Q: OK, I have to ask you right off the bat, have you dated any rock stars in real life? 


A: You know, my boyfriend is actually the singer for the Black Crowes (Chris Robinson). 

Q: Have you been on tour with the Black Crowes then? 


A: Mmm hmm. 

Q: Jimmy Page was touring with them too, right? 


A: Well, yeah. That was the real thing. I mean, I fell in love with Chris. He's my man. I've seen them rehearse and I think he's just the most incredible singer and he has an amazing voice. But when I met Jimmy Page it was like, Oh my God! I had to worship you for six months (on the set), and I've listened to you since I was baby, and you're Jimmy Page, man! Jesus Christ, this is unbelievable! 

Q: So you've been back stage, you've been on tour. It seems to be that the movie is not as ugly as a real back stage would be. 


A: I think the important thing about this movie is that we're seeing it through William Miller's eyes. And I think at the end of this movie, the band is (just) the journey and it's about the people you meet along the way. You can't focus too much on the drugs and the sex. It was a crazy time. But I think Cameron wanted people to see it through his eyes at that age. And it's the kind of movie -- I've seen it twice now -- that each time people are going to see a little more, because the characters are really layered and rich. We were thinking of a lot of things I think people will pick up on, the more they see the film. 

Q: Did you and Cameron talk about who he based Penny Lane on? Was she an amalgam? 


A: Penny Lane is a real person, but she's a composite of characters, different women he's met along his way. I did a lot of research too. We took all of that and combined it into one. One big thing was that in most all of these women there's a such a sadness to them. It's in their eyes, something that is very lost, and they hide it very well. If you're researching them, you pick up on it. If you're watching for something like that, you pick up on it. If you're just talking to them, they seem like the most fun people in the world. 

Q: So you wanted to get the low self-esteem angle in there? 


A: Yeah, well, to see the sad person behind the mask is really important to Penny's character. The layers of the mask that slowly dissolve as the character progresses. I have to say, I really wanted to make it special for Cameron. I felt so close to him that...I became just as passionate about it. I remained involved after the movie was over. I brought coffee to his office and...I'm just a total weirdo. But I was so close to it that when I went to go do Robert Altman's film ("Dr. T. and the Women," opening in October), which was right after, I was still winding down from my character. It was really hard for me. I missed Penny Lane so much. I missed going to work and playing her. I really had to buckle down and focus on that (new) character. 

(At this point her publicist enters the room to take Hudson to the airport.) 

Q: One more thing before you get dragged out of here: What did you think when you saw the poster? (It's a close-up of Hudson with the words "Almost Famous" reflecting in her sunglasses.) 


A: Oh my God! I just totally freaked out! I couldn't believe it. 

Q: Did you know? 


A: No, I didn't. It was just sent to me and I couldn't believe it. My mom found out Friday. She saw it and flipped out.