Landing on the cover of People's Most Beautiful issue is one of the best compliments a celebrity can receive, and this year's installment features one of the most famous families in Hollywood: Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and Hudson's 18-month-old daughter, Rani Rose Hudson Fujikawa.

In the magazine's special issue, which hits newsstands Friday, Hudson, a two-time Most Beautiful cover star, and Hawn gushed over being able to sit for a photo shoot with "the third generation."

It was a full-circle moment for Hudson, who recalled that her first-ever magazine cover was alongside Hawn for InStyle in 1996.

"I thought to myself later in life what an interesting foreshadowing that was to my career," she told People. "The fact that my mom gave me the floor to be able to feel confident enough to go out there and feel like my life could be my own, and here we are with little Rani. I just thought, 'Wow, I hope I can give Rani that floor.'"

The 30th annual issue features personal essays from some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, snapshots of famous mother-daughter duos and no-makeup selfies. In the cover story, Hawn and Hudson reflect on their relationship, including a comparison of their parenting styles.

Hudson, who is also a mother to sons Ryder, 16, and Bing, 8, from previous relationships, said that she's "so strict," while Hawn copped to being "way more lenient." Speaking more generally, Hawn added that her longtime partner, Kurt Russell, would accuse her of not being "tough enough," and she said that ultimately, that personality trait led her to launching her nonprofit organization, MindUP.

"He'd say, 'You just want everybody to be happy,' and guess what I've done with my life? Created a program to help children understand themselves and be happy," she said. "What you create is who you are."

Although she never saw it when she was younger, Hudson said that like so many women, she's becoming her mother.

"I'm happy to be just like my mom!" she added.