Inside Kate Hudson’s Strained Relationship with Her Father Bill Hudson

The "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" star has been estranged from her biological father since she was a child. The musician was barely present in her life after he divorced her mother.

Kate Hudson, 46, has always been candid about her relationship — or lack thereof — with her father, Bill Hudson, 76. The singer-songwriter was married to her mother, Goldie Hawn, from 1976 to 1982.

In addition to Kate, the former couple also had a son, Oliver Hudson, 49. After their divorce, Bill walked out of their lives and wasn't much of a parental figure afterward. In the years since, however, Kate said she has forgiven her father.

"I really do recognize whatever those issues are, it's just something that he has to live with, and that must be painful for him. So I forgive him," she said during her appearance on "The Howard Stone Show" in 2016, adding that she believes forgiveness is "the greatest tool" for moving on in life.

When Stern asked if Bill had been absent her entire life, Kate replied, "Not my whole life. He was around when we were young, it sort of teetered out." The actress also reflected on how his absence affected her growing up.

"Well I think that's like the age-old psychological core issue for any situation. Anybody who has had an experience with a parent that is absent, it's going to manifest," she said, citing issues like self-worth.

To tackle the inner turmoil that came from her father's absence, she sought therapy. As a child, however, Kate understood that her parents' issues had little, if anything to do with her and her brother. "I never felt it was about [my dad] losing interest," she reflected.

"My mom never spoke poorly of him, and I was a real tough little girl, like I understood what was going on. I did understand that it didn't have to do with me and Oliver. We did understand that. Maybe not on a cellular level, but on a cognitive level, yes," she continued.

Bill went on to have four more children, which Kate and Oliver are also estranged from. The pair touched on the matter during a 2021 episode of their podcast, "Sibling Revelry."

"You know what I've been thinking about lately? Dad," Kate said. "I've been thinking about our sisters that we don't spend any time with and our brother — brothers. We've got four siblings we don't spend any time with."

In April 2024, while promoting her debut album, "Glorious," the actress shared another update regarding her relationship with Bill. "I don't really have one," she told CBS when asked about the state of their relationship.

"But it's like, I, you know, it's warming up. There's warming up with this all happening […] but it'll be whatever it will be, you know," she continued. "I have no expectation of that with my father, you know. It's like, I just want him to be happy."

In a cover story for People in May 2024, the "Almost Famous" star echoed the same sentiment. "There's nothing new there but love," she told the outlet. "I love him. . . . I just don't overthink it. It's a 40-year-old issue."