‘Almost Famous’: Kate Hudson and Patrick Fugit Improvised 2 of Their Most Iconic Moments
Kate Hudson is a talented actor and is no stranger to improvising scenes. In fact, she once made up some lines in a romantic comedy to mess with her co-star. However, some fans might not know that she went off-script in a film a few years prior too.
In 2000, Hudson starred in Almost Famous with Patrick Fugit. Two iconic scenes from the movie featured them improvising a bit. Their interactions remained in the film due to how genuine they were.
‘Almost Famous’ is about a teen traveling with a band
Almost Famous is about a teenager named William who aims to be a journalist for rock music in the 1970s. He gets the opportunity to review a Black Sabbath concert for a major magazine. However, he later has to write about an upcoming band named Stillwater.
Not only does William get to know the band members, but he also meets some groupies like Penny. Penny follows Stillwater from city to city and has an affair with the lead guitarist. However, she also becomes a love interest for William.
The film uses real-life inspirations for a few of its characters, especially Penny. She is a mixture of actual groupies, and Pamela Des Barres was the primary influence. In fact, the likeness between the two seemed almost uncanny.
Since Penny seemed a lot like Des Barres, the latter had an issue with the character. For example, she saw how Penny behaved as an inaccurate portrayal of groupies back then. However, a couple of her friends appreciated the movie for not being as stereotypical as other films.
Kate Hudson and Patrick Fugit improvised two scenes in ‘Almost Famous’
Almost Famous contains plenty of memorable moments, but a couple of them stand out. One iconic scene occurs after Russell and William attend a party. The band piles onto the bus, and the viewer can sense the tension between the members. It slowly breaks when Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” starts playing.
Then, William tells Penny that he needs to return home, only for Penny to reply with, “You are home.” According to Rolling Stone, her line was not in the original script. Kate Hudson improvised it at that moment, and the director felt it was perfect.
Another scene that features improvisation is an interaction between Hudson and Patrick Fugit’s characters. Penny decides to live in Morocco for a year and asks William if he will come with her. William awkwardly agrees and follows up his response with the line, “Ask me again.”
According to WatchMojo on YouTube, Fugit’s line was him asking Hudson to repeat the words so he could sound more excited. Rather than using the actor’s second take, the director kept the blooper in the final cut. The moment helped make the characters seem more endearing.
What have Kate Hudson and Patrick Fugit been up to?
Kate Hudson is still an avid actor and has recently been in projects like the sequel to Knives Out. However, her career since Almost Famous has involved various business ventures. For example, she created a line of workout clothes called Fabletics in 2013.
In 2020, Hudson created a line of supplements known as INBLOOM. The brand aims to create healthy skin while using all-natural ingredients. The money Hudson receives from INBLOOM and other business projects is supposedly in the millions.
Patrick Fugit also continued his acting career after the release of Almost Famous. According to his IMDb page, he has obtained 39 acting credits. His most recent one is for the upcoming mini-series Love and Death.
Additionally, Fugit has worked as a producer a few times. For instance, he worked on A Name Without a Place as both a star and a producer. However, it would seem his main passion is appearing in front of the camera.
