The father at the center of this Hollywood family once enjoyed success in music and acting, but it was his personal life that would later capture headlines. His two children, who would go on to build their own successful careers, grew up surrounded by fame. However, behind the glamorous image, tensions were brewing that would explode into a full-blown public rift.
The actor and musician, circa 1970 | Source: Getty Images
Decades of unresolved issues and family conflicts led to a shocking moment when this father publicly severed ties with his children. Despite the pain that followed, recent interviews hint at the possibility of healing, leaving many to wonder whether this fractured family can truly reconcile.
The actor and musician, with his children’s mother, dated February 19, 1976 | Source: Getty Images
How It All Began
When their parents first met in 1975, it was a chance encounter that seemed straight out of a Hollywood romance. The future couple met in the first-class cabin of a New York to Los Angeles flight, where their connection was instant.
At the time, their father was a rising star, performing with his band, The Hudson Brothers, and enjoying the limelight of television appearances and tours with major acts like The Beach Boys and The Monkees.
The Hudson Brothers, circa 1970 | Source: Getty Images
Their whirlwind romance led to a marriage in 1976, just as they were expecting their first child. Three years later, in 1979, their daughter was born, completing what seemed like a perfect family unit. But despite the early passion in their relationship, the cracks became evident not long after their marriage.
The couple in the 1970s | Source: Getty Images
“I wanted a traditional marriage but [she] couldn’t settle,” he narrated. This difference in values placed strain on the relationship, eventually leading to the end of their marriage in 1981, just a few years after the birth of their two children. “Eventually, I moved out,” he stated.
The former couple, as seen in 1977 | Source: Getty Images
The separation marked the beginning of a challenging time for the family. Although their father initially remained devoted to his children, the post-divorce situation quickly became contentious. He described how his role as a father began to diminish as time passed, blaming his ex-wife for keeping him at a distance.
As their mother’s fame grew and her new relationship with a fellow actor took center stage, the children gradually drifted away from their biological father. He also got into another relationship and his presence in their lives became increasingly distant.
Their father with his second wife in Westwood, California on March 19, 1984 | Source: Getty Images
Public Fallout
By the time the children had grown into adulthood and built successful careers, the strained relationship with their father had become more than just a private matter. In June 2015, tensions erupted publicly when the couple’s eldest child, posted a controversial message on Instagram.
On Father’s Day, he shared a throwback picture of himself, his sister, and their father, captioned with the biting words, “Happy Abandonment Day.” The post instantly garnered attention and stirred up a media frenzy.
The response from their father was swift and severe. In a deeply emotional interview, he expressed feelings of betrayal. “[My son’s] Instagram post was a malicious, vicious, premeditated attack. He is dead to me now. As is [his sister]. I am mourning their loss even though they are still walking this earth,” he said bitterly.
Blame and Estrangement
As the public fallout intensified, the musician pointedly placed much of the blame for the family’s estrangement on his ex-wife. According to him, the shift in his relationship with his children began when her new relationship gained prominence.
He claimed that his ex-wife, once amicable after their divorce, gradually changed the narrative, painting him as an absent father. He accused her of “parental alienation,” alleging that she deliberately turned their two children against him.
In the conversation, he described how his relationship with his children eroded as their mother’s influence grew. He spoke about the “drip, drip, drip of poison” that he believed started when the children were young and took hold over the years.
According to him, she had crafted a narrative in which her new partner was seen as the children’s “Pa,” while he was increasingly pushed out of their lives. He recalled instances where planned visits with his children were thwarted by sudden trips their mother would take them on, often without informing him.
Their daughter, now a major Hollywood star, became further distanced from her father as her fame grew. While he claimed he made efforts to stay connected, she publicly referred to him as an absentee father, stating in interviews that she never received birthday cards from him.
Her father refuted these claims, insisting he sent cards and attempted to call every year. The emotional toll of this estrangement weighed heavily on him, and he removed all traces of his two eldest children from his home, including old photographs and cherished baby items.
As her brother’s Father’s Day post was going viral, she also posted on that same day. However, instead of a reference to her father, she shared a touching tribute to her mother’s longtime partner. In a black-and-white photo of herself with her step-dad, she captioned the image with the words, “Pa, just simply… thank you. Happy Father’s Day. I love you to the moon and back.”
Her father, devastated by what he saw as a rejection, responded in anger. Bitterly, he told the media that if his daughter wanted to call her mother’s partner her father, she should stop using his last name. “I say to them now, ‘I set you free.’ I had five birth children but I now consider myself a father of three. I no longer recognize [them] as my own,” he pronounced.
The actor and musician, circa 1970 | Source: Getty Images
A Father’s Love and Deep Hurt
Despite the years of estrangement and public outbursts, Bill Hudson made it clear that his feelings toward his children were deeply conflicted. He often of the love he once had for his eldest children, recalling their early years as a close family. He fondly remembered the joy he felt when his first child was born.
Bill recalled a terrifying health scare that almost took his newborn son’s life. “He was our precious miracle,” he described how that moment forged a deep bond with his son. “He was my first-born. I adored that child.” When his daughter arrived three years later, the love within their small family only seemed to grow stronger. Bill recalled, “I loved her with all my heart, too.”
Bill’s memories of those early days painted a picture of a devoted father who, for a time, shared a deep connection with his children. He cherished the family they once were, which made the eventual breakdown even more painful for him. He reflected, “There was this deep love among the four of us for years. And that’s what makes it so difficult to say goodbye.”
He lamented the gradual separation and the events that led to his children becoming more distant. However, nothing hurt more than the events of Father’s Day in 2015, when both of his children made public statements that struck a deep emotional blow.
Undated picture of Bill Hudson’s eldest daughter and son | Source: Getty Images
Kate and Oliver’s Perspective
While Bill publicly expressed his hurt and anger, Kate and Oliver Hudson also shared their own views on the estrangement over the years. In various interviews, both siblings acknowledged the distance between them and their biological father, but their feelings about it were complex and, at times, conflicted.
Oliver and Kate Hudson attend a film premiere on April 18, 2000 | Source: Getty Images
Kate, in particular, has spoken about how her relationship with Bill has shaped her, but she also noted that she doesn’t harbor resentment. During a 2016 interview, she revealed that despite the estrangement, her mother, Goldie Hawn, never spoke poorly of him.
She acknowledged that the issues between her father and their family were difficult, but she expressed a degree of understanding. “I forgive him,” she said, reflecting on how the situation must be painful for him.
Recently, she admitted that there wasn’t much of a relationship between them, saying, “I don’t really have one, but it’s warming up.” Kate also emphasized that she doesn’t hold bitterness, before adding, “I just want him to be happy.”
In a 2021 interview, she spoke candidly about growing up distant from her biological father but acknowledged that “estrangement is unfortunately quite common.”
Oliver, on the other hand, initially took a more public and humorous approach to the rift. His infamous 2015 Instagram post was a sharp and sarcastic commentary on their father’s absence. Yet, in later years, Oliver’s tone softened.
In a 2018 interview, he revealed that despite the Father’s Day controversy, he and Bill were attempting to reconnect. “We’ve shot some texts back and forth,” he revealed, signaling the first signs of a possible thaw in their strained relationship.
Although both Kate and Oliver acknowledged the distance between them and their father, recent developments suggest that they may be open to the possibility of reconciliation, despite years of estrangement.
In May 2024, Bill himself confirmed that the family was indeed making steps toward reconciliation. He spoke of their relationship in a more positive light, saying, “Kate put it perfectly. We are warming up [and] letting things take their course.” He seemed ready to embrace a fresh start, leaving behind decades of hurt and misunderstandings.
The siblings have enjoyed successful careers in Hollywood. Kate became a star in her own right with notable roles in films such as “Almost Famous” (2000), which earned her critical acclaim, and romantic comedies like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and “Bride Wars.”
Oliver has also built a solid career as an actor and producer. He is known for his work in shows like “Rules of Engagement” and “Scream Queens,” as well as his roles in films like “Walk of Shame.”
Despite their successful careers, they have had to navigate the scars of their fractured relationship with their father. Yet, even after years of hurt and public outbursts, their relationship is slowly mending. Through small but meaningful gestures, the family is taking the first steps toward healing.
