‘The Madison’ star Kurt Russell has revealed how Taylor Sheridan’s script for the show resonated with him on a personal level, drawing parallels to his real-life love life Goldie Hawn.
He plays Preston Clyburn, a 75-year-old actor, in the new Paramount+ series. His tragic death in the first episode serves as the emotional catalyst for the series, as the family struggles to cope with his sudden loss.
In particular, Preston’s death leaves his longtime wife Stacey Clyburn (Michelle Pfeiffer) grappling with grief and the realization that Preston never fully understood the depth of their bond while he was alive.
Russell, who has been in a committed relationship with Hawn, 80, for more than 40 years, admitted in a recent interview with The National that he became emotional as he read the love story of his character, Stacey, and felt it was similar to his own.
“I had a hard time reading the script,” Russell said. “They kept hitting me really hard, and I felt like that was a big part of this show’s potential, its ability to grab an audience. The script was so authentic.”
he continued. “It was so powerful to have a serious, true love relationship with someone and then one of them leaves and the other one realizes they didn’t know how good it was. They didn’t know there was more to it, and they’re not going to let it go.”
Russell and Hawn first met in 1966 when they co-starred in the comedy-musical western “The One and Only True Original Family Band.”
Horn was 21 and Russell 16 at the time. In 2012, Horne told BBC Radio 4 that she thought Russell was “adorable, but too young”.
However, their relationship eventually turned romantic when they co-starred in the 1983 film Swing Shift, and their brilliant chemistry was on full display. They memorably teamed up a few years later in the hit 1987 romantic comedy Overboard.
In 1986, the couple had a son, Wyatt, 39. Russell also helped raise Hawn’s daughter Kate, 46, and son Oliver, 49, from her previous marriage to singer Bill Hudson, 76. The Escape from New York star also has son Boston, 45, with his ex-wife, actress Season Hubley, 74.
In an interview with Men’s Health magazine last month, Russell noted the similarities between his character’s marriage and his own relationship.
“Some of the conversations[Preston and Stacey]had are things I’ve experienced myself,” he told the outlet. “Goldie and I had a very similar conversation. Their relationship is one you don’t see very often anymore.”
“It’s a really loving relationship,” Russell continued. “It’s not like she has to drop her shoes anymore. That’s very difficult for[Michelle’s]character when she loses her husband. She realizes how much more she could have had that they didn’t have because of the things she didn’t do.”
“I think a lot of people empathize with that kind of regret,” he added. “As you get older and have less time left, things double down in terms of thinking about what you’ve done with your life and what you want to do with the rest of your life.”
In “The Madison,” after Preston’s death, Stacey and her family leave Manhattan and move to the place he loved most and died, the rural Madison River Valley region of Montana.
Stacey, who had never visited Preston’s cabin in Montana before, learns that there is a side to him that she didn’t know about, and regrets not experiencing it when she had the chance.
In an interview with The National, Russell said he admired the way Sheridan balanced the show’s heavy themes with humor, especially in the face of loss.
“What I like about what Taylor does is that he makes it humorous and there’s always gallows humor around,” Russell said. “The cog at the center of everything is gone. All you can do is deal with it. You can’t bring it back.”
“Madison” became Sheridan’s biggest series launch in history, with the premiere episode reaching 8 million global streaming views in the first 10 days after its March 14 premiere. The final three episodes of the first season were released on March 21, and the show was renewed for a second season a few days later.
Season 2 has already finished filming, but a release date has not yet been announced.
Despite his character dying in the premiere, Russell appeared in every episode of The Madison’s first season in flashbacks. Russell said in an interview with The National that the second season will further explore Preston and Stacey’s relationship.
“In many ways, it’s better that way,” he said. “You often see them together.”
