Kate Hudson transformed into Claire Sardina, the resilient Milwaukee mom from the real-life Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder, for Craig Brewer’s heartfelt 2025 drama Song Sung Blue. To embody the working-class singer facing illness, family strife, and dreams deferred, Hudson immersed herself in Wisconsin culture—visiting Kenosha’s Mars Cheese Castle, perfecting a regional accent inspired by her childhood assistant Kathy Heller, and studying Claire’s speech patterns. “I fully engaged to authentically embody a Wisconsinite,” Hudson shared, handing out brats in a promo clip while nailing the “ope” vibe.
Her preparation peaked with vocal training for Diamond classics like “Sweet Caroline” and “Song Sung Blue,” a departure since she “wasn’t someone I grew up with.” Paired with Hugh Jackman as Mike, Hudson built chemistry through tactile bonding and recording sessions, ensuring their on-screen love felt real amid prosthetics research and emotional depth for Claire’s trials. Director Brewer praised her range: “Kate’s singing conveys evolving emotions,” capturing resilience that moved Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell to tears at a screening.
The film, based on Greg Kohs’ 2008 documentary, weaves Diamond’s music—licensed anew by the legend himself—into a Rocky-like underdog tale of midlife reinvention. Hudson called it a career risk: rollers, ’80s sparkle, and vulnerability after her 2024 album launch. Neil Diamond “dug” the result, Jackman noted, as their duets breathe fresh healing into the catalog. Critics buzz about her Almost Famous-level comeback, proving Hudson’s light fights through chaos. At 46, she fights for light, blending rom-com charm with dramatic grit in a story of chosen family and unyielding belief.
