Rita Wilson is a film and television actress and producer whose notable roles include Liz Langston in Jingle All The Way, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. She executive produced Mamma Mia! and its sequel, among other films. Wilson married Tom Hanks in 1988 and the couple have four children, including the aforementioned Colin.
Kate Hudson is an actress, singer, fashion designer, and author. She rose to prominence for her role as Penny Lane in Almost Famous, and has appeared in many films since.
Rita described Kate's childhood visits to her house in search of her childhood crush:
"Kate used to bicycle over to my house when she was 14 to see if my son Colin Hanks was home, and Colin Hanks being a little too clueless to know like, 'Oh, my God, this amazing girl is driving by on her bike, like, asking for me.'"
She then went on to praise Kate and her accomplishments:
"Well frankly, if anybody's going to trust that Kate Hudson is the biggest, amazing, most wonderful hearted beautiful person in the world, then I mean who doesn't believe I'm [sic] Kate."
"Thankfully, I've never met such a misguided individual, except maybe my son Colin."
The mission of the Women's Cancer Research Fund is near and dear to both Wilson and Hudson. Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, underwent a double mastectomy, and is now cancer-free.
Wilson wrote about her experience with cancer, and the effect it had on herself and her family, for Harper's Bazaar.
She spoke with Vanity Fair about her experience as well, on the night of the Gala:
"After I got diagnosed, I was shocked and scared. I didn't know what was going to happen. What helped me was my faith. I'm Greek Orthodox. I was raised in that faith, and I still have a very strong faith."
"That really helped me especially when things were so out of control. My husband, my children, my brother, and my incredible girlfriends also helped me."
Kate Hudson apparently got over that childhood crush, though, as she and partner Danny Fujikawa welcomed their new daughter Rani last October.
Including baby Rani, Kate is mother to 3 children; her son Bingham Hawn, 7, from her previous engagement to Matt Bellamy, and Ryder Russell, 15, from her previous marriage to Chris Robinson.
