
Jennifer Hudson
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 12, 1981
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
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.
Filmography

The Making of 'Sex and the City' TBA
as Self

Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk 2027
as Ophelia the Owl (voice)

PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie 2026
as Lilian Ledes (voice)

AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy 2026
as Self

GOAT 2026
as Louise Harris (voice)

2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2025
as Self

Grace for the World 2025
as Self

The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl 2025
as Self

Diane Warren: Relentless 2025
as Self

92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center 2024
as Self

Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays 2024
as Self
- American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special 2024
as Self

Breathe 2024
as Maya

The Color Purple 2023
Songs

Christmas at Graceland 2023
as Self

Tell It Like a Woman 2022
as Pepcy / Kim

2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2021
as Self

Respect 2021
as Aretha Franklin, Executive Producer, Songs

Monster 2021
as Mrs. Harmon

Roll Up Your Sleeves 2021
as Self

Baba Yaga 2021
as Forest (voice), Executive Producer

Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special 2020
as Self

In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover 2020
as Jennifer Hudson

Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert 2020
as Self

The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II 2020
as Self

One World: Together at Home 2020
as Self

Cats 2019
as Grizabella

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" 2019
as Self

HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé 2019
as Self

Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul 2019
as Self

Happy Hour with Olly Murs 2018
as Self

Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones 2018
as Self

A Very Pentatonix Christmas 2017
as Self

Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives 2017
as Self

Sandy Wexler 2017
as Courtney Clarke

Hairspray Live! 2016
as Motormouth Maybelle, Songs

Sing 2016
as Young Nana (voice)

Confirmation 2016
as Angela Wright

Chi-Raq 2015
as Irene

The Concert for Valor 2014
as Self - Performer

Lullaby 2014
as Nurse Carrie

And the Oscar Goes To... 2014
as Self - Interviewee

Black Nativity 2013
as Naima

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete 2013
as Gloria

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film 2013
as Maggie

Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You 2012
as Self

The Three Stooges 2012
as Sister Rosemary

Always Whitney Houston 2012
as Self

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade 2011
as Self

VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul 2011
as Self

Winnie Mandela 2011
as Winnie Mandela
- Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas 2009
as Self

VH1 Divas 2009 2009
as Self

Winged Creatures 2009
as Kathy Archenault

Michael Jackson Memorial 2009
as Self
- DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70 2009
as Self (archive footage)

The Secret Life of Bees 2008
as Rosaleen Daise

Live from the Red Carpet: Sex and the City 2008
as Self

Sex and the City 2008
as Louise

Elmo's Christmas Countdown 2007
as Self

Dreamgirls 2006
as Effie White

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas 2006
as Jewel
Credits from TMDB.