'I wrestle with insecurity': Oliver Hudson gets candid about pressure of being the son of 'icon' Goldie Hawn

Hollywood star Oliver Hudson has opened up about the challenges of coming from one of cinema's most famous families. Oliver, who turned 50 earlier this month, is the son of veteran actress Goldie Hawn, brother of Kate Hudson, and stepson of Kurt Russell. During the premiere episode of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Thursday (September 24), Oliver said the prominent family tree leaves him wrestling with insecurity.

Oliver said during the premiere that being the son of "icon" Goldie means that he pushes himself to be "greater". "Coming from a successful family, I wrestle with comparison. I wrestle with insecurity," he said, adding: "My mother is an icon, so a part of me feels like I have to accomplish something greater for them to be truly proud of me."

Oliver's been candid about his struggles

This is not the first time that Oliver has expressed his feelings about the pressures of coming from a family like this. During last year's The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday, he seemed stunned by praise from the judges. "It felt good. Coming from a family of very famous people, I don't get a lot of wins," he said.

"I can maybe rub it in their face. 'What do you got? Huh? Almost Famous?' 'What's an Oscar? What, a Golden Globe? You don't have the plate," he joked, referring to the baking show trophy.

'Being vulnerable is a scary thing'

In 2024, Oliver stated that his relationship with Goldie and other women in his life changed quite a lot after he learned to embrace vulnerability. "It's tough because, you know, having that vulnerability, being vulnerable, is a scary thing," he said on The Drew Barrymore Show, adding that therapy was key for him to overcome that fear. "I've been in a lot of therapy and have dealt with a lot of stuff to be able to be vulnerable, to be able to express emotion and not be afraid of it."

Where to watch Special Forces

Oliver Hudson is competing alongside 13 other celebrities on the hit FOX reality series Special Forces, which puts the contestants through grueling challenges inspired by the real-life US Special Forces selection process. New episodes of the show's season 5 air on Thursdays at 9 pm Eastern Time (ET) on FOX.