Inside Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russel’s Rocky Relationship and the Cheating Rumors That Have Followed Them For Years

This article was originally published on For What It’s Earth and has been republished to Hype Galore with permission.

In the world of Hollywood, relationships come and go quicker than you can say “showmance” – and it’s fair to say that we’ve seen relationships crumble under the bright lights of Tinseltown. But that’s not to say that all celebrity relationships are doomed for dumping. Despite never being married, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together for over 35 years.

Goldie and Kurt are arguably one of the most successful couples in Hollywood; both in terms of their personal relationship and their professional careers. They’ve proven to everyone that love in the limelight can work, but that’s not to say that it’s been easy. Kurt himself even confessed that “We’ve had ups, downs, sideways, and everything else,” and that probably has something to do with the fact that their relationship has been plagued with cheating rumors. So, how much truth is in these rumors?

Goldie Has Admitted That She’s Struggled With the Idea of Monogamy With Kurt

Today, fans believe that Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have the perfect life. They’ve found love, they’ve blended their families, and they’ve been able to uphold both of these things while living their lives in the spotlight and focusing on separate careers. However, it seems as though none of us really know what’s going on behind the scenes, as Goldie has admitted that she’s struggled with the idea of monogamy in her relationship.

On staying faithful, Goldie confessed that “Monogamy is a very tough order. We both have the same opportunities to meet interesting, exciting, and gorgeous people. I happen to know what movies are all about. You get close to people.” Yes, it’s been suggested that Goldie and her partner have been through a lot. But to understand their rocky relationship a little more we need to start from the beginning.

The Couple First Met as Co-Stars in 1966 When Goldie Was 21 and Kurt Was 16

When Goldie and Kurt were at the beginning of their careers, they were solely focused on show business. They were both young additions to the Hollywood world, and they wanted to prove to those around them that they were capable of hitting the big time. And in 1966, the two youngsters were cast in the musical movie The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.

At the time, Goldie was 21 years old and Kurt only 16 – and while their romantic relationship didn’t start for another 18 years after this initial meeting, there was no denying that Kurt found his co-star to be breathtakingly beautiful. However, Goldie didn’t quite feel the same way. She told the BBC that “I thought he was adorable, but he was much too young.” Little did they know that they would later become one of the most famous couples in Hollywood.

After Working Together, Goldie Moved on and Forged Her Own Impressive Career

Although The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band was a great movie to showcase her impressive singing and acting talent, this project was just a small moment in her career. It was a way for her to dip her toe into the Hollywood pool before moving on to something else, and so it should come as no surprise to learn that Goldie and Kurt went their separate ways after this brief stint as co-stars.

As a young and talented young woman with oodles of talent, it wasn’t long before Goldie was paving her way in Hollywood. In fact, just one year later she was standing up on stage as she accepted her Academy Award for Supporting Actress and her Golden Globe award, all thanks to her role in Cactus Flower. Her career was truly taking off, and so was her personal life – as she soon found herself her first husband.

Goldie Was Married to Hollywood Director Gus Trikonis From 1966 Until 1976

As Goldie became one of the most famous women in Hollywood, she also became one of the most desirable. However, it was one man by the name of Gus Trikonis who got her down the aisle first. Gus also started out his career as an actor and is perhaps best known for his role in the 1961 classic West Side Story. But by the time he met Goldie in 1969, he had turned his attention to directing instead.

After a whirlwind romance, it didn’t take long for Goldie and Gus to make their love official. Just a few months into their relationship they made their way to Honolulu, Hawaii to get hitched. Unfortunately, as Guy embarked on a new journey with his wife, his career began to deteriorate – taking a major toll on his marriage. Just four years later they had separated, but their divorce wasn’t finalized until 1976.

After Her Divorce, Goldie Became One of the Most Desirable Singletons in Hollywood

Although Gus and Goldie’s divorce spelled disaster for Gus and his ever-bombing career, the same couldn’t be said for Goldie. She came out of her divorce with a new sense of purpose and a new zest for life, and this was shown by her subsequent acting roles. Over the next couple of years, Goldie became an unstoppable force of the 1970s, starring in TV shows like Pure Goldie, The Goldie Hawn Special and the film The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox.

As if her ever-growing resume wasn’t impressive enough, Goldie’s personal life also took off during this time. She became a girl-about-town, dating some of the biggest names in the industry. However, as someone longing to settle down, it didn’t take long for Goldie to find herself her next husband; and he came in the form of Bill Hudson.

Goldie Then Married Bill Hudson in 1976, but They Got Divorced Four Years Later

While on a flight from New York to Los Angeles in 1975, Goldie Hawn was approached by a man she hadn’t met before. He was Bill Hudson, a musician who was touring with his two brothers as part of their band, The Hudson Brothers. It was this moment that sparked the beginning of their relationship, which progressed extremely quickly. In fact, they were married by 1976.

Just a few months after they tied the knot, Goldie and Bill welcomed their first child into the world, Oliver Hudson. Three years later, he was followed by his sister, Kate Hudson. But Goldie’s relationship with Bill was not meant to last and they divorced in 1980 – something Bill has been more than willing to speak about publicly. After all, it’s not every day your wife supposedly asks for an open marriage.

Bill Has Reported That Goldie Asked To Be ”Open” During Their Marriage

In articles and books written after their divorce, Bill Hudson seemed to suggest that he never wanted to divorce Goldie Hawn. He had been in love with her since the first day they met on the plane, and their wedding day was the best day of his life. He confessed that “I was consumed with love. I didn’t think life could get any better. I had just married the woman I loved and I felt like the luckiest guy on Earth.”

Unfortunately, his bubble burst when everything changed. He’s noted that a few months into their marriage, Goldie asked him whether he was sure they had done the right thing by getting married. She seemed to be feeling constricted in their relationship, and she reportedly went on to ask them if they could be “open.” This came as a shock to Bill, but then he realized that his father-in-law had tried to warn him about this before they got married.

He Also Claims That Goldie Had Affairs With Warren Beatty and Yves Renier While They Were Together

According to Hudson, Mr. Hawn told him before they got married that Goldie liked to have a different man for all of her different moods, and he hinted at her infidelity. But Bill was so in love with her that he hoped that he would be enough and continued with their wedding plans. Sadly, he’s claimed that he ultimately wasn’t enough, and he has accused his ex-wife of cheating on him on multiple occasions.

When Bill didn’t agree to her idea of having an open marriage, Goldie reportedly went off and had her own dalliances anyway. He’s accused her of cheating on him with fellow actors like Warren Beatty and Yves Renier, and in his book, he also wrote: “I have something to tell you,” Goldie Said. “I’ve been seeing this guy in Sweden. His name is Bruno.”

Bill Believes That Goldie’s Infidelity Is Why She Hasn’t Married Kurt

Within a tell-all book he wrote about his life and his marriage to Goldie, Bill Hudson even went as far as to state that he believes Goldie’s desire to stay in an open relationship throughout the entirety of her life is the reason why she hasn’t married Kurt Russell. He believes that, after being married twice already, she doesn’t want to feel the restraints of being legally tied to just one other man.

Bill believes that Goldie has continued to live a wild lifestyle with the company of other men, and he doesn’t believe that that will ever change. However, he realizes that things may be different for Kurt. After all, while Goldie achieved so much after meeting Kurt on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, Kurt’s story wasn’t quite as dramatic.

Kurt Russell Had Early Success as a Child Star but Then Struggled to Maintain It

Although Kurt Russell is now in a seemingly happy relationship and is considered to be one of the most talented actors in Hollywood, there was once a time when his career was struggling. Kurt originally had a positive start in the industry, landing his first professional acting gig when he was just 12 years old. He then became a hugely successful child star, and everyone had high hopes for him.

In fact, it’s been alleged that Walt Disney’s last words before he sadly passed away were “Kurt Russell” because he believed the youngster to be the next big icon. But things took a tumble as the young boy got older. As the years went by, Kurt began to struggle more and more to land the next acting gig, and at one point he even considered a complete career change.

He Became a Minor League Baseball Player When His Acting Jobs Dried Up

After his success as a young actor during the 1960s – which is also when he met Goldie Hawn for the first time – Kurt Russell soon realized that his place in the limelight was in jeopardy. So, he started focusing on another one of his passions; baseball. Russell’s father had been a professional baseball player and Kurt was a talented sportsman. Because of this, it wasn’t long before he entered the MiLB.

The early ’70s saw Kurt play for minor league teams like the California Angels, Bend Rainbows, Walla Walla Islanders, El Paso Sun King, and the Portland Mavericks. He became a popular switch-hitting second baseman and seemed as though he could have made it big time. However, even this dream was squashed when an injury in 1973 forced him to retire from the sport.

It Wasn’t Until 1979 That Kurt Russell Became a Famous Actor Once Again

In the years that followed his retirement from baseball, Kurt decided to put all of his attention back into his acting endeavors. And while he landed a few small roles here and there, it wasn’t until 1979 that he was able to fully immerse himself in a big production that garnered an impressive response. This was the year that he took on the role of Elvis Presley in the TV movie, Elvis.

Kurt became the King of Rock and Roll during this project, and it even earned him an Emmy nomination – which was enough to put him back on the map. And from that moment on he was able to grow his career even further with his roles in Escape from New York and Escape from Los Angeles. It was during this upward trajectory that Kurt Russell also found himself a wife.

Kurt Also Married Actress Season Hubley in 1979 but They Divorced in 1983

As well as thrusting Kurt Russell back into the public sphere, Elvis also allowed the actor to work alongside fellow actor Season Hubley. She was the Priscilla Presley to Kurt’s Elvis, and it wasn’t long before their on-screen romance turned into something much more deep and meaningful behind the scenes. A few months after the project made it to our screens, they were married.

A year later, Kurt and Season welcomed their son Boston into the world – and they seemed to be a happy family. However, by 1983 they had broken up and were seeking a divorce, with many suggesting that Kurt’s newfound popularity took a negative toll on their marriage. But some also suggest that Kurt working with Goldie Hawn again in 1983 was the real nail in the coffin…

Kurt and Goldie Met Again in 1983 and He Decided To Ask Her Out on a Date

Some say that it’s a little too convenient that Kurt and Goldie reconnected the same year that Kurt’s marriage came to an end. But when the two actors found themselves working together on the same film again – this time the movie Swing Shift – it seems as though they just couldn’t ignore their connection. They were older than they were when they first met, and they had both been through divorces.

It was Kurt who made the first move, although he was surprised that Goldie actually said yes to a date. The actor told Conan O’Brien that he was “severely hungover” when he asked Goldie out on a date, and that “I just didn’t have in my mind what I was going to say. She had a great body, and so the first thing that came out was ‘Man, you’ve got a great figure.’ It kind of came out quickly, and it could’ve been wrong, and she said, ‘Why, thank you.'”

Goldie Couldn’t Deny Their Connection, so She Agreed To Go on the Date

Although intrigued by Kurt, she didn’t have to think too long when it came to her decision. She knew from working with him that he was a great actor, but also that he was a great co-star and great all-round person. Plus, she loved his cheeky line and the fact that she knew he wasn’t trying too hard. So, she agreed to go on the date.

Goldie explained a little more to Ellen DeGeneres in 2010, stating that “I remember about Kurt, not only being really sexy and handsome and all that stuff, and fun – a good co-star. I loved the way he looked at my children. It was really something special and that was…he’s good with kids. And I kind of went, ‘Oh my god. This is amazing.” In fact, she couldn’t wait to see what their first date would entail.

Despite an Awkward First Date, It Wasn’t Long Before They Became a Couple

Shortly after they wrapped up filming Swing Shift, Kurt planned their first date – and the intention was to head to the Playboy Club in LA to spend the night dancing together. However, they didn’t end up dancing at all. Kurt confessed that “Two hours later, we were still talking – we hadn’t danced at all.” Things went even more awry when they later left the club.

As Kurt was living with his brother-in-law at the time, the pair was forced to head back to Goldie’s house – despite the fact that it was being completely remodeled. However, as the house was uninhabitable the security guards thought that Goldie and Kurt were intruders. They started shouting at them and urging them to leave, and “We were like, ‘Guys, get out of here – it’s her house!’ It was a lot of fun, I’ll tell you that.”

They Welcomed a Son Together, While Also Blending Their Separate Families

Despite the awkward first date, Goldie and Kurt knew that they had something special, and they quickly entered into a romantic relationship. They became the talk of the Hollywood town, and fans were excited to see a new celebrity couple on the block. And three years into their relationship, Goldie and Kurt welcomed their first and only child together; Wyatt Russell.

Of course, Wyatt wasn’t their first child as individuals. As both Goldie and Kurt had their own children, they made an effort to blend their families together in order to create a strong family unit. This allowed Kurt to become another father figure for Kate and Oliver, but this didn’t go down well with Goldie’s ex-husband. In fact, Bill Hudson had a lot to say about it.

Bill Hudson Claims That Goldie Pushed Him Out of His Children’s Lives When Kurt Came Along

Although Goldie and Bill divorced way before she started dating Kurt Russell, they were still linked by their children and put in an effort to co-parent together. But according to Bill, his relationship with his ex-wife became instantly worse when Kurt came onto the scene. He told the Daily Mail in 2011 that “When we split up, she never had a bad word to say about me.”

He continued, “But when Kurt came on the scene, the narrative changed and I became the big, bad wolf. I would say to her, ‘Goldie, why are you trashing me and saying I’m an absent father when it’s simply not the case?’ She’d laugh and go ‘Oh Bill, you know it makes a better story.” However, Oliver and Kate Hudson have claimed that this wasn’t the case, and that Bill simply abandoned them while Kurt was the one who stepped up to become their father figure.

Goldie Believes That if She and Kurt Had Gotten Married They’d Be Divorced by Now

While Bill Hudson still maintains that Goldie and Kurt have not gotten married because Goldie prefers to be more “open”, it seems as though the actress has her own thoughts on the matter. After being together for almost four decades, Goldie believes that they are now past the point of needing to be married. She even stated that if they had gotten married when they were younger, she believes that they would already be divorced by now.

Goldie has revealed that “Marriage is an interesting sociological thing. If you need to be bound by someone, then it’s important to be married. If you have independence, if you have enough money and a sense of independence and you like your independence, there is something psychological about not being married because it gives you the freedom to make decisions.” However, sources close to the couple also believe that this decision to remain unmarried might have something to do with cheating rumors.

A Source Close to the Couple Has Stated That Both Goldie and Kurt Have Been Unfaithful

While it’s no secret that Goldie and Kurt have been together for decades, rumors have suggested that the couple has broken up in secret a few times. And although they have always found their way back together, a source close to the family has claimed that these breakups were caused by infidelity. And not just on Goldie’s side, either.

This insider has suggested that “There was infidelity on both of their parts. Goldie admits that she and Kurt both went off course. They were both acting out a little and having trouble communicating. So they called an adult time-out to get some space so tempers could cool. Goldie headed to their house in Malibu while Kurt stayed at their place in Pacific Palisades. It was rough.”

Despite Rumored Cheating, the Couple Are Bound Together by Their Blended Family

Although even Kurt has claimed that he and Goldie have had some rough patches in their relationship, it seems as though they are willing to put in the work to make it right rather than fall at the first hurdle. The source went on to claim that “ultimately they were in it for the long haul. And their children were a big part of that decision. They weren’t about to tear up their family.”

According to the source, “Not breaking up is their mantra” and they will try to maintain this for the rest of their lives. After all, they believe that they are stronger as a couple and as a family than not, and they know that what they have is truly special. So, perhaps that’s why the general public have only seen the seemingly perfect side of their relationship. Although they’ve hit rough spots, they’ve always tried to save face in public.

Goldie Admits That Being in a Committed Relationship Is Tough, but Worth It

At the moment, it seems as though Goldie and Kurt are back on their plain sailing mission for love. They have moved on from cheating rumors and family drama, and they are now focusing on being together and being part of a committed family. But she is the first to admit that being in a relationship takes hard work. Ultimately, though, it’s worth it.

She’s confessed that “Intention is the key. It’s also about not losing yourself in each other. Being together, two pillars holding up the house and the roof, and being different, not having to agree on everything, learning how to deal with not agreeing.” Thankfully, their children and now their grandchildren will be able to learn a lot from their relationship.