‘Running Point’ star Kate Hudson keeps things positive
Kate Hudson’s joyous disposition isn’t by chance — it’s by choice.
“Our brains tend to lean toward the negative,” the 45-year-old star says. “If there is anything negative out there, I’m going positive if at all possible.
“Life’s too short. If the negative comes in, I remind myself that I love my family, I love my babies, I love making art, I love being around people. There is too much to love in life for me to stay in the negative zone.”
Hudson is basking in the optimism these days as her new Netflix comedy series, “Running Point,” was just renewed for a second season. She plays Isla Gordon — the only daughter in a family that owns a pro basketball franchise — who’s unexpectedly thrust into the role of team president.
“It’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had working,” she says. “We’d spend all day laughing — and why not? There are moments that don’t make the cut.”
Hudson has also branched out with an album, “Glorious,” which she released last year, fulfilling a lifelong dream to write and sing her own music.
She lives on the west side of Los Angeles with her fiancé, musician Danny Fujikawa. They have a daughter, Rani. Hudson also has sons Ryder and Bing from previous marriages.
Her good life advice:
Game on
Hudson says portraying the head of the L.A. Waves — a role loosely based on Lakers president Jeanie Buss — was an easy fit. Of course, there was a bit of trepidation at the start. “I’m always scared to do comedy,” she shares. “You read something and it’s funny, but then it gets watered down because people get scared.”
Meeting with the show’s creator, Mindy Kaling, helped quell Hudson’s fears. “We sat and had a margarita. I said, ‘Is this the show you want to make?’ Mindy said: ‘Yes, this is the show. I want it to have comedy and heart. I want to take risks, and I don’t want to compromise.’ ”
Work for laughs
“Comedy is hard. It’s not an easy thing to execute. You need to get great people in the room who understand timing,” Hudson says. “It’s not just something that happens because you decide to do something light. It comes from highly intelligent minds. … And the truth is, I just want people to laugh. When you find yourself belly laughing at something … it’s the most healing thing in the world. When we laugh, we rejuvenate ourselves and get that dopamine hit we really need. Comedy is one of the great liberators.”
Prepare yourself
Hudson understood the dynamics of her new series, including being a woman in the spotlight. “I just remember, growing up in L.A., I would go to Kings games, and Jeanie Buss worked there,” she says. “I remembered her hair and her outfits, which were so put together and beautiful. The point is, women need to have it all together because there is so much scrutiny on so many levels. You always have so much to prove as a woman.”
Dare yourself
Hudson has made a career out of tackling challenges. “The first time I went out onstage, I felt a mix of nerves and ‘I can do this.’ The ‘I can do this’ won out,” says the daughter of actor Goldie Hawn and musician and actor Bill Hudson. “I’m a performer, so I pushed myself to win over my nerves. Sometimes, it just takes a little push.”
Don’t point fingers
“Some of the best advice my mom instilled in me was whenever you’re going to point one finger, there’s always three pointing back at you. So, the first thing I think in life is: ‘What’s my role in this? How did I find myself in this challenge?’ So, I reflect. I think about it. You’re not going to point that finger if you give yourself a minute.”
Ignore doubters
“I feel underestimated all the time,” Hudson says. “Especially in the world of art or creative output. People have said they didn’t like my work … right to my face. You just have to push past it.”
Forget perfection
Fitness is part of Hudson’s lifestyle, but it’s a means to an end: Feeling good. “Perfect is not the goal,” she says. “The goal is feeling good in your body. That’s what leads to confidence, to feeling and looking fit … and being pretty happy.”
‘Let’s do it’
Hudson is the first one to admit that she waited a long time to get her music to the public. “I was just afraid. Maybe afraid of rejection. And criticism,” she says. “It’s risky to do something that you’re not known for. You don’t know if you will be good at it or if people will like it.”
So, what was the turning point? “COVID happened, and I began to re-evaluate my life and my art and what I really loved to do. I knew if I didn’t make an album, it would be one of my great regrets. So, I said three words that seem small but aren’t: Let’s do it.’ ”
‘We’re killing it’
“It might not look traditional from the outside, but on the inside, we’re killing it. The unit I’ve created with three children is a seriously strong unit, and it’s ours,” Hudson says. “My kids make my life insane, fun, wild, cozy, loving and really, really loud. They are my everything.”
