Two of the most talented actor-singers in Hollywood right now, Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman, are finally working together in the sweet new drama Song Sung Blue, which is loosely based on a true story of a Neil Diamond cover band from the 1990s.
Directed by Craig Brewer, the film follows Hugh's Mike Sardina, an impersonator in Wisconsin in the 1980s who meets fellow impersonator Claire, and together they form Lightning and Thunder, creating a remarkable life despite the highs and lows that follow.
Set during the 1980s and 1990s, the film is a time capsule of a moment that saw different generations wear different fashions, with Mike and Claire, both in their 30s at the start of the film, focused on lightwash denim, waistcoats, crochet knits, and leather, while their children (played by King Princess and Ella Anderson) are seen in the more stereotypical grunge clothes of plaid, chunky boots and tees.
Dressing two A-list superstars such as Kate and Hugh can be daunting, but the pair were "game for anything," says costume designer Ernesto Martinez.
"Whatever you bring to Kate or to Hugh, they're game for anything, and whatever they put on is great," he tells HELLO!, admitting that although the script was "wonderful, there was "no choice" when he discovered Kate and Hugh were attached.
"This was such an opportunity for me, and to work with these people… After meeting Kate and Hugh, I just knew I had fallen into the best job. I said, 'Boy, I can't believe they're going to pay me to do this. I really think it should be the other way around, but OK, I'll go with it!'"
Mike and Claire Sardinia met in the 1980s and found fame across Milwaukee and Wisconsin as Lightning and Thunder, a Neil Diamond cover act; they even opened for Pearl Jam in 1993, who heard about the group's success.
The film charts their first meeting through to the early days of rehearsals, the unexpected fame and its impact on their family, and Mike and Claire's own tragedies and health battles.
Luckily for Ernesto, 90s grunge is back in fashion, so Ernesto and his team were able to buy a lot of the outfits, especially for Claire and Mike's teen daughters, and source through a New Jersey warehouse. But all of Hugh's wardrobe was handmade – and often made to look handmade, as well.
"Sweet Caroline" singer Neil was known for his silk shirts and love of sequins, but Mike was a Vietnam veteran rock'n'roll biker on a budget, and that juxtaposition was a balance for Ernesto.
"The [stage costumes] had to look ill-fitting, or maybe the belt looks cheap, or the buttons aren't right, the fit is just off," he says. "For Kate's clothes [as Claire], some were made, and some were repurposed. I would find a great dress, but it needed more beading, or more ruching, or it should be shorter or longer. Her cowgirl outfit – I was lucky I found that in a curated vintage store in Detroit that had this incredible collection."
Claire is introduced as a hairdresser by day, and Patsy Cline impersonator at night, but there is a clear change as the film progresses, with Ernesto keen to make sure that as Claire changed, so did the clothes she wore.
"When [the film] starts she's very sexy, and as we go along, I really toned her down. We covered her up more so there was not so much skin showing, [gave her] longer dresses, because [she realizes] Mike was the eye candy," he says.
However, the character of Claire "started out very differently," in the original drawings.
"In conversations with Craig, it morphed into what you saw, but the original fittings and the original drawings and mood boards were completely different," says Ernesto. "They were a lot more youthful and a lot sexier, but we scaled it back; it really had to be molded for the story."
Ernesto, director Craig, and cinematographer Amy Vincent had a clear vision that the costume, lighting, and color would all be key parts of the storytelling alongside the script and music. It all stayed within a certain color range, with the film beginning with bold, primary colors before the palette becomes more somber to match the tone after Claire's car accident, and Mike's heart attack.
Amy, and production designer Clay Griffith, had already laid out the color tones when Ernesto joined the project, but it became a collaboration; in one instance, Claire is seen in a dream sequence in a pink gown, and Ernesto was insistent that the gown needed to be that specific color, which meant the others would work to accommodate that need.
Ernesto previously worked on the 1980s drama Physical, as well as the 1970-set Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, with Samuel L. Jackson, and the Kat Dennings comedy Dollface.
"It's my age!" he laughs when asked what he loves about working on period pieces."I have a good eye for that because I remember when it was happening. I love recreating anything from the 20th century."
Song Sung Blue is scheduled for release in the US on Thursday December 25, and the UK on Thursday, January 1, 2026.