Kurt Russell is defending his family’s wilderness roots.
The 74-year-old actor opened up about the lifestyle and how it shaped his family’s connection to food, admitting he’s an avid hunter with a particular appreciation for elk meat during an appearance on the “Table Manners” podcast.
When asked if he was sentimental about animals, Russell responded, “Well, I thank them for their service.”
“By the way, there’s no pleasure in the taking of life,” he clarified. “There’s great pleasure and honor in taking an animal that feeds you. And I respect that and honor that. And it means a big deal to me. And you know, I make no apologies.”
Russell’s son Wyatt – who lives in Colorado – chimed in, explaining how life in the wilderness is different.
“One of the things that we’ve really forgot, especially my children growing up – you see those things run through your backyard, and you see all kinds of animals, and they’re majestic.”
“But then you go to the grocery store, and it’s like 90% of the people are just in a pack,” Wyatt added. “They don’t know. They have no connection to food at all. And so it’s very nice. You know, we were raised with it to know that thing that you took is gonna be your dinner meal.”
While the traditional wilderness lifestyle works for the Russell family, “The Hateful Eight” star admitted it’s not for everyone.
“It’s not something I push on anybody,” Russell explained. “I mean, it’s not for everybody, but I like bringing down my own meat. I grew up in that family.”
Russell’s wilderness roots can be seen in his career as Hollywood’s leading man. The “Overboard” star often portrays rugged characters in action, sci-fi or Western films. With a career spanning more than 60 years, Russell has seen just about every corner of the entertainment industry.
That longevity has also given Russell perspective, even if he resists calling it wisdom. He told AARP that he doesn’t find himself sharing wisdom with his four children – Wyatt, Boston Russell, Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson.
“God, no. I don’t intentionally, and whatever I impart, I don’t know if it’s wisdom oriented,” Russell told the outlet. “I do know that after having done this for so long, you keep your mouth shut and your ears open, and you’re going to have learned some things. I can help us get to where we’re supposed to be going because of a lot of the experience that I’ve had. So I do lean on that.”
As he’s gotten older, Russell explained he hasn’t bought into the idea that “age is just a number.”
“Age is a reality, but it’s not something that ever ruled my life,” he said. “It’s kind of like when you’re an actor, your hair color is never the same. The length is never the same. Your face isn’t the same. Your body language isn’t the same. Your age isn’t even the same.”
“And I do think that if you do something you really are enjoying, I still don’t feel any different in terms of what I’m doing, in terms of the interest in it, the fun of it,” he added. “I think ours is an interesting industry in that regard.”
