What an old fashioned A list night in New York!
Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman performed Neil Diamond songs at a swanky after party for their new movie, “Song Sung Blue.”
They were cheered on by Kate’s parents, Oscar winner Goldie Hawn and the great Kurt Russell, who today are hosting another event for the movie here in Manhattan.
All the “Song Sung Blue” co-stars were there, too, for the NY premiere screening including Jim Belushi, director Craig Brewer, Michael Imperioli, Hugh’s Tony award winning girlfriend Sutton Foster, and the real Claire Stengl, whose life story the movie is based on — and who Kate plays so well in the movie — singing like crazy — she’s closing in on a SAG Actors nomination and maybe even an Oscar nod.
(Other guests included a slimmed down Richard Kind, and Justin Theroux with his very pregnant wife, Nicole Bloom.)
Goldie Hawn, looking great and as cute as she was on “Laugh In,” couldn’t have been more supportive. She told me about Kate, “She is so serious about her singing, and what a voice!”
So Tony nominee and “Wolverine” star Hugh and Kate hit the stage at the very private ZZ Club on 11th Avenue –owned by the famously delicious Carbone’s restaurant in Greenwich Village — to sing rowdy renditions of three Neil Diamond songs with a top notch band last night including, of course, “Sweet Caroline.”
Focus Features definitely wins party of the season, and looks like it will have a pair of hits with “Hamnet” already in theaters in “Song Sung Blue” coming on Christmas Day.
There are so many things I love about “Song Sung Blue,” the story of the late Mike Sardina and his wife, Claire (still very much alive), who became local legends as Lightning and Thunder in Wisconsin singing Neil Diamond songs in the 90s. Mike and Claire were such a hit that they actually opened for Pearl Jam at Eddie Vedder’s request. Brewer — famous for “Hustle and Flow” — has pulled off an openhearted film filled with great music (hits by Diamond, score by Scott Bomar) and a sensational screenplay.
(One of my favorite things is a subplot of Mike performing with the legendary real life R&B group, the Esquires. Their signature hit, “Get On Up,” co-written the late great Johnny Taylor, is featured in the film.)
Hugh Jackman isn’t as much of a surprise as Kate Hudson in “Song Sung Blue” because he’s had a big musical stage career. It’s Hudson who’s really the revelation, especially since her 2024 album, “Glorious.” She told me last night she’s getting the material together for a follow up, but when you hear her on “Song Sung Blue” soundtrack, you know she has ‘it.’
