Kate Hudson

Biography: Kate Garry Hudson, daughter of Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn and singer-comedian Bill Hudson, was born on April 19th 1979 in Los Angeles, California. When Kate was a year and a half old, her parents divorced, and her mother began a relationship with actor Kurt Russell, whom she considered and called her real dad. Kate, who displayed a dynamic, sparkling personality as a child, was a performer and entertainer -- always singing, dancing and putting on shows for her family.

And although early on she already knew she wanted to act, Kate's parents wanted her to go on a different path. Later on, her mother showed her support by accompanying her in auditions and enrolling her in acting school and in Santa Monica Playhouse. In 1995, Kate was sent by Goldie to the Williamstown Theatre Festival where Kate's desire to act was fueled even more. The following year, she landed a role on an episode of Party of Five. Foregoing an opportunity to further study drama and theatre in the university, Kate went straight to Hollywood and won a role in her first feature film, Desert Blue (1998), which was followed by appearances in 200 Cigarettes (1999), About Adam (2000), and Gossip (2000).

However, the film which shot her into international fame was her portrayal of the lonely and loyal groupie Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous. Not only did she gain a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination for her performance, but she also caught the attention of film producers and movie critics. Her other more known projects include the romantic-comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) opposite Matthew McConaughey, the light drama Raising Helen (2004) with Joan Cusack, and the suspense-thriller Skeleton Key (2005). In 2008, Kate once again teamed up with McConaughey in the adventure/romance movie, Fool's Gold.

Kate continues to live in Los Angeles, California with her son Ryder Russell Robinson, who was born on January 7, 2004. She and Ryder's father, musician Chris Robinson, whom she married on December 31st 2000, got divorced on October 25th 2007. Aside from her on-camera work, Kate is also active in charities such as her involvement with the wildlife organization WildAid.… Expand