A viral social media post falsely alleged that actor Kurt Russell and California Governor Gavin Newsom went to high school together and shared a hostile history.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — With California Governor Gavin Newsom frequently mentioned as a prospective Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, unverified stories about him routinely circulate online.
Recently, a widely shared post claimed that veteran Hollywood star Kurt Russell launched a scathing verbal attack on Newsom during a “Meet the Actor” event in Los Angeles. The narrative went on to assert that the two men crossed paths during their youth, attending the same high school where Newsom allegedly earned an unfavorable reputation. Here is a closer look at the facts behind the rumor.
The Claim: Kurt Russell Lashed Out at Gavin Newsom in LA
The rumor gained traction via an X (formerly Twitter) post suggesting that Russell publicly criticized Newsom in front of a live audience.
🚨BREAKING: Hollywood ICON Kurt Russell just NUKE-BOMBED Gavin Newsom in front of a live audience… and what he said will make your jaw HIT THE FLOOR 😱
At a packed “Meet the Actor” event in LA, someone asked the legendary Kurt Russell about his… pic.twitter.com/EL6MZPgNXI
According to the viral text, Russell claimed they grew up in the same locality and shared a high school, reportedly stating, “Yeah, Gavin and I grew up in the same town. Same high school. Let’s just say… we NEVER got along.”
The post further alleged that female classmates viewed Newsom as inappropriate and “slimy,” though it offered zero documentation or student testimonies to back up the accusation. Additionally, it quoted Russell as making a jab regarding Newsom’s association with Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, claiming Russell stated he wasn’t surprised to see Newsom act as Swalwell’s “personal wingman.” The post concluded by questioning Newsom’s viability for a 2028 presidential run.
The Reality: The High School Connection Is Entirely Fabricated
The entire narrative is false. Official biographical records show that Russell and Newsom did not grow up together, nor did they attend the same educational institutions.
Kurt Russell was born in 1951, raised in Thousand Oaks, California, and received his diploma from Thousand Oaks High School in 1969. Conversely, Gavin Newsom was born significantly later in 1967, grew up in Larkspur, California, and graduated from Redwood High School in 1985.
With an age gap of 16 years, Russell was already an adult working in the entertainment industry by the time Newsom was navigating his adolescent school years.
Furthermore, there is no record of any such “Meet the Actor” event taking place with these remarks. Comprehensive searches across media outlets, video archives, and interview transcripts yield no evidence that Russell ever made these statements.
The rumor exists solely within the ecosystem of unverified social media shares. The imagery attached to the post merely stitches together an unrelated photo of Russell at a microphone with an inset of Newsom, failing to depict any shared appearance or event.
Ultimately, the claim that Kurt Russell publicly criticized Gavin Newsom based on a shared high school past is completely untrue.