Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Hudson rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, placing seventh. She made her film debut as Effie White in the musical Dreamgirls (2006), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the youngest African-American to win in a competitive acting category. After signing to Arista Records, Hudson released her self-titled debut studio album in 2008, which was certified Gold in the US and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.

Hudson’s subsequent studio albums, I Remember Me (2011) and JHUD (2014), both charted within the top ten of the Billboard 200, with the former also being certified Gold in the US. Meanwhile, her other acting roles include the films Sex and the City (2008), The Secret Life of Bees (2008), Winnie Mandela (2011), Black Nativity (2013), Sing (2016), Cats (2019) and Respect (2021), the television shows Smash (2012), Empire (2015) and Confirmation (2016), and her Broadway debut with the musical The Color Purple. Hudson also contributed as a coach on the UK and the US version of The Voice from 2017 up to 2019, becoming the first female coach to win the former.

Known For

Sing Not in library

Sing

2016

Sex and the City Not in library

Sex and the City

2008

Dreamgirls Not in library

Dreamgirls

2006

Cats Not in library

Cats

2019

Empire Not in library

Empire

2015

The Three Stooges Not in library

The Three Stooges

2012

Sandy Wexler Not in library

Sandy Wexler

2017

The Secret Life of Bees Not in library

The Secret Life of Bees

2008

Respect Not in library

Respect

2021

HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé Not in library

HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé

2019

Acting

2026 PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie as (voice)
2026 GOAT as Louise Harris (voice) In Library
2025 Diane Warren: Relentless as Self
2025 The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl as Self
2025 Grace for the World as Self
2025 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
2024 Breathe as Maya
2024 American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special as Self
2024 92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center as Self
2024 Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays as Self
2024 Christmas with Andrea Bocelli & Friends: A Grammy Holiday Special
2023 Christmas at Graceland as Self
2023 Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur as Mane (voice) (1 episode)
2022 Tell It Like a Woman as Pepcy / Kim
2022 The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self - Host (624 episodes)
2022 Sherri as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2021 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
2021 Baba Yaga as Forest (voice)
2021 Monster as Mrs. Harmon
2021 Respect as Aretha Franklin
2021 Roll Up Your Sleeves as Self
2020 Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert as Self
2020 The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II as Self
2020 In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover as Jennifer Hudson
2020 Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special as Self
2020 One World: Together at Home as Self
2019 Cats as Grizabella
2019 Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul as Self
2019 HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé as Self
2019 Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" as Self
2018 Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones as Self
2018 Happy Hour with Olly Murs as Self
2017 Sandy Wexler as Courtney Clarke
2017 A Very Pentatonix Christmas as Self
2017 Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives as Self
2016 Confirmation as Angela Wright
2016 Hairspray Live! as Motormouth Maybelle
2016 Sing as Young Nana (voice)
2016 Forensic Justice as Self (archive footage) (1 episode)
2015 Chi-Raq as Irene
2015 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self (4 episodes)
2015 Empire as Michelle White (3 episodes)
2015 The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self (1 episode)
2015 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 Celebrity Family Feud as Self - Contestant (1 episode)
2014 And the Oscar Goes To... as Self - Interviewee
2014 Lullaby as Nurse Carrie
2014 The Concert for Valor as Self - Performer
2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self (3 episodes)
2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2013 The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete as Gloria
2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film as Maggie
2013 Black Nativity as Naima
2012 The Three Stooges as Sister Rosemary
2012 Always Whitney Houston as Self
2012 Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You as Self
2012 Smash as Veronica Moore (3 episodes)
2012 The Voice UK as Self - Coach (45 episodes)
2012 The Voice as Jennifer Hudson (2 episodes)
2011 Winnie Mandela as Winnie Mandela
2011 VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul as Self
2011 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as Self
2011 The Jonathan Ross Show as Self (1 episode)
2011 The Voice as Self - Coach (55 episodes)
2011 The Voice as Self - Mentor (2 episodes)
2009 Winged Creatures as Kathy Archenault
2009 DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70 as Self (archive footage)
2009 Michael Jackson Memorial as Self
2009 VH1 Divas 2009 as Self
2009 Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas as Self
2009 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest (3 episodes)
2008 Sex and the City as Louise
2008 The Secret Life of Bees as Rosaleen Daise
2007 Elmo's Christmas Countdown as Self
2007 The Graham Norton Show as Self (3 episodes)
2006 Dreamgirls as Effie White
2006 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Jewel
2004 Project Runway as Self - Guest Judge (1 episode)
2003 The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self (2 episodes)
2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self (2 episodes)
2002 American Idol as Self (3 episodes)
2002 Live from E! as Self (2 episodes)
2002 American Idol as Self - Musical Guest (1 episode)
2002 American Idol as Self - Contestant (2 episodes)
2002 American Idol as Self - Performer (1 episode)
1999 The Early Show as Self (2 episodes)
1997 The View as Self (2 episodes)
1997 The View as Self - Guest (1 episode)
1992 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1988 LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest (4 episodes)
1984 MTV Video Music Awards as Self (1 episode)
1981 Entertainment Tonight as Self (1 episode)
1973 The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self - Musical Guest (1 episode)
1959 The Grammys as Self (1 episode)
1953 The Oscars as Self (2 episodes)
1952 Today as Self (1 episode)
1944 Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter (1 episode)
Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk as Ophelia the owl (voice)

Production

2022 The Jennifer Hudson Show Executive Producer
2021 Respect Executive Producer
2021 Baba Yaga Executive Producer

Sound

2023 The Color Purple Songs
2021 Respect Songs
2016 Hairspray Live! Songs

Creator

2022 The Jennifer Hudson Show Creator