Hollywood icon Kurt Russell opened up about his lifelong passion for hunting during a recent interview, insisting that ethical hunting is about respect, sustenance, and connection to food, and he refuses to apologize for it.

Russell, 74, spoke alongside his son, actor Wyatt Russell, 39, on the podcast Table Manners on Wednesday. When co-host Lennie Ware asked if he was “sentimental” about animals, Kurt Russell replied, “Well, I thank them for their service,” eliciting laughter from the group.

“By the way, there’s no pleasure in the taking of life,” Kurt Russell explained. “There’s great pleasure and honor in taking an animal that feeds you. And I respect that and honor that. And it means a big deal to me. And you know, I make no apologies.”

Wyatt Russell, who lives in Colorado, supported his father’s viewpoint, highlighting how modern Americans often lack a connection to their food. “One of the things that we’ve really forgotten, especially my children, growing up, you see those things run through your backyard and you see all kinds of animals, and they’re majestic. But then you go to the grocery store… 90 percent of the people have no connection to food at all,” he said.

Kurt Russell emphasized that hunting is not for everyone, but explained that it is a normal part of his upbringing. “It’s not something I push on anybody. I mean, it’s not for everybody, but I like bringing down my own meat. I grew up in that family,” he said, recalling the taste of venison from his childhood log cabin in Maine with his grandfather.

The discussion also turned to Russell’s recent projects, including the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and the Paramount+ neo-Western The Madison. He reflected on his cult-classic film Tombstone, noting that while the finished product did not fully match its screenplay, its impact remains strong.

“The movie is not as good as the screenplay… could it have been a lot better? Yes,” Kurt Russell said. “But the impact of Tombstone is very strong, and that’s nice. That’s great.”

Season one of The Madison currently holds an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Monarch: Legacy of Monsters holds an 82% rating.