Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together for 37 years. There are always internet stories about how maybe their relationship isn’t actually that strong, but 37 years is no joke, and whenever I see them interviewed separately, they both seem like pretty low-key hippie-types, and I would imagine that they still enjoy each other immensely. I also judge Kurt favorably because his stepchildren consider him their “dad” and they’re all very close. Goldie and Kurt still work together too – they cover this week’s People Magazine to promote The Christmas Chronicles 2 on Netflix. Kurt was in the first movie (as Santa) and it was a big hit for Netflix, so now Goldie is on-board as Mrs. Claus, despite the fact that in real life, Kurt and Goldie are famously unmarried. Some highlights from People’s cover story:
There’s no big secret to their lasting love. “You’ve just got to want to be together,” Hawn, 75, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “I don’t think there’s any way other than do it.”
Goldie on playing Mrs Claus: “I was excited about playing her. She hadn’t been really defined yet really as a character. She’s always been in the background, making cookies. And now it’s a new world, right? And they gave Mrs. Claus magic, and Kurt was a big part of that as well, of designing the character.”
Kurt on falling for Goldie: Thinking back to when they first met on Swing Shift, Russell recalls being “impressed with Goldie visually… the images of her were alluring and attractive, so all those things were taking place,” he says. “But then you get to know somebody and you begin to find that, yeah, you do share things in common deeply. Hey, listen, it goes where it goes.”
On never getting married: Though they never married, the two stars created a tight-knit family together, raising their son, actor Wyatt Russell, 34, as well as their children from previous marriages: Russell’s son Boston and Hawn’s kids, actors Kate, 41, and Oliver Hudson, 44, who call Russell “Pa.” “For people like us, the marriage certificate wasn’t going to create anything that otherwise we wouldn’t have,” says Russell. “I don’t know. 40 years isn’t enough to finally say, ‘Well I guess…’ ”
Goldie on marriage: “Well, we’re not at 40 years yet. Our children got married. I mean, they didn’t not get married. Oliver’s very happily married and Wyatt’s very happily married. Katie got married once and that didn’t work, and she’s with this most amazing human and I don’t know if she’ll marry again. The point is that we all tried marriage and sometimes marriage doesn’t work.” Which is just fine with Hawn and Russell. “It’s okay. It’s not about the marriage. It’s about the people and the relationship, and the will to stay together,” Hawn says. “And that’s a big one because if you want it, you can have it. You’ve got to give things up, but the joy and the excitement of being together and touching the toes of somebody at night is really a nice feeling.”
I’m all for people just living together and being partners and never needing the marriage certificate. The thing that slightly annoys me is the “permanently engaged” thing. Like, there was a proposal, there’s an engagement ring, and then there’s no wedding for years and years. I don’t really get that! But Goldie and Kurt’s common-law marriage thing is fine. Aspirational, even. And I think this is funny and true – it’s about “the will to stay together. And that’s a big one because if you want it, you can have it.”
Cover courtesy of People, additional photo courtesy of Avalon Red.
At almost 40 years together dont these journalists feel plain dumb asking them about marriage ,its so redundant.
I agree! But I am impressed by their interview professionalism to just keep answering it over and over like no one ever asked.
Isn’t their secret an open marriage? Discreet, of course.
I mean…even if it is, clearly that works for them. They wouldn’t still be together if it didn’t.
They are awesome. “The will to stay together” is just another way of saying commitment. They are committed to each other and the family they have created. No legal document was necessary. Not many people are that committed. They are lucky, and it sounds like they know that.
PS The Santa Chronicles is a great holiday movie in a sea of bad, cheesy movies.
I LOVED The Santa Chronicles. it’s a GOOD cheesy holiday movie, and it’s as good as it is BECAUSE of Russell. he’s one of my faves.
haven’t watched 2 yet, but am looking forward to it.
PS – I’m one of those lucky ones. BF (partner?) and I have been together 27 (and a half) years. together because we WANT to be, not because a piece of paper says we are.
PPS – I am NOT anti-marriage and and NOT denigrating anyone who does get married. it’s just not for me.
I still consider myself “recently divorced” (3 years now) and though I’m in a committed relationship just can’t see myself ever getting married again. My divorce happened just after I turned 29, since I’m still young I’m already getting questions from people about if the BF and I will tie the knot. I usually say that we’re just gonna “Kurt and Goldie” it because I do find their commitment to each other without a marriage certificate aspirational! There’s also the fact that neither of my siblings have been married (sister broke off an engagement though) and the teasing would probably be relentless if I was on my second marriage before they had even one!
Also, not anti-marriage in general (my parents have been married 35 years now and still very much in love) but anti-marriage for me.
I’m with you TaraBest, I said to death to us part once. I’ve been with my bf for 21 years now (longer than my marriage) and I have no urge to get married again. It’s just find the way it is.
OMG that cover. So much photoshop
Indeed.
They aren’t as unique as you’d think. The last few years I’ve met a surprising number of senior couples, who got together after divorces or spouses passed, and have been together for years but opted not to get married. First few times I thought were anomalies, mostly because I kept thinking of my grandmother and other older women relatives who never seemed to even contemplate dating after they were widowed, but now, think I’d go that route too.
If i may ask the senior couples you met ,around what age range were they widowed? I think people are fascinated with these two because they were still reasonably young when they got together.
Three of the couples were in their 40’s (they were divorced); the others I think were in their 50’s or 60’s and one couple connected in their 70’s. Interestingly enough, from what they’ve said the women were the ones not interested in getting remarried. Their first marriages weren’t bad, they just didn’t feel the need to do it again.
I got together with Mr. Jaded after he and his wife of 30 years divorced. I had a relationship with him before he met his now ex-wife and was pretty heartbroken when he broke things off with me. Anyway, long story short, when he got back in touch with me I had about 24 hours of “WTF am I doing?!” then the feels came back and we’ve been shacked up for 5 years now. Best decision I ever made. I was 62 and he was 65 when all this happened and the thought of getting married never crossed our minds. He’d had a bad marriage and I never did marry but simply being together is wonderful. Guess I never stopped loving him.
My grandparents (not my biological grandfather but still called him grandpa), got together after their divorce/death of previous spouses. They were together for 40+ years until they both died. An amazing couple. They were engaged though.
I always say a woman doesn’t need to get married after 50. I’m in my 40s but I can see many 50+ women around me who were divorced or widowed, have their own cool apartments or houses, have careers, have their lives the way they want them, their kids are grown or nearly or they’re childfree, and I just don’t see a reason for them to ever be wives again. They can hang out with their partners as much as they want to, have sleepovers when they want. No need to merge finances, households, last names, or do anything legal. That seems like it would just mess things up.
I got married at 32, had 25 years with my beautiful handsome husband who loved me very well and then he died at age 53. I’ll never marry or shack up with a man again. No one can match my hubby’s charm and humor. I had a boyfriend for 4 years and dumped him when he suggested I sell my lovely antique home and buy a ugly house in a retirement community. He wanted me to disinherit my kids.
I will never take up with another man as I like being single without someone trying to tell me what to do. PS most men my age are fat, out of condition and Trumper’s.
Good for them, they seem happy. And I imagine it was a bit taboo 40-ish years ago to not get married. It’s cool that they weren’t so worried about society’s expectations.
On another note, I find that many articles celebrate long term relationships without any consideration of whether union is a happy one or not…..if someone has a toxic partner but has stuck it out in misery for decades, that just makes me sad for them.
I thought it was an open secret that Kurt wasn’t faithful.
I’m sure they have an ‘open’ agreement and it works for them so……🤙🤙
Yeah. There’s always hasn’t been rumors about that. They were both off on sets a lot during their relationship, and I think they had an agreement. Plus, add her comments over the years in interviews, and I feel like there’s a don’t ask/don’t tell policy in their relationship.
↑this
“The thing that slightly annoys me is the “permanently engaged” thing. Like, there was a proposal, there’s an engagement ring, and then there’s no wedding for years and years. I don’t really get that!”
For me – the engagement meant Lord Baden-Baden felt obligated to get me a sparkly ring. Hurrah! Was never bothered about the wedding/marriage part after that
I’m a sucker for a blended family. For a step parent who says- i’m team kid- in whatever way that works for our family. It doesn’t always work that way, and i applaud all the parents/step-parents that put make that commitment.
I also remember one of them doing an interview when their kids were kids, saying that they had a marriage ceremony- as in, they gathered the kids around the bed and made promises- but they didn’t feel the need to get the state involved. I have always loved this story.
And the lesson of- it’s simple- you have to want to be together. If both people don’t want to be there – you can’t make it work. I always try to remember that.
I don’t touch anyone’s toes.
😂