Kate Hudson's new boyfriend has had a crush on her for eight years.

Baseball star Alex 'A-Rod' Rodriguez - Madonna's rumoured ex-boyfriend - fell for the blonde actress after seeing her 2000 film 'Almost Famous'.

A source told the National Enquirer magazine: "It's his favourite movie. Alex has seen it dozens of times, and he fell for Kate the first time he saw it."

Alex and Kate first met at Miami Beach's Fontainebleau hotel last November, and kept in touch via text message.

They are believed to have started dating earlier this year, and last month were seen passionately kissing at New York's Mustang Grill restaurant.

A source said at the time: "Staff were asking patrons not to go in the back room around 1am because A-Rod and Kate Hudson were back there making out." Earlier this week, it was claimed Kate fled when she realised Madonna was at the same event as her.

The 30-year-old actress made a hasty retreat from Veuve Clicquot's Manhattan Polo Classic on New York's Governors Island when she discovered Madonna was en route.