Kurt and Wyatt Russell Gush Over Growing Family—Exclusive!
Wyatt and Kurt Russell
Despite their striking resemblance, Wyatt Russell never thought he'd one day play a younger version of his famous dad, Kurt Russell. But, Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters gave him the opportunity to do so.
The father-son duo portray the same character, Lee Shaw, in the epic MonsterVerse series, which follows two timelines, one set in the 1950s and another in 2015, a year after G-Day. While there are, of course, monsters and Godzilla, the show is also about a family and their legacy with the secretive organization Monarch.
Apple TV+
Working on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters admittedly made Kurt think of his own legacy. Speaking to Parade in an exclusive interview with his and longtime partner Goldie Hawn's son, Wyatt, the Hollywood veteran said, "I won't lie, when I got to work with Goldie, I always wanted, for the both of us, to be a part of something that people could always pick up and watch and enjoy."
Apple TV+
"And I certainly feel that we've been able to accomplish what we wanted to here. And I'm really happy that Wyatt and I got to do something that is very unique," Kurt added. "Nobody's ever done it before and it's on a big stage with a big epic look and I'm obviously proud of him and happy that I got to be a part of that."
Continue reading for more from Parade's exclusive interview with the duo, including what Wyatt Russell had to say about expecting his second child and what Kurt Russell loves most about being a grandfather.
Who was cast first for this project [Monarch: Legacy of Monsters]?
Kurt: It was an idea.
Wyatt: Ronna Kress, casting director extraordinaire, had the idea to cast my dad and I as the same character in this role, but it was not written for us. So it was an idea that came after the show was written and it was like, "Well, maybe this would be a good idea" and it was a really good idea. I think my agent, who's also my dad's agent, called me and said, "So, here's this crazy idea. What do you think of it? Do you think your dad might be interested?" And I was like, "No way."
Kurt: [Laughs]
Wyatt: No, I was like, "Yeah, maybe that could be kind of cool."
When you first started acting, Wyatt, did this kind of role seem inevitable, that one day you would play a younger version of your dad?
Kurt: Did you ever think about that?
Wyatt: I never thought about that. I think I always felt inevitably we'd play father and son, if I had any type of success or was any good at all, or would be offered it at least. I don't think I ever thought about playing the same person because you have to have a unique story to do that. One that connects to timelines and it has to matter in a way that isn't just like a gimmick. And this didn't feel like a gimmick. At least we didn't want it to be that and we worked on making it impactful. But I don't think I ever felt like this was inevitable.
Kurt: They must have at some point, I never asked the question, asked what the difference would be between two people playing the parts and one person playing and then doing the CGI thing. They must have said we just needed to get two clowns in here because we can't afford to do the other [laughs], right? Who knows what. But it was a great opportunity that we didn't really want to pass up.
Related: Kurt Russell Hits the Red Carpet with Son Wyatt to Promote Joint Project
Was working on the show a bonding experience for the two of you?
Kurt: In a way. We were working together beforehand and then all during the show we were constantly connecting, saying, "How did that scene go? Well, that didn't really work, this didn't really work." Constantly checking in and saying, you know, we've gotta make this pay off, so we need an A side to that B side, all the way through.
Wyatt: We didn't see each other a lot because obviously we're not in the show together and the same scenes—
Kurt: Fun weekends sometimes.
Wyatt: Fun weekends. We went out a couple of times. More towards the end, I feel like when it was getting a little easier. The beginning was hard. But then yeah, towards the end we went to a couple good restaurants. I don't know. We hung out like 7, 8 times?
Kurt: It was interesting, yeah, because we were in Vancouver, which is where Wyatt played hockey in junior hockey for about three-and-a-half years. We lived up there, so we have friends. That's always nice. But yeah, now is when we're spending a lot of time together. We've just about had it with each other [laughs].
Apple TV+
The show, obviously, is about monsters, but also a family and legacy. Kurt I'm curious, did working on this project make you think about your own legacy, and if so, what about it?
Kurt: Yeah. I'd be lying if I didn't say that. But it's like that comment somebody made. I think about working out and then I take a nap and forget about it [laughs]. I'm very happy with the way this is being received and the way it's climbing. Because I won't lie, when I got to work with Goldie [Hawn], I always wanted, for the both of us, to be a part of something that people could always pick up and watch and enjoy. And I certainly feel that we've been able to accomplish what we wanted to here. And I'm really happy that Wyatt and I got to do something that is very unique. Nobody's ever done it before and it's on a big stage with a big epic look and I'm obviously proud of him and happy that I got to be a part of that.
Related: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn on Their Secret to 37 Years of Togetherness
Speaking of family, Wyatt, congratulations! You're expecting another little one. Is the family excited to welcome a new member?
Wyatt: No [laughs]. I'm kidding! Yes. Everybody is really excited and, you know, another baby on the way, there's nothing more exciting in life than welcoming a new child and it's all new. No matter how many kids you have, it's always new and we're over the moon excited and ready for him to show up.
Kurt: It's starting to get closer and closer. We're starting to feel it now. Come on. Let's go. Here we go.
Kurt, what do you love most about being a grandfather?
Kurt: You know, it's funny. It's not the same as being a father. It's not even close. It's just, I don't know. It's almost like just giving you another perspective on your life, your lifetime, what's behind you, what's in front of you. What's in front of them. I think all of our grandkids are very fortunate. They're becoming very good people. It's getting more and more exciting because as they get older, it just becomes more and more fun. We've got a good bunch.
New episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters drop every Friday through Jan. 12, 2024
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
