Really? Oh, that's amazing. Because knowing Kurt, he's like, I'll just, I don't care where I sit. I'll sit in the pilot seat. I don't care. Like he'll go anywhere, you know. The other thing I love about him, and I didn't get a chance to ask him, that is attributed to him, and I don't know if it's true, is during the day, you know, you come from a family that's been in the business forever. It's in your DNA. I've been doing it a long time.

My youngest son is in it. So we've seen a lot. And when that moment came in the business where all of a sudden everybody wanted to do movies for nothing and yet kind of wanted you to show up for nothing, you're already smiling. The quote I heard from Kurt Russell that he told his agents, if they don't want to pay my fee, tell them to lose my number. Right.

And I so thought that that was fucking cool. He's worked his whole, you work your whole life. And then all of a sudden somebody wants to like go, Hey, you know, he's like, no, would you do that to a contractor? Would you do it to anybody else in any business? A lawyer's not going to do it. The doctor's not, Hey, listen, would you perform my brain? This brain surgery is going to be really special. Would you mind doing it for nothing?

Would never happen. So I don't know if it's true, but I love it. Even though I have the money to pay you, I still want you to do it for nothing. Yeah, yeah. I don't know if that's true either. I don't know. You know, I do know that like nowadays, actors do do a lot for nothing. Yeah, well now everybody does it. It's so interesting, yeah. The times have definitely shifted. I mean. Yes. Well, frankly, it brings me to Bone Tomahawk. For those of you out there who have never seen Kurt Russell in the movie Bone Tomahawk.

If you do nothing else. If you know Bone Tomahawk, then you are a diehard Russell fan. That movie is cool. That movie is, first of all, I saw the title and I'm like, that might be the worst or best title. I don't know yet.

Turns out it's the best. Bone Tomahawk is – I'm not like a big violence guy. I need to tell you, it might be the most violent – most graphic movie I've ever seen. And if you can get beyond that or if you like it, his performance in Bone Tomahawk – It's like so amazing. It's beyond belief. My sons and I have seen Bone Tomahawk together multiple, multiple, multiple, multiple times. Yeah.

It's amazing. You know, I feel like we're living in such an interesting time because the digital era and all of social media and like TikTokers and YouTubers, there's sort of this like expansion of what is sort of

a celebrity, you know, and and I feel like I kind of came up in the last generation of like old school Hollywood. We were sort of like the last class in. Yes. Yes. For the world change. You know, when I started, when I was like 18, we still flip phones. By the time I was 25, I

We had Blackberries and the internet was going crazy. And so it's like, I kind of entered at this really interesting time and I've watched it change in the last 15 years, like exponentially. It's just so crazy. It's so different. But there was something about a time when there were few places to see somebody and someone like my mom or Kurt or yourself actually sort of showed up in an art form that was like,

maybe the only one where people actually felt like they could relate you know like they you know and it is sad that our kids won't grow up in a time where that kind of that kind of art form was is was special and specific and like an actual event yes you know and in order to be

or a Kurt or mommy or, you know, whoever, you know, you had to be really fucking good. There was no like, oh, but they have X amount of Instagram followers. Like you had to have something, you had to have the chops, you had to have the talent, you had to be at the right place at the right time. Like all of the stars had to align for something like that to happen. And it was so special.

I feel really lucky that I got to experience what that world felt like. Now it's different. I'm a silver lining person. I can see all the goods in what's coming, but it was just such a different type. Like the way you're speaking about the art form, understanding what that is. I'm not so sure that young people have that relationship to it anymore. Yeah.

Well, and listen, why would they? Look at the movies that they've been raised on. I mean, just look at, just honestly, look at it that way. I was talking today about, and I'm not the angry man yelling at the clouds guy. I'm not, because I'm with you. I think there's so much great stuff going on today that there wasn't then, but it's different. Just because there's great stuff today doesn't mean that there's also...

A dearth. There's there's not a lack, I should say, of stuff that used to be great that we don't do anymore. They were like I was talking about Deborah Winger, Urban Cowboy, Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, all made all made within four years of each other. Tell me an actor or or movies made within four years of each other.

That we can discuss like that today. In the last 10 years. Tell me. Okay, so you like La La Land. Great. I love La La Land. We love musicals. You and I love them. What's the next one? There isn't one. Okay, so you liked, you know, fill in the blank. What's the one that reminds you that that actor went to right after that? There isn't one. So, of course, kids today don't have the same connection to...

performance and things like that, because that's not what they're, it's there. You can seek it out, but that's not what you're going to on a Friday, on a Friday night. I know you went and saw Saturday night fever. And that was a popcorn. That was a popcorn movie. You seen that one recently. Whoa. First of all, you couldn't make it today. No, you couldn't make it with the language. Well, you couldn't make a lot of those, a lot of movies today. The things they say, no way. And, but that's the way those people really talked.

So you instantly went, oh, this is real. These people are real. And then you have John Travolta giving the performance of it's incendiary, even all these years later.

And that's what we got. We got that. Where's that now? And every once in a while it'll happen. The other thing is, you know, what an interesting thing. Again, when you don't have so many outlets, you only have so much to bet on. If you're going to bet on something, like you're talking about Debra Winger, who's maybe one of the reasons why I'm an actress. Like she's like one of my, I get the chills. I just absolutely love her as an actor. But so like you look at Debra Winger and,

They bet on her as an actress. They're going to pump money and marketing dollars and make sure that those people

films are what they're intending them to be. You know, we don't have that machine. The machine doesn't work like that anymore. It's like, it's all algorithm. There's no like someone going, you know what, this could be a hit. Yes. Now it's like, we know this is going to be a hit because it hits X, Y, and Z. And this algorithm, it's all algorithms. It's just so different, you know? So you don't have the same kind of passion going into a project that

as you would back then when you didn't have the option of a plan B. Yes, that's right. And look, on the other side of it, we have...

All, all creative people have an opportunity to branch out and do different things than you would not have been able to have done then. So here's a, for example, we'll go back to our buddy, Matthew McConaughey. He wins the Academy Award. The next thing he does is a Lincoln commercial. Literally, that was the next thing he did. Yeah. If you would have done that and you're- You're done. Over. When you were young, it was over. Your career was over. You'd never work again. You'd never, you would literally, you would literally, as the podcast is called, you literally would never work again. Never. Yeah. Yeah.

A thousand. My mom says that all the time. She goes, if I did any commercial, my career would have been over. You know, it's like now everybody's, but I like, I mean, again, like you said, then there's the other part, which is, you know, as, as creative, we don't have to be so precious anymore. That's such a nice feeling. The pressure is off. You know, we can go and create and fail and not feel like that's it. It's over because, you know, there was a time where one failure happened.

Could have been it. And so now it's like, oh, you know, you get to have a podcast. We get to talk to each other. We get to do a commercial that skincare line. You've got so many things. I mean, you're a factory. I am a I guess some people would call it a workaholic. I don't because I don't think that that's what I am. But I like to be busy. Same since I was little. My grandma used to call me Strina, which is like busy girl.

And, and so when I was like a baby, I was always doing a million different things, but yeah, I have, I have, let's see one, two, I have, I have three companies that I have actively started like, you know, and yeah. And it's great. It's great. And it's just, um,

And then I'm, you know, work, I'm still working. I haven't been, it's actually been really nice because I did the businesses because I didn't want to be gone all the time. And, and now like the kids are a little bit older and I really only that, you know, the Ronnie and I'm like, I want to do more work. So acting wise. And so I'm kind of like,

been working, getting back into it, but it's been like a nice seven year period of not feeling like I had to rely on making a movies or doing a show to, to, you know, keep my family, keep my kids in private school. Um, so I, you, um, you made that the, uh, I did the, with my kids, I, it was really important for me to, uh,

To just, you know, be around, you know, and it's it's the they're now out in the world doing their own things. And it was the for sure one of the best decisions I ever did. And I know that that's what you did is you can't be running off to location all the time when they're when they're in the when they're in their school years with all their friends. It's so hard. And I think the thing is, is like.

when people sometimes kind of misconstrue, like it's so hard to be an actor as like, oh, our life is so hard. Like that's what, I always feel like I have to clarify sort of what happens, which is that when the kids are in school and you're working across the country or in another country, I mean, right now it's London, it's Australia, there's certain places that you're always working in.

that are outside of Los Angeles that just take you away from your children. It's like, you just literally can't be there to parent your kids. And, and that, that to me is like, if I had to make a choice in those years, I may, I feel like I made the right, the right choice, you know? Well, and you, you were fortunate as was I, that we were able to do it. And I, I always have such unbelievable empathy for people who,

in any, whatever their business is, where their work takes them away from their families all the time. I mean, it's like,

I mean, I don't know how they do it. I honestly don't know how they do it. It's just brutal. Well, I think for me, you know, if I had, I think I just, you know, I made choices for myself and my life that meant that I had different fathers. Hey, I could ask you, I could just stop you. How do you do Father's Day? How does that even a thing for you with Father's Day? I mean, I want to be at Kate Hudson's house on Father's Day. I don't.

It's not happening at my house. No, Father's Day is really actually quite simple because the kids go to their dads. And then, of course, you know, and then and then one is one is home. But Father's Day is easy. It's the scheduling.

Life that becomes the sacrifice, which means that I'm usually the one who stays home. So in a situation like that, where the nucleus is super important to me, it's really important that I'm kind of there.

you know, you know, that you got, you got musician dads who are on the road a lot and that's the only way they could really make their living. And for me, you know, I might have to do a show here and there. Um, but since I've been able to have these businesses, I've been able to be more, more, more at home, you know, and that's the choice I made. So, um,

So when I feel really pent up and, and artistically frustrated, I just, I blame all my children and all the dads. No, I'm kidding. And we'll be right back after this.

All set for your flight? Yep. I've got everything I need. Eye mask, neck pillow, T-Mobile, headphones. Wait, T-Mobile? You bet. Free in-flight Wi-Fi. 15% off all Hilton brands. I never go anywhere without T-Mobile. Same goes for my water bottle, chewing gum, nail clippers. Okay, I'm going to leave you to it. Find out how you can experience travel better at T-Mobile.com slash travel.

Qualifying plan required. Wi-Fi were available on select U.S. airlines. Deposit and Hilton Honors membership required for 15% discount. Terms and conditions apply. Did you see the movie, the great movie this year, Sound of Metal? Yeah, Sound of Metal. Amazing. Oh, that movie? Amazing. Amazing. By the way, this is what I'm talking about. That movie comes out, and that movie, when we were young, would have been in theaters. Forget COVID.

That movie wouldn't have been in theaters now if theaters were open. It has nothing to do with COVID. That movie would have been a movie we would have seen on a Friday if you like kind of edgy stuff. Anybody would see it all over the country. It would be in the zeitgeist and it would be a thing we would be talking about. Now it's like, I'm not sure how many people will ever see that movie. And it's the kind of movie that made me want to be an actor. And it's just performance and simple story and it's

It just, that movie blew my mind. It reminded me of Whiplash of a couple of years ago when that movie came out, blew my mind. Yeah. Well, that film for me was like maybe my number one for the year. I just thought it was such a, I loved the script. I read the script years ago and it was always a good story. The story was beautiful. And then just seeing it done was like,

I love when you read a script that you, that you love the read and then you see it. And the execution was more than you could have expected from it, you know? So yeah, I loved that movie. And Riz is so great. That movie really broke my heart. It also is a person who's in recovery. For me, it was the most honest and authentic depiction of

Of what recovery is about. Right. I felt like, oh, that's real. That's recovery. You know, that's like, it just felt, it's that great moment where you sound like an addict. I love that this is, that that's an addict. It was so great with a fish hook in his mouth. I mean. That part just like tore my heart out.

Oh, yeah. What a great movie. Riz is so talented. I got to work with him on Reluctant Fundamentalist and he's just such a wonderful actor.

He's a wonderful partner. He's like one of those people that you remember working with as like, what a joy. Really? Yeah, he's great. You got to give me a Daniel Day-Lewis story though, because I'm obsessed with him. Kurt is in good company on my phone because I could pull up, I won't do it, but I could pull up on my phone right now. I've abandoned my boy. I've abandoned my son.

I have that on my phone. I need inspiration every once in a while. So I look at things that I love. I love that you do that. That's so good. Daniel. So I got, so, you know, he DDL as, as people refer to him as is. Yeah. He is a method actor, right? So, so you never know.

I think on the role that you're and who you are in the film is what your experience is really when you're working with him. For me, I played a girl he was into and he was a director who loved women. Uh, so, so I feel like I got the best of DDO and the kindest and the most available. He would write me letters, uh, in, in his, uh,

Guido Cantini's stationary, he had stationary, and then he would, you know, write me these sort of encouraging notes. And I absolutely, he was like, I just loved every second. And you know, it's really funny. There's few people that I've gotten like anxious to work with. You know, I, I, I, I refrain from saying nervous because it's not nervous. It's like,

It's like anxiety. It's like a little bit of that, like, you know, you're like, okay, like, is this, how's this going to go? Is it going to be fun? Is it good? You don't know what to expect, you know? Right. And honestly, he was the best. I never felt the second we sat and started rehearsal. Like I just felt like I was any kind of anxiety, just totally dissipated. And he was like,

quite fun. We had really fun scenes together. They weren't, they weren't, you know, they were simple and kind of flirty and fun. So, um, yeah, he's, I mean, the, the movie is nine for those of you out there to check it out. It's, it's great. And, uh,

I mean, he's the man. DDL, by the way. I love it. He's DDL for me now for the rest of it. We had this one thing where at the end of my number that I do a nine, he comes out and we have this champagne bottle and it goes everywhere. And, you know, so like that does sort of, that was my experience with him. Really? It was celebratory and flirty. So... I think that's better than probably the one Cameron got on Gangs of New York. Right, or Leo. Or Leo. Where he probably...

Right? For sure. For sure, Leo's experience with Daniel Day-Lewis must have been a very different one. But, you know, I will say that there are, like, he works so intimately with his characters and watching him is...

There's certain actors that I've watched and witnessed that make you feel like maybe you should be doing more. Yeah. Maybe I need to invest more in my characters. But it's really just a different kind of process. And I can see the...

There's so much goes into it for them that I can, I understand why he doesn't work very often. Like, I think it's a, can be a very torturous experience for method actors to leave their family and their life and really, really invest in these characters because it's just, it's just so much, it's, it's so all consuming. Yeah.

It is. And people always talk about, you know, method acting. And I understand why people who don't understand acting put it as the highest thing to be achieved when, in fact, it's nothing more than a different tool than another tool.

You know, for some people, it's the tool they should use. For other people, it absolutely is not the tool that they should use because everybody's wired differently. Most people think that that is the like if you're not doing that, you're not a serious actor, which is, of course, not true. He happens to do it and he is the greatest actor of certainly my lifetime for sure.

Yeah. I think, I think that everybody has a different, I think it's also just depends on what part you're playing too. You know, it's some, some demand a certain amount of focus that if you can't let in any distraction, you know, whereas some, I find sometimes that maybe it's easier to be distracted and, and,

not be too overly performed or thought out that sometimes there's certain days. I think everybody's process is just so different. That being said, I do think that there's this sort of misconception that if someone is effortless,

It means that there's no effort involved. 100%. And so when you see someone who has that sort of effortless way of acting or feeling relatable or that you sort of get like, you know, it's like, oh, you don't see the acting. Right.

That's actually the sign of a great actor. Whereas I sometimes feel the opposite happens, that sometimes people see people doing the work and they think it means... Like to me, those aren't the actors that I find fascinating. I find the ones where I don't see them working. Yeah, as they say in the parlance, it's seamless. You don't see the seams. And it's Cary Grant. Cary Grant's never won an Academy Award. Cary Grant made it look easy. Paul Newman...

Redford, you know, Kurt, you know, they always...

Jeff Bridges. Jeff Bridges. Effortless. Another one. I mean, they're out there, you know, and those are always the people that I aspired to be. And I think there's this, again, like do people sometimes think like, oh, they just show up and it's just so easy to them. And it's like, that's not how this works. You know, you got to, there's like, there is real effort in the craft to make it feel that way. So I, I,

And it's so fun to be able to talk about these things because, you know, people don't really, a lot of times, like, you know, they want to know personal tidbits and things like that. But like, I don't know, the older I get, the more I love what I do. Like the older I get, the more respect I have for the craft. The older I get and the more I've done it and the more people I've worked with and the more experiences that I've had, the more like,

I feel just so lucky that I've gotten to actually do this throughout my life. Same. I mean, notwithstanding the fact that I'd be terrible at anything else. I mean, really bad. I got fired for every job I ever had. I got fired when I was a busboy. I got fired when I worked at a gas station. I got fired when I threaded the projector at the Malibu Cinema. That was my job. Oh, my gosh.

You should talk to Ryder because Ryder is like Ryder. Ryder is he's like kind of right now rejecting the fact that he's just a born actor. Like he's I've never heard anyone be able to mimic better than my son. I don't know what he got the ear. He's a total stand up comedian. He could do a stand up on anybody, but he's just sort of like not interested in being like a.

He wants to see if he can do other things. And I'm like, dude, you got, you cursed, man. You're just, you're an actor. It's in the DNA. What are you going to do? You know, he's like, damn it. He's like, but I've got to like, you know, I got to try music first. I got to do this first, you know? And I'm like, oh honey, you know, you, you got it in the, it's in the blood. I think there's a lot of pressure. I think when you have a family that, Oh,

I mean, I can't even imagine. But it's like you see somebody and you're like, I'm in recovery, like I said, and you'll see somebody who's like drinking at the bar and like, yeah, we're saving a seat for you. It's just you can go do whatever you want to do. You can go do your Buddha thing or this and that. Meanwhile, we know where we're going to meet up and it's going to be in recovery. It's like saying you can do your thing, but you're going to end up wearing makeup for a living just like grandpa and just like mama and just like grandpa. You know,

yeah, it's like the showbiz and the blood, you know, there ain't no shame in that, man. Like I, I feel so, I feel so lucky. And, and like I said, the more, the older I get, the more I kind of like really have so much, so much respect for like the, the arts in terms of movies, because we, it's hard to get a movie. I mean, people don't understand like,

Just try getting one movie made, like just to get it made is, is an achievement, let alone making it great. You know, it's like, I look at someone like Scorsese or all of these great filmmakers and I'm like, Oh,

What an amazing thing to actually have accomplished just one great movie, let alone. Multiple. Seven. Yeah. The, okay. I want to, because you're clearly like you and I can talk about this all the way. Cause I, we are both passionate about it. Give me your, it's going to be hard because you're passionate about it. Give me your top five movies. Well, I mean, there's different, I always say like people always, when they ask me that I'm always like, there's the experience and then there's,

I like Kurt always said to me, you know, the second you're done, don't hold on to anything unless you're producing it, unless you're directing it, let it go. There's nothing you can do. If you hold the expectation that it's going to be what the experience was, you're going to be disappointed. You know, very rarely does like it all come together and you get that like great moment where it was a great experience and then it was a great, you know, outcome. Yeah.

So to me, when I think about those things, I think about what the experience was. And honestly, I mean, almost famous through and through was just like as a young girl getting that part and what it did for my career. And, you know, you can't, I mean, that's just, that was like a life changer, you know? Yeah. Yeah.

So that, that goes without saying, but honestly, the experiences, skeleton key was maybe one of the most fun times I've ever had. It was the best crew. We, we worked hard, played hard. We were in new Orleans. Oh boy. That alone that you say no more than that. And I,

And I know that's on your list. It was just a blast. And we had a great, great crew. Like we had Dan Mindell was the DP. Who's one of my favorite DPs. He's brilliant. Mitch, who is this amazing camera operator. He works with Spielberg all the time. We, and we were doing all these, like, you know, we were like in the trenches, we shot nights in the rain. So it was one of those movies where it was like, it was hard work.

And, you know, we would wrap around three thirty in the morning or four in the morning because we'd shoot these nights and like, you know, fake rain all the time. And then we'd all just like go to the bar. Amazing. And have so much fun. And and so it was like one of those great experiences where everybody was having a blast. I got to work with some great actors on that. John Heard. And and it was just a dream.

And then, okay. So there was that. And then how to lose a guy was really fun, but that was a lot of work. So, but, but that was the first time I'd done something from the ground up. Right. So it was like, that was the experience for me. And that was that from the hiring too, it was like me and Linda Opes from the beginning to like the director to hiring, you know, Matthew to, you know, all the rewrites, everything that we did.

It was like the first time I'd ever developed, really been involved in development, then process, then success. And that was like, that was also one of those moments where I was like, wow, you know, we put in so much and then the reaction was so great. And I will never forget that.

Linda Ops said to me, she goes, "You have to come to the screening." And she grabbed me and I hate watching myself. Like it's one of, since I, and I walked in and it was just uproarious in this huge theater. And the whole theater was laughing so hard. I mean, honestly, that was one of my favorite experiences ever was watching people's reaction to the scenes in the theater for "How to Lose a Guy."

That's awesome. Linda Opes, by the way, what a, what a genius. If you guys want to reach a good show business book, go, go read Linda Opes' book. She's one of the great, like, you know, trailblazer for women in our business. I mean, she's a tough cookie. So smart. So smart. Yeah. And, and, you know, that era of women in, in film as producers was a very, very kind of

you know, like it was a very different time for women like her to succeed. And so she, she was, she's fierce. Fierce. Yeah. Fierce. Um, well, darling, I literally am going, I, they're like literally, you got to go back to your elevator. There's an entire crew going, okay, that's all fine and good, but there are people standing in jet fuel in this elevator. And, uh,

Oh, well, this is fun. I'm glad we got to talk. This is great. I'll come on and do sibling with Chadlow, young Chadlow. Oh, my God. How fun. I loved this. I will talk to you soon. Yeah, I will. And will you please give Kurt and Goldie... We didn't even get to talk about your wonderful mom, who, I mean... I know. I just... I'll never forget. I had one. We were both, I want to say, at the Tokyo Film Festival. And...

We had one amazing, fun, sushi night dancing in the 80s. It was, she was... This sounds like something I shouldn't know about. You know what? It does sound that way. And that's sort of my memory of it. But it wasn't. It wasn't. I was in Tokyo at a festival with your mom and we had a great... Can I just say... Sake night. It was all on the up and up. It was all, let me be very clear...

The question is what year in the 80s, because that'll determine whether or not I believe you or not. I'm thinking 85. Thinking 85, 86. Okay. Uh-huh. 85. I bet it was 85. Before Kurt. Yeah. Well...

We'll end on that note. That would be the headline. That's the headline. Rob's night out with Goldie. Oh, she's the damn best. All right. Love you. This is great. Thank you for coming on. And I'll see you soon, I hope. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Okay. Bye, honey. Bye. Wow. That was so... I love talking about acting with her. That was great. I had such a good time. I hope you guys did too. I had such a good time. Kurt Russell, the script detective. I love that.

That's funny. I'm going to use that. I'm going to take that on the set with me. Tell my fellow actors on Lone Star, we need to be script detectives. That was great. I hope you guys had as much fun with that as I did. She's just, this is not a word I use a lot because I think it's a little pretentious. But the fact of the matter is, Kate Hudson is delicious. All right. It is time for the lowdown line. Hello. You've reached literally in our lowdown line.

where you can get the lowdown on all things about me, Rob Lowe. 323-570-4551. So have at it. Here's the beep. Hey, Rob. Love your podcast. My name is Bruce from Los Angeles. And I was curious whether you collect anything. And if so, what do you collect? Thanks so much. Take care. Hey, Bruce. Thanks for the question.

You know, if you've when people have read my my books or, you know, where they listen to the podcast religiously, you'll know that I'm kind of a nerd. May not may not be totally the most intuitive thing when you think about me, but I'm a nerd. And when you ask me what I've what I collect, this is the throw down prove. When I was a kid, the last thing I really super, super collected were beer cans.

Shocking, but true. I was very much into collecting beer cans. Now, this is in the mid-70s. It was a different time. But, man, if you could get me a Coors cone top, that was like the holy grail of beer cans. There's like a Beer Cans Association of America I was a member of. Total nerd. I've come a long way. I wouldn't dream of doing it now. In fact, I don't even really – I don't drink, so –

And then I went through a phase where I collected antique marbles. Again, nerd. And I'm trying to think. I'm an aficionado of things, which isn't the same as collecting, I realize. But collecting, I kind of retired. But I'm open to suggestions. And if you call me back and give me some suggestions, I might get back into it. But I hung up my spurs after beer cans and marbles. All right. I'll see you all next week on Literally.

You have been listening to Literally with Rob Lowe. Produced and engineered by me, Devin Tory Bryant.

Executive produced by Rob Lowe for Lowe Profile. Adam Sachs and Jeff Ross at Team Coco. And Colin Anderson and Chris Bannon at Stitcher. The supervising producer is Aaron Blairt. Talent producer, Jennifer Sampras. Please rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts. And remember to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. This has been a Team Coco production in association with Stitcher.

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