Red Flags In Goldie Hawn And Kurt Russell's Relationship That Are Hard To Ignore

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell go way back. In 1966, they met while filming a movie together, and Russell was just smitten. "I thought she was awfully attractive," he recalled to Variety in 2023. "She just had this energy about her." However, their five-year age gap felt insurmountable since Russell was mid-way through his teens, and Hawn was already an adult. "I thought he was adorable, but he was much too young," Hawn informed the BBC's "Desert Island Discs" in 2012.

By the early '80s, age wasn't an issue, and their mutual attraction remained. Even so, Russell and Hawn saw a different potential red flag — their shared profession. "I was definitely not interested in an actor, and Kurt felt the same way," Hawn recalled to the BBC. As on-screen love interests, they fell for each other anyway. 

After 40-plus years together, Russell still has the ability to make Hawn swoon. "Goldie, I cherish you," he declared in 2017 when they both received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "All the stars in the sky or on the boulevard can't hold a candle to that" (via Her). Hawn was blown away by Russell's speech, and she later told People, "I had no idea he was going to be so beautiful." However, Russell and Hawn are equally likely to admit that not every day together is picture-perfect. Throughout the decades, red flags have occurred, whether it's break-up concerns or enduring speculation about their desire not to marry.   

When Kurt Russell crossed paths with Goldie Hawn a second time, she was considering acting with him on "Swing Shift." Due to hard partying the night before, Russell was hungover and napping at the studio. To make matters worse, when Hawn arrived, Russell began by blurting out, "Man, you got a great figure," as he later informed Conan O'Brien. Luckily for Russell, Hawn thanked him and didn't balk at his unprofessional behavior.

Looking back, Russell noted that making a good first impression wasn't top of mind. He was feeling jaded from his previous romantic experiences. "I was at a time in my life ... where I was very definitely going to put my worst foot forward when it came to any kind of relationship," Russell divulged to "CBS Sunday Morning" in 2020. "If you can handle that, then maybe there's a chance." He also noted the strategy was a protective gesture since he didn't want to begin a romance with unrealistic expectations.

Hawn's recollections didn't mesh with Russell's at all, which is fortunate because the approach he described could have been a dealbreaker. Instead, she remembered the sweet comment Russell made as he left the audition. "He turned around, it was so romantic ... and said across the room, 'It's okay if I don't get this part, but I sure would like to see you again," Hawn recalled to Conan O'Brien's podcast. Soon after, Hawn and Russell began dating, and things quickly turned steamy. 

Even though a marriage license isn't a requirement for a strong, committed relationship, some people have interpreted Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell's decision not to get married as a sign of possible issues between the couple. Their son, Wyatt Russell, was born in 1986, and a few years later, Hawn and Russell were tired of being badgered about matrimony. As a lark, they channeled their frustrations into a comedic exchange at the 1989 Oscars. 

When they came out to announce the winner for Best Director, Russell seemingly proposed to Hawn; however, before she could respond, he abruptly acknowledged that the show was on a tight timetable. "We'll talk about it later tonight," Russell hedged as Hawn looked on, appearing perplexed. While this might have been a funny inside joke, it also caused confusion and, in some ways, only added to this ongoing issue. Anyone who thought the proposal was genuine might have assumed that relationship problems later stopped Hawn and Russell from actually getting married.

Over the decades, fans' curiosity lingered. Decades later, Russell was still quashing the rumor that resulted from that Oscars appearance, making it clear that the proposal was a planned skit. On one hand, it's a compliment to their acting skills that viewers were duped. But Russell clarified that they'd rehearsed together to perfect their comedic timing. "We're taking a shower together," Russell recalled to Variety in 2023, "and we looked at each other and said, 'There's gonna be a lot of people watching, so let's get this right.'"

In the early 2000s, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn were rumored to be experiencing relationship turmoil. For starters, Russell was spotted patronizing a business that purportedly provided sexual services in addition to massages. A few months later, reports circulated that the couple had broken up, and Hawn was said to have already moved on with a new relationship.

Speculations about their difficulties stretched into 2004, when the couple supposedly lived in separate homes for a time. Luckily, some time apart apparently helped them assess their priorities and overcome their difficulties. "They weren't about to tear up their family," an insider divulged to Closer. In addition, the spark between them appeared as strong as ever. "It doesn't take much for them to kiss and make up," the source added.

Unfortunately, rumors of relationship issues still sprout up every once in a while, including in 2023. However, Hawn's been candid about what keeps her and Russell together. "The sticking glue of our relationship — cause we don't agree on everything, his politics are different than mine, you know, there's all these things that could divide you — but the one thing that we have ... is our family and that is where we thrive," Hawn informed Conan O'Brien in 2024. From the start, she was impressed by Russell's love and commitment to her kids from her previous marriage. And as grandparents, Hawn and Russell have developed a strong bond with the youngest generation of their family. 

Before she and Kurt Russell got together, Goldie Hawn had been married twice. Hawn was married to Gus Trikonis from 1969-1973 and Bill Hudson from 1976-1982. Both men have worked as actors, which might have been the reason Hawn was wary about starting a romance with Russell. The divorce process was particularly difficult the second time since Hawn and Hudson had two children. Their daughter Kate Hudson experienced a tense relationship with her dad as a result.  

Like Hawn, Russell also experienced divorce. He and Season Hubley, an actor and soap star, had a son before their marriage ended in 1983. Hawn admitted that the trauma of divorce was one of the reasons she and Russell never got married. "It's always ugly," Hawn explained to CNN in 2023. "How many divorces make you hate the person more than you did before?" Instead, Hawn prefers to be intentional about his relationship with Russell. "I like the idea that I can wake up in the morning and make decisions every day if I want to be here." 

In addition, when Hawn and Russell debated whether or not to marry, they included all four kids in their blended family in the discussion. Since everyone approved, they felt secure in their choice. As another sign of his commitment to Hawn's family, Russell offered to adopt Oliver and Kate Hudson. However, they declined, with Oliver recalling to People, "We just said, 'Well, we don't need it. The love is right there.'" Though many people see their decision not to marry as a red flag, Russel and Hawn are still together after more than 40 years.