Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson Headshot

Singer • Actress

Birth Date: September 12, 1981

Age: 42 years old

Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois

Spouses: David Otunga

With one of the most impressive voices to come along in a generation, Jennifer Hudson seemed destined for fame from the first time she appeared in front of a national audience on "American Idol" (Fox, 2001-2016/ABC 2018- ). Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1981, Hudson first began singing in her church choir. By high school, she was earning extra money singing at weddings and funerals. She had signed her first recording contract with Chicago-based independent label Righteous Records when, in 2004, she landed a spot competing on "American Idol." Righteous Records released from her obligation so that she could appear on the show, and Hudson captured viewers' hearts with her genuineness and talent. She finished as a finalist in seventh place, and proceeded directly from the reality show to an A-list project, playing Effie alongside Beyonce Knowles in the big screen adaptation of the musical "Dreamgirls" (2006). Hudson's acting blew audiences away just as much as her earth-shaking vocal performance of the signature song "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." The celebrated performance paved the way for Hudson's self-titled debut album in 2008, which she quickly followed with an appearance in "The Secret Life of Bees" (2008). Hudson also gave birth to a son with partner David Otunga in 2008, shortly before suffering a devastating loss when her mother, brother, and nephew were shot and killed by the estranged husband of her sister. Hudson took a step back from the spotlight, returning in 2011 with her sophomore album I Remember Me. Hudson continued to act, appearing in the coming of age film "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete" (2013) and released another album, JHUD in 2014. In 2015 she made her Broadway debut, playing Shug Avery in an acclaimed revival of "The Color Purple." Hudson played Motormouth Maybelle in NBC's "Hairspray Live!" (NBC, 2016), memorably performing the song "I Know Where I've Been." The following year, she became a judge on "The Voice UK" (BBC, 2012-) and proved so popular, she joined the judges' panel on the American version of the sho later that same year. In 2019, Hudson joined the cast of the film adaptation of the musical "Cats" (2019) playing Grizabella.

Credits

Breathe

Actor
Maya
Movie
2024

Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards

Music Performer
Show
2023

Elmo's Holiday Spectacular: The Nutcracker and Other Tales

Self
Show
2023

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Host
Talk
2022

Tell It Like a Woman

Actor
Kim Carter / Pepcy
Movie
2022

The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Music Performer
Show
2021

The 55th Annual CMA Awards

Music Performer
Show
2021

CBS Mornings

Guest
News
2021

Oprah and Jennifer Hudson

Guest
Show
2021

Jennifer Hudson: Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)

Music Performer
Show
2021

Hits!: Holiday Pop

Music Performer
Show
2021

Holiday Hits

Music Performer
Show
2021

RespectStream

Actor
Aretha Franklin
Movie
2021
68%

RespectStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2021
68%

Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas SpecialStream

Guest
Series
2020

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions

Guest
Show
2020

John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero

Music Performer
Show
2020

The BET Awards 2020

Music Performer
Show
2020

Global Goal: Unite for Our Future -- The Concert

Music Performer
Show
2020

The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II

Music Performer
Show
2020

Mariah Carey Feat. Ariana Grande & Jennifer Hudson: Oh Santa!

Music Performer
Show
2019

Global Citizen Prize Show

Music Performer
Show
2019

Global Citizen Prize

Music Performer
Special
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul

Music Performer
Special
2019

Today's Holidays Hits

Music Performer
Show
2019

CatsStream

Actor
Grizabella
Movie
2019
19%

Q 85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones

Guest
Show
2018

Iggy's Return

Music Performer
Show
2018

All Rise

Actor
Mrs. Harmon
Movie
2018

Access

Guest
Show
2017

A Very Pentatonix Christmas

Music Performer
Special
2017

The Sunday Project

Guest
Show
2017

The Breakfast Couch

Guest
Show
2017

British Politics and What We've Learned After the 2017 General Election

Actor
Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Jennifer Hudson: Remember Me

Music Performer
Show
2017

Pentatonix Feat. Jennifer Hudson: How Great Thou Art (From A Very Pentatonix Christmas)

Music Performer
Show
2017

Pentatonix Feat. Jennifer Hudson: How Great Thou Art

Music Performer
Show
2017

Jennifer Hudson: Burden Down

Music Performer
Show
2017

Sounds of the Season Live

Music Performer
Show
2017

Sandy WexlerStream

Actor
Courtney Clarke
Movie
2017
27%

Hairspray Live!

Actor
Motormouth Maybelle
Show
2016

Beat BugsStream

Music Performer
Series
2016

ConfirmationStream

Actor
Angela Wright
Movie
2016
84%

SingStream

Voice
Young Nana
Movie
2016
71%

Hairspray Live!Stream

Actor
Motormouth Maybelle
Movie
2016
76%

The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Music Performer
Talk
2015

Red Nose Day

Guest
Show
2015

Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson Goes #ShortHairDontCare on Style Files

Music Performer
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Oscars

Music Performer
Show
2015

Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life -- An All-Star Grammy Salute

Music Performer
Show
2015

BET Honors 2015: Extras

Actor
Show
2015

EmpireStream

Guest Star
Series
2015
84%

Tyrese feat. Jennifer Hudson: Shame

Music Performer
Show
2015

Chi-Raq

Actor
Irene
Movie
2015

The 37th Annual Kennedy Center Honors

Music Performer
Show
2014

A Home for the Holidays

Music Performer
Show
2014

Happy Holidays America

Guest
Show
2014

The Concert for Valor

Actor
Show
2014

Gorgon City Feat. Jennifer Hudson: Go All Night

Music Performer
Show
2014

Fashion Rocks

Music Performer
Show
2014

Stand Up to Cancer

Music Performer
Show
2014

The 68th Annual Tony Awards

Music Performer
Show
2014

BET Honors 2014: Extras

Actor
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Music Performer
Talk
2014

BET Honors 2014

Actor
Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Music Performer
Talk
2014

Iggy Azalea Feat. Jennifer Hudson: Trouble

Music Performer
Show
2014

Jennifer Hudson: I Still Love You

Music Performer
Show
2014

Jennifer Hudson Feat. Timbaland: Walk It Out

Music Performer
Show
2014

Jennifer Hudson Feat. T.I.: I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel) (Lyric Video)

Music Performer
Show
2014

Jennifer Hudson Feat. T.I.: I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel)

Music Performer
Show
2014

Lullaby

Actor
Movie
2014

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2014

Music Performer
Show
2013

Happy Holidays America 2013

Guest
Show
2013

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

2013 MTV Video Music Awards: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

The Real

Guest
Talk
2013

The Oscars

Music Performer
Show
2013

The Grammys Will Go On: A Death in the Family

Guest
Show
2013

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and PeteStream

Actor
Gloria
Movie
2013
84%

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

Actor
Maggie
Movie
2013

Black NativityStream

Actor
Naima
Movie
2013
51%

Nobels fredspriskonsert 2012

Music Performer
Show
2012

Nobel 2012

Music Performer
Show
2012

We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston

Music Performer
Show
2012

From Dust to Dreams: Opening Night at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts

Music Performer
Show
2012

Steve Harvey

Guest
Talk
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

Guest
Show
2012

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular

Music Performer
Show
2012

The Voice

Guest
Show
2012

The Voice UK

Judge
Show
2012

The 43rd NAACP Image Awards

Music Performer
Show
2012

SmashStream

Guest Star
Series
2012
68%

NFL Super Bowl Gospel Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

Ne-Yo & Jennifer Hudson: Think Like a Man

Music Performer
Show
2012

Jennifer Hudson & Ne-Yo Feat. Rick Ross: Think Like a Man

Music Performer
Show
2012

The Three Stooges

Actor
Sister Rosemary
Movie
2012

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade

Music Performer
Show
2011

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

The Jonathan Ross ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2011

Dish Nation

Guest
Talk
2011

Brooks & Dunn: The Last Rodeo

Music Performer
Show
2011

The VoiceStream

Judge
Reality
2011

The VoiceStream

Music Performer
Reality
2011

The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards

Music Performer
Show
2011

The Gayle King Show

Guest
Show
2011

Jennifer Hudson: No One Gonna Love You

Music Performer
Show
2011

Jennifer Hudson: Where You At

Music Performer
Show
2011

Winnie

Actor
Winnie Mandela
Movie
2011

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2011

Music Performer
Show
2010

Tina Fey: The Mark Twain Prize

Music Performer
Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Lorraine

Guest
Show
2010

ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn -- The Last Rodeo

Music Performer
Show
2010

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards

Music Performer
Show
2010

Jennifer Hudson: I Will Always Love You (As performed at the 2010 BET Honors)

Music Performer
Show
2010

Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas

Host
Show
2009

ES.TV

Guest
Show
2009

ES.TV

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Dr. Oz Show

Guest
Talk
2009

The Project

Guest
Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Alan Carr: Chatty Man

Guest Star
Show
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Music Performer
Talk
2009

The 40th NAACP Image Awards

Music Performer
Show
2009

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards

Music Performer
Show
2009

An Evening of Stars Tribute to Patti LaBelle

Music Performer
Show
2009

Jennifer Hudson: If This Isn't Love

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

Jennifer Hudson: Spotlight

Music Performer
Show
2008

Sex and the CityStream

Actor
Louise
Movie
2008
50%

The Secret Life of BeesStream

Actor
Rosaleen
Movie
2008
59%

Winged Creatures

Actor
Kathy Hammet
Movie
2008

Elmo's Christmas Countdown

Actor
Show
2007

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Guest
Show
2007

Chelsea Lately

Actor
Talk
2007

Chelsea Lately

Guest
Talk
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Music Performer
Talk
2007

Jennifer Hudson: And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

Music Performer
Show
2007

Our World With Black Enterprise

Guest
Show
2006

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

The One Show

Guest
Show
2006

America's Got TalentStream

Music Performer
Reality
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

DreamgirlsStream

Actor
Effie White
Movie
2006
79%

Entertainment Tonight Canada

Guest
Show
2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Music Performer
Reality
2005

Out There with Melissa DiMarco

Guest
Show
2005

Project RunwayStream

Guest
Reality
2004

Extreme Makeover: Home EditionStream

Guest
Reality
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Music Performer
Talk
2003

American Idol

Music Performer
Reality
2003
68%

Loose Women

Self
Show
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Live With Regis and Kelly

Music Performer
Show
2001

Entertainment Studios.com

Guest
Show
2000

Entertainment Studios.com

Music Performer
Show
2000

The Early Show

Guest
Show
1999

In Performance at The White House

Music Performer
Special
1998

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

The View

Music Performer
Talk
1997

Theater Talk

Guest
Show
1996

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Access Hollywood

Music Performer
News
1996

Entertainers: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1994

Extra

Guest
News
1994

Late Show With David Letterman

Music Performer
Talk
1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
Talk
1992

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Music Performer
Talk
1992

Dateline NBCStream

Guest
Series
1992

E! News

Actor
News
1991

The Oprah Winfrey ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1986

The Oprah Winfrey ShowStream

Music Performer
Talk
1986

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

20/20Stream

Guest
News
1978

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Good Morning America

Music Performer
News
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

Today

Music Performer
News
1952

News aboutJennifer Hudson

Lisa Rinna on The Jennifer Hudson Show

‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Star Lisa Rinna Addresses Whether She’ll Return to Show

American Idol coach Debra Byrd

Debra Byrd, ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ Vocal Coach, Dies at 72

Whoopi Goldberg, Ken Jennings, and Pat Sajak

Will ‘Jeopardy!,’ ‘Wheel of Fortune’ & ‘The View’ Be Forced Off Air by Writers’ Strike?

The Jennifer Hudson Show and the Talk

‘Jennifer Hudson Show’ & ‘The Talk’ to Return Amid Writers & Actors Strikes

Mayim Bialik and Leslie Jordan on Call Me Kat

Mayim Bialik Learned of Leslie Jordan’s Death While on Set for ‘Call Me Kat’

American-Idol-Successes

9 Biggest Success Stories From ‘American Idol’

Best Super Bowl National Anthems of All Time, Ranked (VIDEO)

Jennifer Hudson and Sherri Shepherd talk shows

‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ & Sherri Shepherd’s ‘Sherri’ Renewed

Jennifer Hudson (L) and Simon Cowell (R)

Jennifer Hudson’s First Talk Show Guest Will Be Simon Cowell, 18 Years After ‘Idol’

Jennifer Hudson in promo image for 'The Jennifer Hudson Show'
Fall Preview

Jennifer Hudson on Her Hosting Style & How Much Singing to Expect in Talk Show

The Jennifer Hudson Show

‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ Sets Fall Premiere Date

Jennifer Hudson

‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ Coming to Daytime in Fall 2022 From ‘Ellen’ Team

Grammys 2012 Adele

Remembering the Record-Breaking 2012 Grammy Awards

Jennifer Hudson attends the 27th Annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Celebration

Jennifer Hudson Working on Daytime Talk Show With ‘Ellen’ Team

The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards - Pink

10 of the Most Unforgettable Grammy Moments, From Pink Taking Flight to Kesha’s Comeback (VIDEO)

The Black Church This is Our Story Our Song
Review

Roush Review: ‘The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song’ Is a Joyful Noise

christina-aguilera-jennifer-hudson-john-legend

Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson & More Join ‘The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II’

american-idol

15 Amazing ‘American Idol’ Auditions Over the Years (VIDEO)

THE VOICE --

Mariah Carey Joins ‘The Voice’ & 4 More Great Moments From Knockouts

Scott Hoying of Pentatonix performs with Jennifer Hudson on A Very Pentatonix Christmas Special - Season 1
Exclusive

First Look: Jennifer Hudson and Other Guests Stop by to Celebrate ‘A Very Pentatonix Christmas’

The Voice - Cast
Exclusive

Is It Lucky Season 13 for ‘The Voice’? (VIDEO)

Hairspray Live! - Dove Cameron as Amber Von Tussle, Derek Hough as Corny Collins, Maddie Baillio as Tracy Turnblad

‘Hairspray Live!’: What Can We Expect? (PHOTOS)

Hairspray Live! - Season 2016

‘Hairspray Live!’: On the Set of the TV Version of John Waters’s Hit Musical

Hairspray Live!

‘Hairspray Live!’ First-Look Promo Unveiled During Olympics

Margaret Cho, Kristen Bell and Derek Hough

TV’s Biggest Stars Strike a Pose at TCA (PHOTOS)

TvTattle_4b-812x522

Jennifer Hudson and Harvey Fierstein to Headline NBC’s ‘Hairspray Live!’

TV Tattle

HBO’s confirmation adds Jennifer Hudson, Greg Kinnear to play Joe Biden