Kate's queen of romcoms

LIKE many women, actress Kate Hudson has been on a few disastrous dates in her time. One particularly bad experience sticks in her mind.

"I left before we even got any food because the guy was so deeply boring. I was like, 'I'm going to just save us from all of this and leave,' " she laughs. "I think he was in banking."

The bubbly 29-year-old actress found herself back on the dating scene after splitting with rocker husband Chris Robinson last year. And in her latest role in romantic comedy My Best Friend's Girl, she plays a character who is enjoying being single again after a steady relationship collapses.

Unlike many of Hudson's past romantic comedy efforts, this movie has an edgy side.

"I finally get to swear and say and do certain things that most people say to each other in normal, everyday life," says the star. "I got a little taste of what those Sex And The City girls were up to for so long, which was fun."

My Best Friend's Girl tells the story of Dustin (Jason Biggs) who is left heartbroken after being dumped by girlfriend Alexis (Hudson). In order to win her back he hires his best friend, bachelor Tank (Dane Cook), to take her on a terrible date. The idea being, Alexis will promptly rush back into Dustin's arms. But things don't go to plan when Alexis starts to fall for Tank, who then has to try his best to turn her off.

"I thought Alexis was actually more the way the women I know actually are," says Hudson, about her character.

"My previous films have been quite straight and narrow, and this definitely was not that. This role was more closely related to the things that I've experienced and seen. For the first time ever in a movie, I end up being, kind of, like the guy," she adds.

Hudson's co-star Dane, who she clicked with both on and off set, is "one of the funniest people I've met." And she's certainly had plenty of opportunities to hone her comic skills, starring in a string of rom-coms, from Fool's Gold, to You Me And Dupree and How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days.

"I hope that people relate to this movie on an adult level, in terms of the relationships, because we really tried to make them ring true," she says.

"Relationships are far from picture perfect in this movie. Everybody's human. Every-body makes mistakes. This movie is willing to look at those messy things and allows you to laugh at them along the way."

Despite her reputation as queen of the rom-com, Hudson is out to prove she's not just a one-genre actress. After an appearance in another comedy movie, Bride Wars with Anne Hathaway, she will be seen in Rob Marshall's movie musical Nine, alongside British acting giants Daniel Day Lewis and Judi Dench. Following that, she is set to embark on the role of painter Margaret Keane in drama Big Eyes.

But balancing her hectic career with a young son - Ryder, four, by ex-husband Chris Robinson - must be tough.

"Well, I get these great periods where I can just dedicate all of my time to my son," she explains.

"It makes up for those times when I'm working 18-hour days and I'm feeling guilty about not being able to be there - for the times when all I want to do is be a mother. I can sort of get a nice balance."
Hudson credits her son and family, including mum Goldie Hawn and stepdad Kurt Russell, for keeping her grounded in Hollywood.

"All in all, it's my family and remaining honest with myself and not taking myself too seriously - enjoying my life day to day.

"This last couple of years in my life, there's been a lot of travelling and a lot of things happening. It's also just about keeping a good perspective of what all of this is, and how lucky we are to be doing something we love."

Since splitting with Robinson, Hudson has been linked with actor Owen Wilson and more recently, Lance Armstrong.

"With the tabloids, there's so much negativity out there. They think people only want to read things that are either controversial or negative. You end up having to answer a ridiculous onslaught of lies. That's the hard part of what we all do."

Hudson copes by turning to her friends and family at home and, most importantly, her son. She thrives on the experiences she shares with her co-stars on set and never forgets how lucky she is to be working in the industry.

"It makes everything okay, you know? It makes everything feel more balanced."

My Best Friend's Girl is out in cinemas from today