Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She first gained notice as one of the finalists on the third season of the FOX television series American Idol. She went on to star as Effie White in the 2006 motion picture adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls for which she won numerous awards including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a SAG Award.
Background
Hudson was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Darnell Hudson and Samuel Simpson, who was a bus driver.[1] She was raised Baptist[2] and attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy and graduated in 1999. She cites Whitney Houston as her musical and movie influence, as well as Aretha Franklin.[3] She has also cited on multiple occasions that Celine Dion is one of her favorite artists.[4][5]
After seeing Hudson's performance in Dreamgirls, American Idol judge Simon Cowell taped a congratulatory message to her, which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[6] With the March 2007 issue, Jennifer Hudson became the third African American celebrity, and the first African American singer, to grace the cover of Vogue magazine.[7]
American Idol
Hudson auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Atlanta, Georgia. In her audition she commented that she had been singing on Disney Cruise Lines for the past few months (as one of the Muses from Hercules) and Randy said "We're expecting more than a cruise ship performance from you". Jennifer delivered and all the judges agreed it was the best voice they had heard so far in the competition. She was a member of the first group of semifinalists in the Semi Finals. She was not voted through to the final round, although she was brought back on the wildcard round and put through as a Top 12 finalist by contest judge Randy Jackson.
Jennifer Hudson struggled to gain popularity in the early stages of the live shows, receiving the second-lowest number of votes in two of the first three shows. However, after a change in song choices, she soon became a favorite to win, receiving the highest number of votes in the Top 9 after her performance of Elton John's "Circle of Life" on April 6, 2004. Among Hudson's worthy performances on the show was her rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing". American Idol judge Simon Cowell commented that she "finally proved why she was among the Top 12" and referred to the performance a week later as "sensational".[8]
On April 21, 2004, Hudson became the sixth of the 12 finalists to be voted off the show, finishing the competition in seventh place.
Acting career
Dreamgirls
In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the prized role of Effie White, the role originally created in a legendary Broadway performance by Jennifer Holliday, for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, which also starred Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, and Eddie Murphy. This role marked Hudson's debut screen performance. Hudson won the role over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, and Raven Symone. She said in an interview on The View that Fantasia called her and said:"Girl, you stole my part".[9] Filming of Dreamgirls began on January 9, 2006, and the film went into limited release on December 25, 2006 and national release on January 12, 2007.
Hudson has won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", the signature song of the role, which had earlier been recorded, and had already reached the status of musical standard, because of the definitive performance of Jennifer Holliday. The New York Observer described Hudson's performance of the song as "five mellifluous, molto vibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted Ms. Hudson... into the position of front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar." Newsweek said that when moviegoers hear Hudson sing the song, she "is going to raise goose bumps across the land." Variety wrote that Hudson's performance "calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Bette Midler in The Rose, with a voice like the young Aretha."
As Effie White, Hudson has garnered twenty-nine awards from film critics as Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performer of 2006. She won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In addition, she has been named Best Supporting Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and also by the Screen Actors Guild.
On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in this film. At 25 years old, Hudson became the eighth-youngest winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Upon winning this award, Hudson also became one of the very few performers ever to win an Oscar for a debut screen performance. As of 2007, she is also the only person to have gone from participating in a reality television series to becoming an Academy Award winner. During her acceptance speech Hudson said: "Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn't think I was going to win." "If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration." She also concluded her speech by thanking Jennifer Holliday.[10]
Hudson's version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the January 13, 2007 issue. The Dreamgirls track has since become Hudson's first Top 10 hit, but not on the Hot 100, as the track registered a new peak at #7 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart on February 24, 2007. The track has also reached #14 on the Hot R&B/HipHop Songs chart, and remixes of the song have seen Jennifer reach the #1 position on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
In addition, Hudson was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 18 along with 115 other individuals for 2007.[11][12]
Further acting projects
In September 2007, Hudson began work on Sex and the City: The Movie, as Louise, Carrie Bradshaw's assistant. Filming finished in December 2007 and the movie premiered on May 30, 2008.[13] In 2008, Hudson is scheduled to appear as Kathy Archenault in Winged Creatures, a film based on the novel by Roy Freirich, with Forest Whitaker, Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Josh Hutcherson, and Jackie Earl Haley. In January 2008 Jennifer began filming her fourth film The Secret Life of Bees as Rosalene, the mother figure of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning). Also starring in the film are fellow Oscar nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo, as well as Alicia Keys.
Recording career
Hudson recorded "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", originally by Gladys Knight & the Pips, for American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics—the official American Idol album for the 3rd season.
She is featured in a duet, "The Future Ain't What it Used to Be" on Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose album. She also performed the song "Easy To Be Hard" on the Actors' Fund benefit recording of the musical Hair and she is featured on Ne-Yo's second album Because of You on the track "Leaving Tonight". Hudson has also recorded a new song with rapper Papoose, titled "Special."
In September 2006, Hudson performed the song "Over It" live on Fox Chicago Morning News. In the interview she stated the song would be included on her debut album, to be released in early 2007 however this was before she signed with Arista.[14] On the Oprah Show, Hudson announced plans to enter the studio in March 2007. Hudson said on the Tyra Banks Show on February 23, 2007 that she just finished the first song for the album. Hudson also recorded a song called "Stand Up" which was available for on her fan website to purchase and is now able to be previewed on her myspace.
Spotlight
In November 2006, Hudson signed a record deal with Arista Records and is currently working on her debut album and has recently finished recording one song entitled "Depreciate."[15]
In January 2008, it was announced that Hudson would be returning to the studio to record new material for her debut album. Her label was reportedly unhappy with the direction they were sending Hudson musically, and decided it would be best to scrap the older songs and instead focus on new ones. Hudson will be working with Ryan Tedder and Timbaland on a number of songs.[16]
During an interview in May 2008, Hudson confirmed that her debut album, which will be self titled, would be released on September 30, 2008 under the Arista Records label. She also announced that later this month her debut single "Spotlight" would be released in order to promote her debut album. The song leaked on May 16, 2008 and can be listened on video hosting site YouTube.[17] The first single, "Spotlight," will impact U.S. radio outlets on June 9 and be available for sale via digital outlets the following day. "Spotlight" was written by Ne-Yo, who co-produced along with Stargate. Additional contributors on the album include Timbaland, Robin Thicke, the Underdogs, Diane Warren and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, among others.[18] She has performed the song "All Dressed In Love" for the Sex and the City: The Movie soundtrack, which was released on May 27, 2008.[19]
Album cover controversy
RCA Records released the cover art for Hudson's new self-titled album on July 10, 2008. The cover art features an image of Hudson appearing significantly thinner than her recent public appearances would suggest she actually is.[20] While using computer software to airbrush images is not a new phenomenon, industry critics claim that the photograph has been altered so much that it detracts from her appeal as an artist. Those same critics have also made the accusation that the photograph is not actually Hudson herself but is instead the singer's face superimposed onto another person's body.[21]
Background
Hudson was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Darnell Hudson and Samuel Simpson, who was a bus driver.[1] She was raised Baptist[2] and attended Dunbar Vocational Career Academy and graduated in 1999. She cites Whitney Houston as her musical and movie influence, as well as Aretha Franklin.[3] She has also cited on multiple occasions that Celine Dion is one of her favorite artists.[4][5]
After seeing Hudson's performance in Dreamgirls, American Idol judge Simon Cowell taped a congratulatory message to her, which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show.[6] With the March 2007 issue, Jennifer Hudson became the third African American celebrity, and the first African American singer, to grace the cover of Vogue magazine.[7]
American Idol
Hudson auditioned for the third season of American Idol in Atlanta, Georgia. In her audition she commented that she had been singing on Disney Cruise Lines for the past few months (as one of the Muses from Hercules) and Randy said "We're expecting more than a cruise ship performance from you". Jennifer delivered and all the judges agreed it was the best voice they had heard so far in the competition. She was a member of the first group of semifinalists in the Semi Finals. She was not voted through to the final round, although she was brought back on the wildcard round and put through as a Top 12 finalist by contest judge Randy Jackson.
Jennifer Hudson struggled to gain popularity in the early stages of the live shows, receiving the second-lowest number of votes in two of the first three shows. However, after a change in song choices, she soon became a favorite to win, receiving the highest number of votes in the Top 9 after her performance of Elton John's "Circle of Life" on April 6, 2004. Among Hudson's worthy performances on the show was her rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing". American Idol judge Simon Cowell commented that she "finally proved why she was among the Top 12" and referred to the performance a week later as "sensational".[8]
On April 21, 2004, Hudson became the sixth of the 12 finalists to be voted off the show, finishing the competition in seventh place.
Acting career
DreamgirlsIn November 2005, Hudson was cast in the prized role of Effie White, the role originally created in a legendary Broadway performance by Jennifer Holliday, for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, which also starred Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, and Eddie Murphy. This role marked Hudson's debut screen performance. Hudson won the role over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino, and Raven Symone. She said in an interview on The View that Fantasia called her and said:"Girl, you stole my part".[9] Filming of Dreamgirls began on January 9, 2006, and the film went into limited release on December 25, 2006 and national release on January 12, 2007.
Hudson has won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", the signature song of the role, which had earlier been recorded, and had already reached the status of musical standard, because of the definitive performance of Jennifer Holliday. The New York Observer described Hudson's performance of the song as "five mellifluous, molto vibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted Ms. Hudson... into the position of front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar." Newsweek said that when moviegoers hear Hudson sing the song, she "is going to raise goose bumps across the land." Variety wrote that Hudson's performance "calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Bette Midler in The Rose, with a voice like the young Aretha."
As Effie White, Hudson has garnered twenty-nine awards from film critics as Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performer of 2006. She won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In addition, she has been named Best Supporting Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and also by the Screen Actors Guild.
On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in this film. At 25 years old, Hudson became the eighth-youngest winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Upon winning this award, Hudson also became one of the very few performers ever to win an Oscar for a debut screen performance. As of 2007, she is also the only person to have gone from participating in a reality television series to becoming an Academy Award winner. During her acceptance speech Hudson said: "Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn't think I was going to win." "If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration." She also concluded her speech by thanking Jennifer Holliday.[10]
Hudson's version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the January 13, 2007 issue. The Dreamgirls track has since become Hudson's first Top 10 hit, but not on the Hot 100, as the track registered a new peak at #7 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart on February 24, 2007. The track has also reached #14 on the Hot R&B/HipHop Songs chart, and remixes of the song have seen Jennifer reach the #1 position on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
In addition, Hudson was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 18 along with 115 other individuals for 2007.[11][12]
Further acting projects
In September 2007, Hudson began work on Sex and the City: The Movie, as Louise, Carrie Bradshaw's assistant. Filming finished in December 2007 and the movie premiered on May 30, 2008.[13] In 2008, Hudson is scheduled to appear as Kathy Archenault in Winged Creatures, a film based on the novel by Roy Freirich, with Forest Whitaker, Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Josh Hutcherson, and Jackie Earl Haley. In January 2008 Jennifer began filming her fourth film The Secret Life of Bees as Rosalene, the mother figure of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning). Also starring in the film are fellow Oscar nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo, as well as Alicia Keys.
Recording careerHudson recorded "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)", originally by Gladys Knight & the Pips, for American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics—the official American Idol album for the 3rd season.
She is featured in a duet, "The Future Ain't What it Used to Be" on Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose album. She also performed the song "Easy To Be Hard" on the Actors' Fund benefit recording of the musical Hair and she is featured on Ne-Yo's second album Because of You on the track "Leaving Tonight". Hudson has also recorded a new song with rapper Papoose, titled "Special."
In September 2006, Hudson performed the song "Over It" live on Fox Chicago Morning News. In the interview she stated the song would be included on her debut album, to be released in early 2007 however this was before she signed with Arista.[14] On the Oprah Show, Hudson announced plans to enter the studio in March 2007. Hudson said on the Tyra Banks Show on February 23, 2007 that she just finished the first song for the album. Hudson also recorded a song called "Stand Up" which was available for on her fan website to purchase and is now able to be previewed on her myspace.
Spotlight
In November 2006, Hudson signed a record deal with Arista Records and is currently working on her debut album and has recently finished recording one song entitled "Depreciate."[15]
In January 2008, it was announced that Hudson would be returning to the studio to record new material for her debut album. Her label was reportedly unhappy with the direction they were sending Hudson musically, and decided it would be best to scrap the older songs and instead focus on new ones. Hudson will be working with Ryan Tedder and Timbaland on a number of songs.[16]
During an interview in May 2008, Hudson confirmed that her debut album, which will be self titled, would be released on September 30, 2008 under the Arista Records label. She also announced that later this month her debut single "Spotlight" would be released in order to promote her debut album. The song leaked on May 16, 2008 and can be listened on video hosting site YouTube.[17] The first single, "Spotlight," will impact U.S. radio outlets on June 9 and be available for sale via digital outlets the following day. "Spotlight" was written by Ne-Yo, who co-produced along with Stargate. Additional contributors on the album include Timbaland, Robin Thicke, the Underdogs, Diane Warren and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, among others.[18] She has performed the song "All Dressed In Love" for the Sex and the City: The Movie soundtrack, which was released on May 27, 2008.[19]
Album cover controversy
RCA Records released the cover art for Hudson's new self-titled album on July 10, 2008. The cover art features an image of Hudson appearing significantly thinner than her recent public appearances would suggest she actually is.[20] While using computer software to airbrush images is not a new phenomenon, industry critics claim that the photograph has been altered so much that it detracts from her appeal as an artist. Those same critics have also made the accusation that the photograph is not actually Hudson herself but is instead the singer's face superimposed onto another person's body.[21]
Personal life
Hudson has been dating James Payton since 1999 when she was 18. They both hail from Chicago. When asked if they had any plans to marry, Hudson declared that "we are happy with the place we are right now, but perhaps we will tie the knot someday. One thing's for sure, I definitely won't be popping the question!".[
Hudson has been dating James Payton since 1999 when she was 18. They both hail from Chicago. When asked if they had any plans to marry, Hudson declared that "we are happy with the place we are right now, but perhaps we will tie the knot someday. One thing's for sure, I definitely won't be popping the question!".[
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