Song Sung Bluehas been a hit at the box office, with Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman portraying real-life Neil Diamond tribute performers Claire and Mike Sardina. Mike’s 41-year-old son, Michael Sardina Jr., claims the movie was built on lies, and his father would be “rolling over in his grave.”
The 2025 movie follows the duo meeting each other and their rise to popularity as the tribute band, Lightning & Thunder. It also details their personal stories as the two fell in love, married, and faced their own hardships.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Sardina Jr. reveals the movie had purposely cut him out and created fabricated storylines and characters.
“Everybody thinks it’s such a wonderful film, it’s so touching. It’s all lies,” he claimed. “And it steals all the hard work that my father put in his entire life…”
According to Sardina Jr., he was originally approached to become a consultant on the film alongside input from his sister Angelina. The interview includes details of conversations between Angelina and the film’s producer, John Fox, confirming the monetary price for their involvement.
It also reveals that Angelina had authorized for her persona in the movie to be fictionalized, while Sardina Jr. was “purposely cut out of the film.”
“Every interview that those monsters have been on national television don’t even mention my existence at all, even though I was the most prevalent force in my father’s life, even when I wasn’t in Wisconsin, because I’m his only son,” he said.
“They didn’t even try to contact me . . . They didn’t try to get more information… They could have very easily asked Craig [Brewer].”
Sardina Jr. also claims the movie failed to depict the real-life tensions between the couple, and calls the lies “upsetting.” He also added that the lack of authenticity “completely destroyed the one thing my father worked his entire life to pass on – his legacy.”
Since the movie’s inception, Claire has shown her full support, has attended red carpet premieres, and sung alongside Jackman in a cover of “Sweet Caroline.”
This story was originally published by Parade on Jan 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.