Artist, actress, and activist Jennifer Hudson was born in the United States. As of 2016, Jennifer Hudson was worth $30 million. She became well-known after appearing on “American Idol,” and she has continued to be successful in the entertainment industry ever since. She is the recipient of multiple Grammys, an Oscar, and a SAG award.
Jennifer joined the elite group of people who have won an Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony with her Tony Award for co-producing the play “A Strange Loop” on June 12, 2022. Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Audrey Hepburn, and Rita Moreno are some of the other members of the EGOT. During the third season of “American Idol,” she was widely considered to be the season’s leader until she was abruptly eliminated in the sixth week.
They say a blackout in her hometown of Chicago skewed the vote totals against her. She then appeared in the film adaptation of “Dreamgirls” in 2006. She won the Academy Award, the British Academy Award, the Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for her depiction of Effie White, a character that had previously been associated with Jennifer Holliday. In 2007, she published her first album, which quickly went Gold and earned her a Grammy. In the early part of 2011, she dropped her second studio album. It was ranked #2 on the Billboard Hot 200, an incredible feat.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Kate Jennifer Hudson was born on September 12, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois. Having grown up in Chicago’s Englewood area, she is the youngest of three kids. Following her 1999 graduation from Dunbar Vocational High School, Hudson enrolled at Langston University to complete her study. As a result of severe homesickness, she decided to transfer to Kennedy-King College instead of continuing her studies at the university.
By the time Hudson was seven years old, she had already begun performing in church choirs and community theatre productions with the assistance of her grandmother, Julia. In 2002, she inked a recording contract with Righteous Records, an independent company based in Chicago. She had been under contract with Righteous Records for five years, but after being offered a spot on “American Idol” in 2004, she was freed.
Hudson’s first “American Idol” audition was for the third season, again in Atlanta. She had been singing and performing on the Disney Cruise Line ship Disney Wonder as one of the Muses from “Hercules” before that. Although she did exceptionally well throughout the competition (and even received the most votes in the “Top 9” round), she was eliminated in the “Top 7” round two weeks later. In spite of his failure to win the title,
Hudson is still widely considered to be the show’s top contender. In 2009, MTV ranked her as the sixth greatest “American Idol” with the most unexpected elimination. After season one winner Kelly Clarkson and season four winner Carrie Underwood, the Los Angeles Times ranked Hudson as the third greatest “American Idol” of all time in 2010.
Music Career
Following her 2004 departure from “American Idol,” Hudson worked on a number of projects, including a duet with Meat Loaf called “The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be,” before signing a record deal with Arista Records in November 2006. Her first single, “Spotlight,” was released in June 2008, and she collaborated with producers Ryan Tedder and Timbaland on several tracks for the album.
Her 2008 Arista debut, Jennifer Hudson, was co-written and produced by Ne-Yo and Stargate. It opened at #2 on the Billboard 200, and the critical reception was overwhelmingly good. The album also took home the prize for Best R&B Album at the 2009 Grammys, where it also received nominations for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
In March of 2011, she released her second studio album, titled “I Remember Me,” which debuted at position two on the Billboard 200. And then in June of 2016, Hudson signed with Epic Records and released the album JHUD.
Acting and Television Career
Hudson made her acting debut in the film version of the musical “Dreamgirls” in November 2005. She shared the screen with celebrities including Eddie Murphy, Beyoncé, and Jamie Foxx. Her performance was so well praised that she was ultimately cast in the part against stiff competition from the likes of Fantasia Barrino and other established performers. In particular, her performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” received rave reviews.
Ok I’m a little late but yal need to hear this ! Nozi on @IdolsSA performed my song “Giving Myself.” If I was there she would have caught a shoe ! 👠 She did that !!! pic.twitter.com/aYLvcziIP9
— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) September 22, 2022
To date, Hudson has received 29 awards for her performance as Effie White. These include the Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, as well as the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Screen Actors Guild, and she all agreed that she was the year’s best supporting actress.
After her breakthrough in “Dreamgirls,” Hudson went on to have supporting roles in films including “Sex and the City” (2008) and “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008). After that, Hudson went on to play leading roles in films like “Fragments” (2009), “Winnie Mandela” (2013), “Black Nativity” (2013), and “Cats” (2019). In 2015, she made her Broadway debut in “The Color Purple,” for which she would go on to receive a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2017. In addition, Hudson has made television appearances as a coach on seasons 6 and 8 of “The Voice UK” and seasons 13 and 15 of “The Voice” in the United States.
