Kate Hudson’s Oscar nomination torched as an ‘abomination’ amid toxic family feud over Song Sung Blue

by

As a lifestyle expert, I’m following a fascinating story right now! It seems Kate Hudson’s Oscar nomination for ‘Song Sung Blue’ has really upset the son of the man Hugh Jackman portrayed in the movie. He’s expressed strong feelings about it, and it’s definitely causing a buzz!

Hugh Jackman, 57, and Deborra-Lee Furness, 46, played Mike and Claire Sardina, a couple from Milwaukee who performed as a Neil Diamond tribute act in the 1990s. Together, they formed a band called Lightning and Thunder.

Last month, the Daily Mail interviewed Mike Sardina Jr., the son from Mike Sardina’s previous marriage. He was very angry about the movie and publicly criticized the main actors, calling them insensitive for completely leaving him out of the film and its promotion.

It’s just… really surprising to see Mike Jr. completely tear apart Hudson’s work right after she got so much praise at the Oscars. It feels like he’s intentionally going against the grain, and it’s a pretty harsh contrast to all the positive attention she was getting.

He told the Daily Mail he didn’t think her performance was very good and was surprised by all the praise it was receiving. He found both the story and the acting to be underwhelming and unpleasant.

Hudson has received a lot of awards attention recently, but Mike Jr. strongly disapproves, finding the praise ‘disgusting’ and her Oscar nomination ‘shocking and unacceptable’.

The Daily Mail has contacted Hudson and Jackman’s representatives for comment. 

He strongly criticized Hudson’s performance, saying it lacked any real substance and that he didn’t think of her as a convincing performer at all.

He mentioned feeling the same way about both Hugh Jackman and Jim Belushi, who played the tribute band’s manager, Tom D’Amato.

Mike Jr. felt that Kate and Hugh’s acting didn’t feel genuine, and they didn’t seem invested in portraying a character deeply devoted to God and helping others.

He went on to say that Kate’s acting felt effortless and detached, leading him to question if she was even trying. He bluntly called her a bad actress and described the film as awful and shameful, claiming it would have deeply disappointed his father.

It’s deeply disappointing that those involved with this film are still refusing to acknowledge my sister and me as the rightful inheritors of our father’s life’s work and the legacy he intended for his son.

But Mike Jr.’s sister, Angelina, 40, had a more positive opinion of Hudson’s portrayal of their stepmother.

Angelina praised Kate’s performance, calling her Oscar nomination ‘well-deserved’ and describing her work in the film as ‘outstanding’.

Angelina thought Hudson clearly gave a better performance than Jackman. While Jackman was alright, she didn’t feel he truly captured the essence of her father, instead seeming like an actor playing the role and not fully embodying the character.

Last month, Mike Jr. said he felt intentionally excluded from the final cut of the film. He told the Daily Mail he received only $30,000 for his work as a ‘consultant’ on the project, which he considered a very small amount.

He’s credited as a consultant, just like his sister, Angelina, who is portrayed on screen by musician King Princess. King Princess has stated she was paid the same fee as him.

According to text messages from September to December 2024 between Angelina and producer John Fox, obtained by the Daily Mail, Fox verified the amount of $30,000.

Fox admitted Angelina was understandably upset about not being included in the process, and apologized, saying he knew it wasn’t ideal.

Angelina’s contract clearly stated she wasn’t required to approve the story, and she gave permission for a dramatized version of her life to be told.

Angelina, Mike Sr.’s daughter from a previous marriage, recently told the Daily Mail that she hadn’t spoken to King Princess, who she feels took advantage of her, nor to any other cast members like Kate Hudson or Hugh Jackman.

The contract did not state that she would be put in contact with any of the cast. 

Mike Jr. and Angelina received invitations to the New York City premiere on December 11th, but Mike Jr. said he was told to avoid the celebrities and press there.

Hugh Jackman and his family, including his stepmother Claire, 64, and her daughters Dayna, 37, and Rachel Cartwright, 41, were all smiles for photos. Actors Hudson Hensley and Ella Anderson, who play Claire’s daughters, joined in the fun.

Despite being told not to, Mike Jr. focused on meeting the famous actors, while Angelina chatted with Goldie Hawn, Hudson’s mother.

Of his encounter, Mike Jr said: ‘I walked right up to Kate Hudson, introduced myself.’

The Florida-born actor was upset with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, calling them out for leaving him out of the publicity for the film.

He mentioned he would have appreciated being contacted during the making of the Craig Brewer biopic, even though the filmmakers weren’t required to do so.

He told the Daily Mail that during all their national television interviews, those people never once mentioned him, despite him being his father’s only son and the most significant presence in his life, even when he wasn’t living in Wisconsin.

I wasn’t even contacted, and they didn’t bother to ask for more details. They could have simply reached out to Craig Brewer.

Hudson responded to claims made by Mike Jr. in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, stating he didn’t want to comment, explaining, ‘I don’t even know — and out of respect for our filmmakers, I’m not the right person to speak to it.’

Jackman has, so far, remained silent. 

After watching the film, Mike Jr. and his sister Angelina felt it didn’t accurately reflect real life, a point that Brewer also recognized.

In a text message to Angelina in October 2025, Brewer admitted he realized a lot of what he previously understood was incorrect.

He texted Angelina, letting her know he understood Mike Jr. was upset, and explained he was simply focused on looking after Mike’s children.

‘And he’s one of them. I’m sure [he’s frustrated] because he didn’t directly help the movie.’

So, with conflicts over the portrayal, what do the siblings believe is true?

You know, going through a lot of changes lately, I’ve been reflecting on what really matters. And honestly, the most genuine thing I’ve experienced is the beautiful connection between my dad and Claire. As a mom of two, soon to be three with my wife Erian, seeing that kind of enduring love feels especially meaningful.

But her brother, for his part, has multiple grievances with how their father is portrayed. 

He remembers his father always thanking God after each performance, followed by a brief story about his personal journey to overcome addiction.

He always made himself available to anyone who was struggling, telling them to come find him after the performance if they needed to talk, whether for support, help, or prayer.

He thinks if Jackman had talked to himself or Angelina, he would have realized their father spoke very slowly, but with a noticeable enthusiasm that he often brought to his acting.

However, a major problem with the film, according to Mike Jr., is that it doesn’t accurately show what the family was really like.

Claire, who had been divorced before, married Mike in 1994. They had a unique wedding location – the Wisconsin State Fair – and she brought two children into the marriage.

This was his third marriage. In 1999, his wife was seriously injured while gardening – a confused driver hit her, and she ultimately needed to have her leg amputated below the knee.

After a long period of getting back on their feet, Lightning and Thunder stopped performing, and Mike supported himself by working as a mechanic and doing odd jobs.

Mike Jr. says the movie didn’t accurately portray how difficult his childhood really was. He claims their home was often violent, and there was drug use and intense competition between him and his stepbrother, Dayna. He also remembers a very challenging period following his mother, Claire’s, accident.

Mike Sardina passed away on July 27, 2006, at the age of 55, after suffering a serious brain hemorrhage from a fall at his Milwaukee home. He fell into a coma and died at the hospital a few days later.

Although the movie shows his death happening in a slightly different way, Angelina emphasized that the real story is actually quite complex.

Angelina, who owns her own pet service business, said: ‘I mean, yes, it’s a great story.

While the story sounds nice, it’s not actually what happened, and that’s what’s bothering me – it just isn’t true.

Mike Jr. believes a lawsuit against the production company will reveal the truth about his father’s life and clear his name. He claims to have created an AI system that prevents corruption, though it hasn’t been made public yet, and hopes this legal action will achieve ‘vindication’ for his father.

He stated he wants the film to accurately and respectfully tell the full story, and he seeks justice. He also suggested including an extra section at the end of the movie.

He stated he wants to be compensated by NBCUniversal and others involved, not just for himself, but to right the wrongs done to his father and sister – the only true heirs to his father’s legacy.

Everyone raves about how heartwarming the movie is, but it’s completely fabricated. It unfairly takes credit for all the dedication my father invested throughout his life, allowing Claire, Rachel, and Dayna to profit immensely.

The Daily Mail contacted Claire Sardina, Dayna and Rachel Cartwright, Craig Brewer, John Fox, NBCUniversal, Focus Features, Kate Hudson, and Hugh Jackman, but did not receive a response as of yet.

Read More

2026-01-26 19:06