Kurt Russell reveals why he was ‘glad’ when son Wyatt turned to acting after hockey career

Kurt Russell never expected his son Wyatt to follow him into the family business, but he couldn’t be more grateful that he did.

The father-and-son pair play the same person in the Apple TV+ series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” Wyatt, 39, is the only child of Russell, 74, and his longtime partner, actress Goldie Hawn. 

Many of the couple’s other children from past relationships and other family members are actors, including Russell’s stepchildren, Oliver Hudson and Kate Hudson.

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From left: Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell visit the Empire State Building on Feb. 27, 2026, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)

“Our family has a lot of actors in it, and we all enjoy watching each other,” Russell told Fox News Digital. “In Wyatt’s case? We always knew that Wyatt was a really good actor.”

“He was a hockey player, and he was focused on hockey,” the star shared. “And I had been focused on baseball in a very similar fashion. And when his professional days were over in hockey, I was glad to see that he went into this because I felt he was going to find a lot of success with it. And it is nice to watch that success.”

Wyatt Russell told Fox News Digital it’s been a joy to witness other actors and actresses interact with his famous (and very excited) father on set. (John Nacion/Getty Images)

After an injury caused Wyatt’s professional hockey career to come to an end in his mid-20s, he leaped to the big screen, People magazine reported. He went on to star in several TV shows and films before landing a lead role in “Monarch” alongside his father.

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Russell was thrilled to see his son embrace the craft with real dedication. Wyatt had set out to build a career on his own terms.

“He’s done a great job with his agent, picking things that interest him as an actor,” Russell said. “And he’s very confident. He likes to explore.”

“As an actor, I am happy for him, but I am happy for me. I get to watch it,” he added.

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Kurt Russell told Fox News Digital he was eager to work alongside his son in a project like “Monarch.” (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)

Growing up on set, Wyatt felt completely at ease. This was no different. For Wyatt, he enjoyed watching his castmates interact with his dad while bringing the story to life.

“I was really enjoying watching other people who hadn’t worked with him before see his hard work and energy and excitement for the project,” he recalled. “Those are all things that I knew he was like, and it was just really fun to see other people see that too. And it also … feels sometimes like, “Oh s—, I’ve got to catch up.’ That was fun to watch.”

Wyatt’s right — Russell has been having a blast taking on monsters.

Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell attend the premiere of Apple TV’s series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” Season 2 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 19, 2026. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)

“Monarch” follows two half-siblings (Anna Sawai and Ren Watabe) as they unravel their family’s connection to Monarch, a secretive organization that tracks giant creatures around the world. Those missions often put them directly in the path of the Titans. Russell and Wyatt play Army officer Lee Shaw across two different timelines.

“I don’t know who is surviving them [but] trying to figure out how to live with them maybe is, I think, the crux of what makes these people operate from the point of view that they operate from,” Russell explained. 

Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and a young Wyatt Russell appear backstage during a game between the Los Angeles Kings vs. the St. Louis Blues at the LA Forum on March 20, 1995. (Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)

“What’s fun about this show? It doesn’t treat [monsters] like the movies do. It treats it [like this could really happen]. What if this happened [in real life]? I certainly felt that. Other than the opportunity to work with Wyatt playing the same character, that’s what drew me to this project.”

From left: Wyatt Russell, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell attend the premiere of The Weinstein Company’s ‘The Hateful Eight’ at ArcLight Cinemas Cinerama Dome on Dec. 7, 2015, in Hollywood. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Back in 2025, Wyatt told People magazine about the no-nonsense advice his parents gave him on pursuing a successful career in Hollywood.

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“Be on time, don’t be an a—— and remember your lines,” he revealed.

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is streaming on Apple TV+.