Jennifer Hudson
Biography
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
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
The Graham Norton Show
2007
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
The View
1997
The View
1997
Filmography
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest · 2009
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self - Guest · 2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self · 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
· 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Guest · 2015
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self · 2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self - Guest · 2014
The Kelly Clarkson Show
as Self · 2019
The Graham Norton Show
as Self · 2007
The Late Late Show with James Corden
as Self · 2015
The View
as Self · 1997
The View
as Self - Guest · 1997
The Jennifer Hudson Show
as Self - Host · 2022
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self · 2003
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self - Guest · 1988
The Voice
as Self - Coach · 2011
The Voice
as Self - Mentor · 2011
Sherri
as Self - Guest · 2022
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
· 1992
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self · 2003
Project Runway
as Self - Guest Judge · 2004
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Presenter · 1944
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
as Lilian Ledes (voice) · 2026
American Idol
as Self · 2002
American Idol
as Self - Musical Guest · 2002
American Idol
as Self - Contestant · 2002
American Idol
as Self - Performer · 2002
Empire
as Michelle White · 2015
MTV Video Music Awards
as Self · 1984
GOAT
as Louise Harris (voice) · 2026
Celebrity Family Feud
as Self - Contestant · 2015
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
as Mane (voice) · 2023
The Jonathan Ross Show
as Self · 2011
American Idol
as Self - Guest Judge · 2018
Today
as Self · 1952
Steve Harvey
as Self - Musical Guest · 2012
The Oscars
as Self · 1953
The Voice UK
as Self - Coach · 2012
Sing
as Young Nana (voice) · 2016
The Voice
as Jennifer Hudson · 2012
Smash
as Veronica Moore · 2012
Live from E!
as Self · 2002
Entertainment Tonight
as Self · 1981
Sex and the City
as Louise · 2008
The Early Show
as Self · 1999
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
as Self - Musical Guest · 1973
Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
as Self · 2020
Forensic Justice
as Self (archive footage) · 2016
The Three Stooges
as Sister Rosemary · 2012
Dreamgirls
as Effie White · 2006
The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl
as Self · 2025
Cats
as Grizabella · 2019
Breathe
as Maya · 2024
The Secret Life of Bees
as Rosaleen Daise · 2008
Sandy Wexler
as Courtney Clarke · 2017
Respect
as Aretha Franklin · 2021
The Concert for Valor
as Self - Performer · 2014
Winged Creatures
as Kathy Archenault · 2009
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
as Maggie · 2013
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy
as Self · 2026
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
as Self · 2019
Confirmation
as Angela Wright · 2016
Monster
as Mrs. Harmon · 2021
The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
as Self · 2020
Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk
as Ophelia the Owl (voice) · 2027
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
as Self · 2017
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
as Self · 2007
Chi-Raq
as Irene · 2015
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
as Gloria · 2013
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
as Self · 2025
One World: Together at Home
as Self · 2020
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self - Interviewee · 2014
Hairspray Live!
as Motormouth Maybelle · 2016
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
as Self · 2021
Tell It Like a Woman
as Pepcy / Kim · 2022
Winnie Mandela
as Winnie Mandela · 2011
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
as Self · 2019
Roll Up Your Sleeves
as Self · 2021
Lullaby
as Nurse Carrie · 2014
Baba Yaga
as Forest (voice) · 2021
Diane Warren: Relentless
as Self · 2025
The Making of 'Sex and the City'
as Self
American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
as Self · 2024
Black Nativity
as Naima · 2013
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul
as Self · 2019
92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center
as Self · 2024
Grace for the World
as Self · 2025
Live from the Red Carpet: Sex and the City
as Self · 2008
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
as Self · 2012
Michael Jackson Memorial
as Self · 2009
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
as Self · 2011
Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert
as Self · 2020
The Grammys
as Self · 1959
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
as Jewel · 2006
Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas
as Self · 2009
A Very Pentatonix Christmas
as Self · 2017
Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays
as Self · 2024
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
as Self · 2011
Christmas with Andrea Bocelli & Friends: A Grammy Holiday Special
· 2024
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
as Self (archive footage) · 2009
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
as Self · 2018
Always Whitney Houston
as Self · 2012
Happy Hour with Olly Murs
as Self · 2018
VH1 Divas 2009
as Self · 2009
Christmas at Graceland
as Self · 2023
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover
as Jennifer Hudson · 2020