Family is weird. It’s even weirder when your parents are some of the biggest stars on the planet and your personal "daddy issues" play out in front of millions of people on Instagram. If you’ve ever wondered who is Oliver Hudson’s dad, the answer isn’t just a name on a birth certificate. It’s a complicated, messy, and surprisingly emotional story involving two different men: Bill Hudson and Kurt Russell.
One is the biological father who "bailed," and the other is the Hollywood legend who stepped in to pick up the pieces.
The Biological Connection: Bill Hudson
Oliver Hudson was born in 1976 to Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson. At the time, Bill was a legitimate star. He was a vocalist in The Hudson Brothers, a musical group he formed with his siblings, Brett and Mark. They had their own variety show, The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show, and were basically the teen idols of the mid-70s.
But as fast as the fame came, the marriage crumbled. Goldie and Bill divorced in 1982 when Oliver was just a little kid. For decades, the narrative was pretty simple: Bill left, and he stayed gone. Oliver and his sister, Kate Hudson, grew up largely estranged from him.
Things got ugly—like, "front-page tabloid" ugly—on Father’s Day in 2015. Oliver posted a throwback photo of himself, Kate, and Bill with the caption: "Happy abandonment day."
Ouch.
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Bill didn't take it lying down. He did a scorched-earth interview with The Daily Mail, saying he no longer recognized Oliver and Kate as his own. He famously said, "I say to them now, ‘I set you free.’ I had five birth children but I now consider myself a father of three. I no longer recognize Oliver and Kate as my own." He even asked them to stop using the Hudson name. It felt like the final nail in the coffin for that relationship.
The Man Who Stayed: "Pa" Kurt Russell
While the biological side was falling apart, the daily reality for Oliver was very different. In 1983, Goldie Hawn started dating Kurt Russell.
Kurt didn't just date their mom; he became their dad. Oliver and Kate started calling him "Pa," a nickname that stuck for over forty years. Kurt was the one at the hockey games, the one teaching them about life, and the one who provided the stability their biological father didn't.
Honestly, Oliver has been very vocal about how Kurt shaped him. On his podcast, Sibling Revelry, he once admitted, "Kurt came into my life when I was five or six and essentially he raised me. I'm the man I am today because of him."
There was even a moment when Oliver and Kate were kids where Kurt asked them if they wanted him to formally adopt them. They actually said no—not because they didn't love him, but because they were kids and didn't really get what a legal paper would change. The love was already there. Why bother with the paperwork?
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The "Other" Siblings
Because Bill Hudson had other children after his split from Goldie, Oliver has a bunch of half-siblings he didn't grow up with.
- Emily and Zachary Hudson: From Bill’s marriage to Laverne & Shirley star Cindy Williams.
- Lalania Hudson: Bill’s youngest daughter.
- Wyatt Russell: Oliver’s half-brother from Goldie and Kurt (the only child they have together).
- Boston Russell: Kurt’s son from his previous marriage to Season Hubley.
What Really Happened with the Reconciliation?
Here is the part most people miss. You’d think after the "Happy Abandonment Day" post and Bill disowning them, it was over forever. But life is rarely that scripted.
Surprisingly, that public explosion actually forced them to talk. Oliver later revealed that the "malicious" post—which he says was just his dark sense of humor—started a dialogue that hadn't happened in twelve years.
As of early 2026, things have shifted significantly. Oliver has mentioned that he and Bill are "in contact now more than ever." They’ve been texting, grabbing beers, and even crying together while trying to understand the past. Oliver noted that looking at Bill is like looking in a mirror. He sees his own reflection, his own mannerisms, and his own way of thinking in the man he spent most of his life resenting.
It’s not a perfect Hallmark ending, but it’s human. Kate has been a bit more guarded, though she’s expressed a desire to connect with her other siblings on Bill’s side.
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Why This Matters for You
The drama of the Hawn-Hudson-Russell clan is a high-profile version of what millions of families deal with: blended family dynamics and the "nature vs. nurture" debate.
If you are navigating your own complicated family history, here are a few takeaways from Oliver’s journey:
- Forgiveness isn't for the other person: Oliver and Kate have both talked about how forgiving Bill (or at least letting go of the anger) was about their own mental health, not about letting Bill off the hook.
- Family is built, not just born: DNA is a fact, but "Dad" is a job title. Kurt Russell earned that title through decades of showing up.
- It’s never too late to change the narrative: Even after decades of silence and public insults, Oliver and Bill found a way to text each other.
The story of who is Oliver Hudson's dad is really a story about having two fathers—one who gave him his face and his humor, and another who gave him his foundation. If you’re looking to heal a family rift, maybe start with a simple conversation instead of a public Instagram post. It worked for Oliver, but it's definitely the "hard mode" way of doing things.
Next time you see Oliver on screen in The Cleaning Lady or Rules of Engagement, you’re seeing a guy who has spent years unpacking his baggage in public. He’s proof that you can have "daddy issues" and still turn out to be a pretty great dad yourself.
Take Action: If you’re interested in hearing the raw, unedited version of these family stories, listen to the "Sibling Revelry" podcast. Oliver and Kate go deep into their childhood trauma and triumphs in a way that feels like you're eavesdropping on a private family dinner.