Inside Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell's Decades-Long Relationship—Plus, Why They'll Never Marry Each Other

Even though Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are considered one of the most successful partnerships in Hollywood, the two have no plans to ever tie the knot. "A lasting relationship isn't about marriage,” the actress told Porter magazine in 2015, according to E! News. "It's about compatibility and communication. And you both need to want it to work... Being together, two pillars holding up the house and the roof, and being different, not having to agree on everything, learning how to deal with not agreeing. Everything's a choice."

The couple, who initially met on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in 1966, didn't start dating until almost two decades after that first encounter. However, once they reconnected with one another, their relationship quickly became serious, and that same year, they announced the birth of their son, Wyatt Russell. Over the past four decades, the duo has starred in multiple projects together, including Overboard and The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, and raised their four children together.

Ahead, a complete timeline of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's decades-long relationship.

1966: Meeting on Set

Like most Hollywood relationships, Goldie and Kurt met on set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in 1966. However, the two didn't become romantically involved for another 17 years. "I thought he was adorable, but he was much too young," the actress told BBC Radio 4. "Then, years later we met up again, and I remembered that I liked him very much when I first met him. We both said we would never go out with another actor, so it just shows you never can tell."

1983: The Pick-Up Line That Started It All

In 1983, Goldie and Kurt's paths crossed again when they were both cast in the film Swing Shift. The actor tested out a pick-up line on the actress that ultimately worked. Kurt used a corny pick-up line to win her over. "I was severely hungover, and I didn't know Goldie at all outside of having worked with her those many years before," Kurt told Conan O'Brien in 2017. "I just didn't have in my mind what I was going to say, and she had a great body. So the first thing that came out was, 'Man, you've got a great figure.' It came out quickly and it could've gone wrong, and she said, 'Why thank you.'"

1983: A Date With the Police

For their first date, Kurt brought Goldie to The Playboy Club. The two talked for others—and ended up heading to the home Goldie had recently purchased at the end of the night. However, since the house was under renovation, the actress didn't have a key, requiring the pair to essentially break in. "We eventually found our way upstairs, looking around at imaginary furniture," the actor said during a 2017 appearance on Harry. "We were in the imaginary bedroom when the police walked in because we had to break into the place to get in. That was our first date."

July 10, 1986: A Blended Family

After three years of dating, Kurt and Goldie welcomed their first and only child together, Wyatt Russell. However, each of them also had children from previous marriages. Goldie was already a mother to her daughter Kate Hudson and son Olivier Hudson, whom she had with her second husband, Bill Hudson. Kurt also had a son, Boston Russell, with Season Hubley, his ex-wife.

1987: Costars, Again

In 1987, the two became costars again when they were both cast in the movie Overboard. Years later, Goldie detailed how the film served as a reminder of their connection. "You know how sometimes you forget why you fell in love? I remembered everything, and why I fell in love. It was really something to be able to watch that," she told James Corden in 2017.

March 29, 1989: Oscar Presenters

In 1989, the A-list couple presented the Oscar for Best Director at the 61st Academy Awards. While on stage, the duo joked about their relationship status. "We fit in completely to the theme of the show," said Goldie. "Because we're costars, we're compadres, we're companions, and we're a couple!" "There's only one thing we're not: Married," Kurt added. "Is that a proposal?" Goldie asked, much to the joy of the crowd. "Oh, they want us to speed things up ... listen, we'll talk about it later tonight," Kurt responded. "We will talk about that later," Goldie said.

January 1, 1997: A Family Affair

Goldie and Kurt celebrated the start of 1997 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City with their son Wyatt, as well as Kate and Oliver, Goldie's children from her marriage to Bill Hudson.

January 7, 2004: They're Officially Grandparents

In 2004, the two officially became grandparents when Kate gave birth to her first child, Ryder Robinson. While the Bride Wars star was just 24 when she became a mother, she said that her parents were one of the motivating factors behind her unconventional decision. "I want [children] early enough to really experience my parents young," she told People. "I want my parents to be able to see my kids graduate from high school."

March 2, 2014: PDA on the Red Carpet

The pair shared a moment of PDA when Kurt gave Goldie a kiss on the cheek during an appearance on the red carpet for the 86th Academy Awards at the Hollywood & Highland Center. For the occasion, the actress donned a strapless gold dress while the Miracle star wore a classic black tuxedo.

September 27, 2016: The Secret to Their Relationship

In 2016, Goldie shared that the secret to the couple's long-term relationship was that they had never tied the knot. "I would be long divorced if I'd been married," she said on Loose Women. "If you need to feel bound to someone it's important to be married. I chose to stay, Kurt chose to stay and we liked the choice. What is marriage going to do?"

May 4, 2017: Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

In 2017, the two actors both received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a dual ceremony. "To you, I owe my wonderful life," Kurt told his longtime partner during his speech. "Simply put Goldie, I cherish you. All the stars in the sky or on the boulevard can't hold a candle to that. ... There's no one else I'd rather be next to for all of that than Goldie Hawn." It's clear the words were meaningful to the producer. "It turned out to be a love fest," Goldie said, according to People. "The last thing he said was, 'I’ll always cherish you.' I didn’t expect him to say those things. I had no idea he was going to be so beautiful."

November 17, 2018: Family Always Comes First

For the duo, their family was always their first priority. "We were very aware of what would happen had we both pursued our careers full-on," Kurt told the Daily Mail in 2018. "I very rarely worked when I knew Goldie was going to be working. And vice-versa. Which meant we could be together. I never thought that what the business could provide would ever take precedence over us. Money is great, but you've got to say no. You really do."

November 22, 2018: A Joint Appearance Onscreen

In 2018, Goldie made a cameo as Mrs. Claus in The Christmas Chronicles, which starred Kurt as Santa Claus. Her appearance in the film marked the first time the duo had acted on the screen together since Overboard.

November 18, 2020: The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2

Two years later, in November 2020, the couple reprised their roles as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus for The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two. However, for the sequel of the holiday film Goldie's role was much more than a cameo. "When Kurt and I sat down to talk about what would happen in the second movie, we really wanted to dig deep into the mythology of Santa's relationship with Mrs. Claus, so there's an entire backstory that maybe someday will see the light of day," Chris Columbus, the movie's director, told Business Insider in 2020.

December 9, 2020: No Plans for Marriage

Even though they've been together for more than three decades, Kurt and Goldie reiterated that they have no intention of marrying. "You've just got to want to be together," the actress told People in 2020. "I don't think there’s any way other than do it. It's okay. It's not about the marriage. It's about the people and the relationship, and the will to stay together. And that's a big one because if you want it, you can have it. You've got to give things up, but the joy and the excitement of being together and touching the toes of somebody at night is really a nice feeling." Kurt agreed with his partner's explanation. "For people like us, the marriage certificate wasn’t going to create anything that otherwise we wouldn't have," he added.

April 12, 2024: How She Knew He Was Her Person

In an interview with Conan O'Brien, the actress revealed how she knew Kurt was "the one." "It wasn't just because he was sexy and handsome and all of those things you get turned on by; it was because he matched my devotion to children to be number one," she said on the radio show.

September 27, 2024: The Key to a Healthy Relationship

In 2024, the Dreamer actor and The First Wives Club star stepped out in Los Angeles to celebrate the 20th anniversary of MindUP: The Goldie Hawn Foundation, a mental health program that aims to build the emotional literacy and resilience of students. During her appearance on the red carpet for the gala, the actress revealed one of the keys of the couple's decades-long relationship. "You have to have good sex,” she told E! News. "Because sex is something that connects you and creates more belonging. People who have healthy sexual relationships usually last a lot longer. But it's not just because of the act, it's because of the warmth and the intimacy that it creates."