Actress Kate Hudson drops by the University for "Inside the Actor’s Studio"

"We all need an ego to perform, but you have to check it at the door," Kate Hudson said in an interview with host James Lipton on Inside the Actor's Studio on Nov. 17. Hudson appeared on the show to promote the release of her new movie Nine.

Lipton began the evening by asking Hudson about her childhood and what it was like growing up with two famous parents, her mother actress Goldie Hawn who herself has appeared on Inside the Actor's Studio and her dad actor Kurt Russell.

Although her real father is musician Bill Hudson, when Lipton asked her who she calls dad Hudson stated Russell. Hudson went one to explain that her parents divorced when she was about 18 months old.

She grew up with her mother, Russell, with one biological brother Oliver and two stepbrothers.

Hudson said that to get away from the Los Angeles lifestyle, her parents moved her and her three brothers to Colorado to live a more normal life.

From age's four to 11, the actress took up ballet. While at ballet, she noticed hip-hop classes going on next to her ballet class. Hawn would never let her daughter take hip-hop until she was 11. Hudson said she took one hip-hop class and she never went back. She stated that one time she showed up to ballet, "with McDonalds and in jeans," and her ballet teacher was not impressed.

When her parents were working on a movie, Hudson would go with them and work in the various departments on the movie sets. She shared her experiences about working on the different movie sets and what she did to help out.

A constant theme throughout the discussion between Lipton and Hudson was of family. Not only did Lipton ask her about her parents but he also asked her about her son Ryder Russell Robinson, being named after Russell.

Lipton and Hudson then discussed Hudson's numerous films: Almost Famous, The Four Feathers, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Nine with clips shown from each.

She discussed in depth the film Almost Famous and how she wanted to work with director Cameron Crowe. She said would have done anything to work with him. She discussed getting the role of Penny Lane in the film and also shared what it was like for her on the night of the Academy Awards, being a nominee for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Hudson discussed her film Bride Wars, which she starred in and was also one of the producers of. She said when having people audition for the film she knew what they were going though because she too knows what it is like to audition for roles.

For her role in Nine, Hudson plays an American fashion journalist and stated that she did not audition for a certain role in the film. The film has an all-star cast that includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and singer Fergie.

Lipton ended the night with asking a question he said he could not leave without asking, and that was about her relationship with New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Hudson, looking embarrassed tried to avoid the question but did say, "We had a great, great summer and a great fall," in reference to the Yankees winning the World Series.

Lipton also asked her about the tabloids and how she lives with the constant attention, "You can't eat a sandwich without being engaged," Hudson said.

When it came time for the students to ask their questions Hudson said she was excited to be talking about acting.

One student asked what she has learned and taken with her from her parents being in the business. Hudson said she learned that "you need to be professional and be to always be prepared."

"Being on a movie set is like being in a candy store."