When Kate Hudson, 27, threw a raucous New Year’s Eve party at her home in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades, guests such as Justin Timberlake, Ryan Phillippe and Eva Mendes showed up to party their way into 2007.

Conspicuously absent from the bash? Actor Owen Wilson, 38, whose torrid affair with Hudson resulted in the actress’ separation from husband of nearly six years, Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson.

“They have definitely cooled off,” a source close to the actress tells Us of Hudson and Wilson’s summer fling. “She adores him and wishes it had worked out. But it didn’t.”

Seconds a Wilson source, “Owen is calling girlfriends to tell them he is single.”

The actress, meanwhile, is back to dating musicians. She brought Irish singer Damien Rice (whose haunting song "The Blower's Daughter" was the theme of 2004's Closer) to a December 9 birthday party for director Brett Ratner. A Hudson pal assures, “She is exploring everything while trying to get over Owen.”

Why did friends of the couple say the relationship was doomed from the beginning? Why did Owen cancel his trip to visit Kate on the set of Fool's Gold in Australia? Is there a chance that the couple could rekindle their flame? Who is Robinson dating now (hint: she's also dated Matthew McConaughey)?

For more details on why Kate and Owen's affair fizzled out, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands this week.


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