When you think of the best Hollywood couples, it’s impossible not to think of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. They’ve been together for almost 40 years, and have proven to be the best example of what a great movie star couple should be.
So, how did they meet? Are they married? What makes them such a solid couple?
Although their relationship began in 1983, they actually first met in 1966 when both Hawn and Russell had parts in the musical The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. One reason why sparks didn’t fly right away was because Goldie Hawn was 21 years old, and Kurt Russell was just 16.
As the years passed, no sparks emerged, since both Hawn and Russell were determined never to date a fellow actor. So, a relationship between the two didn’t start until 17 years after they first met. That’s when both Hawn and Russell auditioned for the movie Swing Shift; a hungover Russell didn’t hold back in complimenting Hawn, which ultimately led to them going on their first date.
They both won their respective roles for the movie, and began dating while filming together. Goldie Hawn soon took a liking to Kurt’s kindness towards her kids — including then 5-year old Kate Hudson — when they would visit her on set. Russell also had a young son from a previous marriage.
Their relationship continued to grow, and they welcomed their first child together, Wyatt Russell, in 1986.
Shortly thereafter, the couple starred in Overboard, which has become an often-praised comedy partly because of their on-screen chemistry. Russell plays a man who pretends to be the husband of Hawn’s character, who is suffering from temporary memory loss. Fans of the couple only grew because of the film.
So when did they marry? Well, as many already know, the couple has never actually married. They live life together without the paperwork, and yet have become what many couples aspire to be.
Russell and Hawn told Parade in 2020 that the secret to the success of their union is that they focus on being happy and having a strong family. Hawn also stated, “It’s not about what you do, it’s how you do it.”
The two emphasized that spending time with their family is a key to their overall happiness.
They’re also still in awe of each other. Hawn told Variety in a recent interview, “Kurt is extraordinarily brilliant and creative and collaborative — not in the kitchen! But really he’s just amazing.”
Being officially married doesn’t mean they aren’t officially a couple, as Russell told Variety that they “constantly get asked ‘When are you going to get married? Why aren’t you married?’ And we were like, ‘Why does anybody care about that?’”
Now, they are seven-time grandparents, happily unmarried, and still going strong four decades later.