Kurt & Wyatt Russell
Last winter, Danmarks Radio broadcast a TV series about the children of famous actors and musicians - and why they chose to follow in their parents' footsteps. It zoomed in on what it is like growing up in the shadow of their parents' success. Among others, actors Laura and Nicolas Bro talk about their path to the world of theater and film. A path they chose in spite of themselves.
It's a story about absent parents. Parents who were busy on stage and spent all their waking hours rehearsing new roles and performing in theater and film. Yet they still managed to pass on their passion to their children.
This is also true for Wyatt Russell. The now 37-year-old actor was born into his profession. His parents - Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn - both lived their dream on the big screen. And they too had parents who lived and breathed showbiz and acting: Kurt Russell's father started his career as a professional baseball player, but he dreamed of a life as an actor. Over the years, he starred in countless movies and TV series. Goldie Hawn's mother ran a dance school - and made sure to teach her daughter the necessary steps. As well as the joy of performing.
It's the sum of these talents inherited by Wyatt Russell that has shaped him for a life as an actor. As he says in a dual interview with his father in The Rake magazine: "Our relationships with our fathers are very different. I had access to you in a different way than you had to your father. And I looked at it through a different lens. What I took away from being with you on set wasn't so much that it was so much fun or so great. Nor that you made a lot of money. What I learned was that you have to work really hard to make it work and that it was very stressful. I remember coming home with you at the end of the day and you'd put me to sleep on a fold-out bed and then go and sit at the round table in the kitchen and write and smoke late into the night before going to bed yourself."
Being present in a world that wasn't about acting, film or theater was also important to Kurt Russell. As he explains: "Of course you could be fascinated to see how a scene was shot. But the important thing was that we didn't just concentrate on acting. My own father and I had baseball together. Just like you and I have loved hockey."
As part of the story, Wyatt Russell played ice hockey from a very young age. Both as an amateur and professional.
Had energy to burn
Kurt Russell is convinced that his and his son's enthusiasm for ice hockey played a major role in Wyatt's upbringing. "Especially as a player, you learn something about life that is completely different from playing a role in a movie. In an ice hockey arena, there are 20,000 people in the stands yelling and screaming to carry you to victory. And if you fail, well, you hear it right away."
And it's a lesson that he believes can be directly applied to both of their professions as actors: "When you play a good game as a hockey goalie, you boost the whole team when they don't have to worry about you. It's the same thing that happens on a movie set," says Kurt Russell.
The fact that Wyatt Russell ended up as an actor is a bit of a coincidence, despite massive influence from his parents. He loved to play and was a skilled goalie on the ice. Although his father grew up playing baseball, it was his father who got him into hockey. "I wanted to get him into a sport where he could burn off some of his teenage energy. The only problem was that Goldie and I lived in Southern California, where ice hockey is not very common. But I had a plane, so we flew to Vancouver, Canada and found a place to stay. Then he had to see how far he could take it," says Kurt Russell.
And things were looking up. Very bright, in fact. He even got a contract with the Dutch club Pecoma Grizzlies Groningen, where he also met his first wife. But it was here that a congenital hip defect ended his career.
"For three years I had suffered from hip injuries. And after a medical check-up, I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. A congenital defect in the hip socket. But I was put on a new regime of stretching exercises that actually kept me injury-free for several years. So, I got out of hockey what I had dreamed of. But I started to wonder if this was what I wanted to do with my life. And if I could continue to play as well next year? Would I be sold to another club? So even though I was sad that I would never again have to walk through the players' tunnel onto the ice to hear the crowd's chants, whistles and shouts, I made the decision to quit. I remember calling my dad from the locker room in tears and telling him it was over," says Wyatt Russell.
Quitting hockey turned out to be a bit of a release for him. "One day, while playing beach volleyball, I suddenly realized that I was no longer at a training camp in the Netherlands, Norway or Estonia. I was right here. And it was amazing. I hadn't fully realized how much pressure I had been living under as a professional ice hockey player. Let alone the fear of re-injury."
Sharing the same hobby - almost
As father and son, it's not a given that your interests align. But Kurt and Wyatt Russell are closely connected. The fact that they're both actors - and have acted together in several feature films - means Wyatt considers his dad one of his best friends. They also have different ideas about what they like best when they see each other on screen.
"I don't think my dad gets enough credit for his humor. Yes, I know I'm biased, he's my dad and one of my best friends, but his humor on screen. It's something that I've embraced more than anything else. It's through the humor that you get really close to my dad. You don't get any closer than that." Conversely, Kurt Russell is thrilled to see that his son isn't afraid to use his skills to make a story better and more interesting. This allows him to give something to the audience that is unique.
"And I'm happy to see that he can use that ability in many different directions. And I'm sure that one day he will have a new role as a director."
Teenage rebellion is not exactly what has characterized their relationship. And over time, they've developed the same interest in beverages. Well, almost. Kurt Russell bought a vineyard in California to fulfill his dream of creating great wines. Wyatt, on the other hand, has created a brand of pre-mixed cocktails sold under the name Lake Hour.
It was cycling vacations in France with Goldie and the kids that really got Kurt Russell interested in fine wine: "Goldie and I used to take the kids on bike rides, and I loved returning to a particular area of France, Burgundy. Burgundy to me is Grand Cru wines made from the Pinot Noir grape. It has fascinated me deeply. Back home, we were invited to visit some friends who grow wine in the Ojai Valley in California. They produce some of the best wines in the country. When I make a movie, I want to do it as well as I possibly can. I don't care or worry about awards. That's what I try to achieve when I'm trying to create a new wine."
However, he has gained some recognition for his wines. Not least for his white Chardonnay wines, which are always named 'Goldie'.
Being able to pursue his ideas has also played a big part in Wyatt Russell's decision to produce and sell Lake Hour cocktails.
"Before my son was born, I was mostly concerned with how my coworkers viewed me. Whether they respected me or not. But the birth of my son gave me a new perspective: Damn it! Who cares about that? It made me doubly determined to do my job to the best of my ability. I saw Dad enter the world of wine and how much joy and fun he got out of it. I never really thought about making wine. My wife and my business partner's wife are best friends and they helped us create Lake Hour. The idea actually came about in a hot tub - as all the best stories do. My business partner said, what if there was a cocktail called Lake Hour? We've all had great stories as kids and young adults about vacations and weekends at a lake. So we thought it would be fun to have a brand named after different lakes. Luckily, Dad helped with the tasting. And thankfully, it's become a success story."
Their community may not be unique. But in a world where teenage rebellion and different lifestyles often cause rifts, it may be a rarity to see father and son in such close proximity. As friends, colleagues and family.