For decades, musicals have enjoyed a complicated relationship with the Oscars. Sometimes they sweep the board, West Side Story, Chicago, Cabaret, and The Sound of Music, all became cultural moments as well as Academy darlings. At other times, they’re warmly received by critics, but quietly ignored when nominations arrive. Films like Dreamgirls, In the Heights, and Rocketman proved that musical storytelling can be emotionally rich and technically daring, yet awards recognition often stops short. The Academy’s affection for musicals tends to be conditional, fluctuating with trends rather than talent. That long-standing uncertainty makes the conversation around Kate Hudson’s Best Actress nomination for Song Sung Blue feel particularly relevant this year.
Women, especially, have felt the brunt of this musical ambivalence. Musical performances require a rare blend of skills, acting, singing, rhythm, and emotional control, yet they are often described as “fun” rather than formidable. Over the years, audiences have watched women like Amy Adams (Enchanted), Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns), and Cher (Burlesque) deliver performances that balanced vulnerability with technical skill, only to see them sidelined come Oscar morning. When women lead musicals, the work is frequently framed as charming or nostalgic, rather than award-worthy. The result is a quiet pattern: admiration without acknowledgment.
Song Sung Blue is inspired by the real-life story of a Neil Diamond tribute duo; the film centres on ordinary people chasing something extraordinary: connection, expression, and a second chance. Hudson plays a woman rediscovering her sense of self through music, and does so without grand theatrics or glossy showmanship. Many critics have praised the performance for its warmth and emotional clarity, noting how Hudson allows the songs to emerge naturally from the character rather than pausing the story for spectacle. Her vocals are expressive rather than overly polished, and her acting leans into stillness and sincerity. It’s a performance built on empathy, not volume. Other critics have called her Oscar nomination unserious and unworthy, stating that her famous parents and Hollywood connections got the nomination. Absurd, as she’s been in the acting game a long time, this nepo baby has well earned her place.
Kate Hudson deserves to be in the Oscar conversation because her work in Song Sung Blue stands comfortably alongside this year’s most talked-about performances— even those from more traditionally “Oscar-friendly” films. Awards season chatter has been dominated by intense, transformative roles in prestige dramas and high-concept biopics: the kind that feature physical transformations, historical figures, or emotionally punishing narratives. These performances are impressive, but Hudson’s work offers something different and equally valuable. She delivers emotional depth without melodrama, musicality without self-consciousness, and character growth without grand speeches.
There’s also something refreshing about seeing Hudson step into a role that draws on her musical background while pushing beyond the breezy charm she’s often associated with. Song Sung Blue allows her to age, soften, and deepen on screen, presenting a woman whose dreams are complicated by real life rather than defined by it. That kind of storytelling, especially for women, is still surprisingly rare, and it deserves recognition. It’s strange that just because her character sings and is in sparkly cardigans, she, for some reason, is less than the others.
The film as a whole is an enjoyable experience; it might not be up for ‘best film’, but it has caught the eyes of many. With films like Avatar: Fire and Ash being up for best costume (are we happy to accept that CGI can stand against handcrafted artistry for costumes?) and Wicked being snubbed for hair and makeup, we know the Academy is far from perfect, and it’s these choices that keep us talking and invested.
Ultimately, the case for Hudson is also a case for musicals themselves, as this is something I will strongly advocate for. The genre continues to evolve, finding new ways to tell intimate, grounded stories through music, yet it remains oddly underrepresented at the Oscars. Musicals demand technical precision, emotional openness, and narrative risk. Recognising performances like Hudson’s would signal a broader understanding of what “serious” acting looks like and sounds like. If the Academy wants to reflect the full range of cinematic storytelling, it might be time to stop treating musicals as the exception and start seeing them, once again, as contenders. And audiences are just going to have to get used to that.
