Jennifer Hudson
Acting • Born 1981-09-12
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.
Filmography
96 credits
Dreamgirls
Movie • 2006
Effie White
Sex and the City
Movie • 2008
Louise
The Secret Life of Bees
Movie • 2008
Rosaleen Daise
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Movie • 2021
Self
Winged Creatures
Movie • 2009
Kathy Archenault
Winnie Mandela
Movie • 2011
Winnie Mandela
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
The Three Stooges
Movie • 2012
Sister Rosemary
Always Whitney Houston
Movie • 2012
Self
Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert
Movie • 2020
Self
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
Movie • 2013
Gloria
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Movie • 2013
Maggie
Black Nativity
Movie • 2013
Naima
And the Oscar Goes To...
Movie • 2014
Self - Interviewee
Lullaby
Movie • 2014
Nurse Carrie
Michael Jackson Memorial
Movie • 2009
Self
Christmas at Graceland
Movie • 2023
Self
Breathe
Movie • 2024
Maya
Baba Yaga
Movie • 2021
Forest (voice)
The Concert for Valor
Movie • 2014
Self - Performer
Diane Warren: Relentless
Movie • 2025
Self
Chi-Raq
Movie • 2015
Irene
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Movie • 2012
Self
Confirmation
Movie • 2016
Angela Wright
The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl
Movie • 2025
Self
Hairspray Live!
Movie • 2016
Motormouth Maybelle
Sandy Wexler
Movie • 2017
Courtney Clarke
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
Movie • 2011
Self
VH1 Divas 2009
Movie • 2009
Self
Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Movie • 2009
Self
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Movie • 2007
Self
Sing
Movie • 2016
Young Nana (voice)
A Very Pentatonix Christmas
Movie • 2017
Self
Monster
Movie • 2021
Mrs. Harmon
Cats
Movie • 2019
Grizabella
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Movie • 2017
Self
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul
Movie • 2019
Self
Respect
Movie • 2021
Aretha Franklin
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
Movie • 2019
Self
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
Movie • 2011
Self
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Movie • 2019
Self
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Movie • 2018
Self
The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
Movie • 2020
Self
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover
Movie • 2020
Jennifer Hudson
Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
Movie • 2020
Self
Happy Hour with Olly Murs
Movie • 2018
Self
Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk
Movie
Ophelia the owl (voice)
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Movie • 2021
Self
One World: Together at Home
Movie • 2020
Self
Tell It Like a Woman
Movie • 2022
Pepcy / Kim
American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
Movie • 2024
Self
92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center
Movie • 2024
Self
Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays
Movie • 2024
Self
Christmas with Andrea Bocelli & Friends: A Grammy Holiday Special
Movie • 2024
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
Movie • 2026
(voice)
GOAT
Movie • 2026
Louise Harris (voice)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Movie • 2006
Jewel
Grace for the World
Movie • 2025
Self
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Movie • 2025
Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV • 2003
Self
Today
TV • 1952
Self
The View
TV • 1997
Self
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV • 1992
American Idol
TV • 2002
Self
The Early Show
TV • 1999
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self - Guest
The Grammys
TV • 1959
Self
The Jonathan Ross Show
TV • 2011
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV • 2015
Self
Live from E!
TV • 2002
Self
Empire
TV • 2015
Michelle White
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self
The Late Late Show with James Corden
TV • 2015
Self
American Idol
TV • 2002
Self - Musical Guest
The View
TV • 1997
Self - Guest
Smash
TV • 2012
Veronica Moore
The Voice UK
TV • 2012
Self - Coach
MTV Video Music Awards
TV • 1984
Self
The Graham Norton Show
TV • 2007
Self
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV • 2022
Self - Host
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV • 2015
Entertainment Tonight
TV • 1981
Self
Project Runway
TV • 2004
Self - Guest Judge
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV • 2009
Self - Guest
The Voice
TV • 2011
Self - Coach
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
TV • 2023
Mane (voice)
The Voice
TV • 2012
Jennifer Hudson
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
TV • 1973
Self - Musical Guest
Sherri
TV • 2022
Self - Guest
Forensic Justice
TV • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Presenter
Celebrity Family Feud
TV • 2015
Self - Contestant
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self - Guest
American Idol
TV • 2002
Self - Contestant