Kate Hudson's Rom-Com Breakup: Why 'Song Sung Blue' Is Her Bid for a Dramatic Reboot

Is the queen of romantic comedies done with happy endings? Kate Hudson, the Oscar-nominated star beloved for her roles in hit rom-coms, is making a deliberate shift with her new film, 'Song Sung Blue,' which opens in theaters today, Christmas Day. The movie, based on the true story of a Neil Diamond tribute band, signals her desire to disappear into more dramatic characters.

The 'Blessing and the Curse' of Rom-Coms

Speaking on Entertainment Weekly's 'The Awardist' podcast, Hudson revealed she began saying "no" to many projects during the pandemic. "I love a good rom-com, but it's hard to make a good one, so you've got to say no a lot," she said. While her role as Penny Lane in 'Almost Famous' earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination, her subsequent success created a double-edged sword. "That's kind of the blessing and the curse of being successful in a rom-com," she explained. "The curse of it is that they like seeing you in that. And so that sort of seems to be what everybody starts to push."

A Bid for Transformative Roles

Coming from a family of actors, Hudson has always seen herself as more of a character actor. She cites her role as Bonnie in 2021's 'Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon' as a favorite from her 35-year career. "My goal lately, is to do things that are a little more transformative than just where people get excited to see me," she stated. This new film, directed by Craig Brewer ('Hustle & Flow') and co-starring Hugh Jackman, is a major step in that direction.

Hudson hopes 'Song Sung Blue' will finally get her on the shortlist for more dramatic roles. She admits that directors and audiences aren't used to seeing her "disappearing into something like that." She added, "This is a nice total blessing that Craig believed in me for this. Hopefully that will change."