Jennifer Hudson

Background

Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American singer and actress with incredible talents, fame, and success. She was born on September 12, 1981, and her birthplace is Chicago, Illinois. Hudson is the youngest child of her parents and was raised Baptist. She grew up in Englewood and went to Dunbar Vocational High School, graduating in 1999. Hudson is of African-American descent and a Virgo by design. As a Christian, Hudson started singing in the church choir. She also did community theater and enrolled in Langston University. Hudson left after a semester and got admitted into Kennedy-King College.

Hudson signed her first recording contract in 2002. The label was called Righteous Records. The contract was to run for five years, but she got released from it to participate in the 2004 American Idol. This is where Hudson got her first glimpse of fame. She was famous right from the first time she appeared on stage. Hudson sang her heart out in every performance, and her heavy voice echoed in the auditorium. Hudson made it to the ‘Top 9’ position but got eliminated during the ‘Top 7’ show. In 2005, Hudson got cast as Effie White in “Dreamgirls” with Beyonce and Jamie Foxx. The film was released in January 2007 as her debut film appearance, and she aced it. For her role in “Dreamgirls,” Husdon received 29 Film Critics Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The accolades for her performance were endless. In 2008, she released her debut single “Spotlight” after signing to Arista Records in 2006. Her eponymous debut studio album was out in September 2008.

Hudson made several more film appearances including “Sex and the City” (2008), “The Secret Life of Bees” (2008), “Fragments” (2009), “Winnie Mandela” (2013), “Empire: Season 1” (2015), and many more. Hudson made her Broadway debut the same year, playing Shug Avery in “The Color Purple.” She won her second Grammy for her musical work in this film. Hudson played Arethra Franklin in “Respect” (2021). She won a SAG Award and two NAACP awards for her film and music contributions to the film as she developed its soundtrack. Hudson has an enviable and inspirational career. Her success journey is monumental, and she has dominated the world onstage, off stage, and onscreen. Hudson’s personal life, on the other hand, is private. However, she dated James Payton from 1999 to 2007, met David Otunga, and got engaged to him in September 2008. Hudson has a child with Otunga, but the couple split in 2017.