WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.120 Welcome to the deep dive, your place for, well, 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:05.580 unlocking the stories and maybe some unexpected 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:08.839 insights behind really remarkable achievements. 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:12.220 Today, we're digging into the journey of someone 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:15.759 whose name is just synonymous with. breathtaking 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:19.000 talent, a real vocal powerhouse. Absolutely, 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:21.940 a presence that's just graced like every major 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:24.059 stage in American entertainment. We're talking 00:00:24.059 --> 00:00:26.100 about someone who has conquered that really rare 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:29.739 and illustrious world of the Ego -T. That's right. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:31.940 And for anyone listening who maybe isn't totally 00:00:31.940 --> 00:00:34.359 familiar, Ego -T, that's Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, 00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:37.219 and Tony Award. The big four. Exactly. It's really 00:00:37.219 --> 00:00:39.960 the... absolute pinnacle of recognition, you 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:43.060 know, across TV, music, film and theater. It's 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:46.340 a very exclusive club. It really is. And it's 00:00:46.340 --> 00:00:48.340 testament not just to raw talent, which she clearly 00:00:48.340 --> 00:00:51.380 has, but also incredible versatility and, you 00:00:51.380 --> 00:00:53.579 know, sustained excellence across these wildly 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:55.200 different fields. Yes, totally different skill 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.479 sets involved. Right. There are only, what, 17 00:00:57.479 --> 00:01:00.320 competitive EGO -T winners in history. And our 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.659 subject today is one of the most recent and actually 00:01:02.659 --> 00:01:04.760 one of the youngest to pull off this incredible 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:07.760 feat. Absolutely. So today We are dedicating 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.319 our deep dive to the extraordinary life, the 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:14.079 unparalleled career of Jennifer Kate Hudson, 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:17.400 or J. Hud, as many know her. J. Hud, yeah. She 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:21.280 is quite simply a force of nature. So our mission 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:25.319 today is to really meticulously unpack her remarkable 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:27.400 path. We're drawing directly from the source 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:29.659 material you've provided. We're going to trace 00:01:29.659 --> 00:01:33.420 her journey right from being an ambitious American 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:35.920 Idol hopeful. Right. Seems like a lifetime ago 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:39.040 now. Doesn't it? all the way to becoming this 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:42.659 revered global icon. We'll explore the pivotal 00:01:42.659 --> 00:01:44.680 moments, some truly surprising facts, I found 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:47.379 a few, and the incredible resilience that I think... 00:01:47.420 --> 00:01:49.500 really defines her whole career. Yeah, resilience 00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:51.260 is definitely the word. You're really in for 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:53.719 a story that's just brimming with those aha moments, 00:01:53.739 --> 00:01:56.000 you know, and some powerful insights into how 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.439 foundational experiences, unexpected challenges 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:00.939 and just your determination can shape such an 00:02:00.939 --> 00:02:03.019 extraordinary rise. So think of this as your 00:02:03.019 --> 00:02:05.859 shortcut, maybe to get a really thorough but 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:08.460 still accessible understanding of her multifaceted 00:02:08.460 --> 00:02:10.580 career. Right. We want to give you those nuggets 00:02:10.580 --> 00:02:13.020 of deep knowledge without, you know, drowning 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:15.479 you in information. Exactly. No information overload 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:18.960 here. So settle in. Let's really explore this 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:21.379 remarkable journey. Let's do it. OK, so Jennifer 00:02:21.379 --> 00:02:24.719 Hudson's story kicks off in a city that's just 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:27.740 legendary for its deep musical roots, its vibrant 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:30.819 culture, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago. She was 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:33.379 born Jennifer Kate Husson, September 12, 1980, 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:36.919 run the youngest of three kids. OK. Her mother, 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.509 Darnell Donnerson, was a homemaker and her father, 00:02:40.849 --> 00:02:43.430 Samuel Simpson, he worked as a Greyhound Lines 00:02:43.430 --> 00:02:46.289 bus driver, sort of the foundation for their 00:02:46.289 --> 00:02:48.169 family life. Right, a working class background. 00:02:48.590 --> 00:02:50.949 Yeah. And she was primarily raised by her mother 00:02:50.949 --> 00:02:52.930 in the Inglewood neighborhood, which is a pretty 00:02:52.930 --> 00:02:55.569 tight knit community. She grew up alongside her 00:02:55.569 --> 00:02:57.889 older sister, Julia, who later became a school 00:02:57.889 --> 00:03:00.449 bus driver, interestingly, and her brother, Jason. 00:03:01.030 --> 00:03:03.509 So that early environment, you know, rooted in 00:03:03.509 --> 00:03:06.680 family community. It sounds like it played a 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.319 pretty significant role. Yeah, shaping that sort 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:11.500 of grounded person we see today, absolutely. 00:03:11.860 --> 00:03:13.800 Now, here's something really unique, kind of 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:16.680 a remarkable detail from her early life. It gives 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:20.900 you a glimpse into her personal quest for understanding, 00:03:20.979 --> 00:03:24.020 even back then. Oh, what's that? Well, at just 00:03:24.020 --> 00:03:26.639 14 years old, and apparently with her mother's 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.219 full blessing, which is key, Jennifer started 00:03:29.219 --> 00:03:32.240 looking for her biological father. Okay, at 14. 00:03:32.860 --> 00:03:35.460 That's young to take that on. It really is. And 00:03:35.460 --> 00:03:37.699 during this search, she discovers something pretty 00:03:37.699 --> 00:03:40.960 stunning. Her father, Samuel Simpson, actually 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:45.080 had 26 other children. 26? Wow. Yeah. 26 other 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.500 kids. She's even said since then that she still 00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:49.800 hasn't met all of her half -siblings. Which, 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.360 I mean, can you imagine? Suddenly discovering 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.819 you have this enormous extended family. Yeah, 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:57.500 that's a lot to process at 14, or any age, really. 00:03:57.659 --> 00:04:00.000 Right. It speaks volumes, though, about her, 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.680 like, innate curiosity, her desire to understand 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:04.639 her own background, even as a young teenager. 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:06.719 That is certainly an unexpected expansion of 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:08.539 the family tree. It must have been really profound 00:04:08.539 --> 00:04:12.319 for her. But her early roots were also... deeply 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:15.020 musical, right, and spiritual. That provided 00:04:15.020 --> 00:04:17.879 a different kind of foundation. Definitely. Raised 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:20.279 as a Baptist, which is, you know, a tradition 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:23.000 steeped in powerful music. For sure. And she 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:26.000 found her voice, her passion for performing, 00:04:26.620 --> 00:04:29.420 really, really early on, like age seven. Seven. 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:32.160 Already performing. Yeah, singing with the church 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:35.240 choir, where, let's be honest, so many powerhouse 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:37.720 vocalists get their start right. Absolutely. 00:04:37.819 --> 00:04:39.600 That's a classic training ground. And she was 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:41.480 active in community theater, too, apparently 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:44.120 guided quite a bit by her late maternal grandmother, 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.649 Julia. Ah. The grandmother's influence. Yeah. 00:04:48.110 --> 00:04:51.029 It really highlights how those early experiences, 00:04:51.730 --> 00:04:54.569 often in these local, really supportive places, 00:04:55.029 --> 00:04:57.370 can just spark a lifelong passion. It really 00:04:57.370 --> 00:04:58.810 does. It's often in those settings, isn't it? 00:04:58.850 --> 00:05:01.449 Like the church choir, local theater, where that 00:05:01.449 --> 00:05:03.769 raw talent isn't just found, but it's actually 00:05:03.769 --> 00:05:06.610 nurtured, given its first stage. Exactly. And 00:05:06.610 --> 00:05:08.829 when you look at who inspired her back then, 00:05:08.970 --> 00:05:11.790 I mean, they're legends. Whitney Houston, Aretha 00:05:11.790 --> 00:05:14.269 Franklin, Patti LaBelle. The Holy Trinity of 00:05:14.269 --> 00:05:16.639 soul voices, basically. Pretty much. These weren't 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:18.620 just singers she liked. They were her biggest 00:05:18.620 --> 00:05:22.680 influences, her inspirations. And she specifically 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:24.779 called out Mariah Carey as one of her musical 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:27.839 heroes, too. OK, Mariah, too. Interesting. Yeah. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:30.500 It tells you so much about the kind of, you know, 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:33.139 powerful, soulful, technically brilliant singing 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:36.040 she was aiming for. You can really hear echoes 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:38.279 of them in her own voice, can't you? Or absolutely. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:40.920 You can hear those influences woven right into 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:44.160 her delivery, her stage presence. It's undeniable. 00:05:45.059 --> 00:05:47.500 So educationally, she went to Dunbar Vocational 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:51.199 High School, graduated in 99. OK. After high 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:53.680 school, she did a brief stint at Langston University 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:56.360 in Oklahoma. Langston, OK. But you know, like, 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:58.560 often happens when young folks go far from home 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:02.379 first time. She got homesick. And apparently, 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.360 she really wasn't thrilled with the Oklahoma 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:06.879 weather either. Can't blame her there sometimes. 00:06:06.939 --> 00:06:10.410 Right. So she left after just one semester. headed 00:06:10.410 --> 00:06:12.689 back to Chicago, and enrolled at Kennedy King 00:06:12.689 --> 00:06:15.230 College instead. You know, that's a really relatable 00:06:15.230 --> 00:06:18.350 moment. Trying college far away, realizing maybe 00:06:18.350 --> 00:06:20.149 it's not the right fit, and having the sense 00:06:20.149 --> 00:06:22.610 to make a change. Yeah. Shows a kind of practical 00:06:22.610 --> 00:06:24.470 side, doesn't it? Yeah. Recognizing what wasn't 00:06:24.470 --> 00:06:27.149 working and pivoting. Definitely. And these early 00:06:27.149 --> 00:06:30.230 steps back home, they led her straight into her 00:06:30.230 --> 00:06:33.310 first real taste of the music industry. January 00:06:33.310 --> 00:06:36.629 2002, she signs her first recording contract. 00:06:36.790 --> 00:06:39.509 Ah, the first deal. Yeah, with Righteous Records. 00:06:39.470 --> 00:06:43.149 an independent label based right there in Chicago. 00:06:43.290 --> 00:06:46.470 Got an indie deal first. Right. A crucial first 00:06:46.470 --> 00:06:48.430 professional step, you know, gave her a taste 00:06:48.430 --> 00:06:50.629 of the recording world. But here's what's really 00:06:50.629 --> 00:06:52.889 significant and actually shows some amazing foresight 00:06:52.889 --> 00:06:55.509 from that little label. What was that? They specifically 00:06:55.509 --> 00:06:57.750 released her from that contract just so she could 00:06:57.750 --> 00:07:00.709 go on American Idol in 2004. Really? They let 00:07:00.709 --> 00:07:03.089 her go for Idol? Yeah. This independent label, 00:07:03.889 --> 00:07:06.620 they... basically understood the huge potential 00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:08.899 of that show, which was just starting to blow 00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:11.399 up. They realized the exposure she could get 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.060 on Idol was way more valuable in the long run 00:07:14.060 --> 00:07:16.019 than keeping her locked into their small deal. 00:07:16.120 --> 00:07:18.100 They set the stage for her, essentially. Wow. 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:21.139 That is foresight. Good for them and obviously 00:07:21.139 --> 00:07:23.399 good for her. And what an emergence that was. 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:25.300 Right. Let's really get into this next chapter 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:28.740 because American Idol, it was definitely defining, 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:31.699 maybe an unconventional beginning, but defining. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.139 Absolutely. Season three. She auditions in Atlanta. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.279 OK. And there's that famous story, right? About 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:41.519 the cruise ship. Yes. The anecdote. So she mentions 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.480 to the judges she'd been singing professionally 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:45.779 on Disney cruise lines. Playing one of the muses 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:48.339 from Hercules, I think. That's the one. And Judge 00:07:48.339 --> 00:07:50.639 Randy Jackson famously quipped something like, 00:07:51.180 --> 00:07:53.259 we're expecting more than a cruise ship performance 00:07:53.259 --> 00:07:56.800 from you. Ouch. OK. Setting the bar high from 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:58.680 the get -go. Yeah, it was almost like a challenge 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:01.050 thrown down right there. testing her, you know. 00:08:01.149 --> 00:08:02.709 And it kind of set up the narrative, didn't it? 00:08:02.750 --> 00:08:05.370 The whole exceeding expectations thing. It really 00:08:05.370 --> 00:08:08.069 did. Maybe it was meant as a jab, but it perfectly 00:08:08.069 --> 00:08:10.470 framed her journey on the show. The pressure 00:08:10.470 --> 00:08:13.269 on Idol was just immense. And season three especially 00:08:13.269 --> 00:08:15.670 was stacked. Really talented group. I remember 00:08:15.670 --> 00:08:18.170 that season. But her early performances, they 00:08:18.170 --> 00:08:22.620 just grabbed everyone. judges, audience. She 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:25.420 did this incredibly powerful version of Elton 00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:28.120 John's Circle of Life. Oh, I remember that one. 00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:31.180 Huge song. Huge song. Demands power, emotion, 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:34.340 and she nailed it. earned her the highest number 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:36.879 of votes in the top nine week, April 6th, 2004. 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:39.899 Wow. Highest votes. Yeah. And she had other big 00:08:39.899 --> 00:08:41.919 ones, too, like Aretha Franklin's Baby I Love 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:44.539 You during Soul Week and Whitney Houston's I 00:08:44.539 --> 00:08:46.679 Have Nothing for Movie Week. Speaking to her 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:48.940 heroes there. Exactly. Showcasing her range, 00:08:49.059 --> 00:08:52.259 her depth, but also explicitly linking herself 00:08:52.259 --> 00:08:54.519 to those powerhouse influences we talked about. 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:57.419 It was like she was declaring her musical lineage 00:08:57.419 --> 00:09:00.240 right there on stage. And this is where the story 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:03.059 takes that really interesting kind of bath. turn 00:09:03.059 --> 00:09:07.320 right because despite all that talent those amazing 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:09.159 performances yeah it still doesn't quite make 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.620 sense does it no she gets eliminated during the 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:14.620 top seven show after singing Barry Manilow's 00:09:14.620 --> 00:09:17.080 weekend in New England the Manilow song I remember 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:20.179 the shock it wasn't just any elimination it was 00:09:20.179 --> 00:09:23.879 widely seen as one of the most surprising maybe 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:26.580 even controversial in the whole history of the 00:09:26.580 --> 00:09:29.279 show Absolutely. I mean, MTV, like five years 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:32.820 later in 2009, listed her exit as the most shocking 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:35.440 of all time. Five years on, that tells you how 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:37.759 much it stuck with people. Yeah, that sense of 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:41.100 disbelief really lingered. It did. And that feeling 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:43.559 resonated long after season three wrapped up. 00:09:44.059 --> 00:09:46.720 The Los Angeles Times, I think it was May 2010, 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.519 they claimed Hudson was the third greatest idol 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:51.879 contestant ever. Third greatest. Even without 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:55.169 winning. Yeah. behind only Kelly Clarkson and 00:09:55.169 --> 00:09:58.889 Carrie Underwood both winners. Wow. So this recognition, 00:09:59.370 --> 00:10:01.850 years later, even after what everyone saw as 00:10:01.850 --> 00:10:06.169 this, like, unjust, shocking early exit, it just 00:10:06.169 --> 00:10:08.750 underscores the massive impression she made on 00:10:08.750 --> 00:10:11.710 everyone. Audiences, critics, the industry. It's 00:10:11.710 --> 00:10:13.450 such a powerful statement, isn't it? That when 00:10:13.450 --> 00:10:16.350 raw talent is that undeniable, it finds its way. 00:10:16.669 --> 00:10:18.509 Regardless of, you know, reality show results. 00:10:18.669 --> 00:10:20.450 Exactly. Competition outcomes don't always dictate 00:10:20.450 --> 00:10:22.580 the future. So what do we take away from this 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:24.620 whole idol chapter for her? This early spotlight, 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:27.019 even with that crazy elimination, it actually 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:29.080 built this crucial foundation for her success, 00:10:29.159 --> 00:10:31.350 didn't it? In a really unique way. Totally. It 00:10:31.350 --> 00:10:33.090 wasn't about winning the title for her. It was 00:10:33.090 --> 00:10:35.590 about introducing that incredible voice to the 00:10:35.590 --> 00:10:39.110 nation. And maybe, just maybe, creating this 00:10:39.110 --> 00:10:41.250 narrative of an underdog. Yeah, the underdog 00:10:41.250 --> 00:10:43.429 story is powerful. Right. Someone who, despite 00:10:43.429 --> 00:10:45.970 the setback, was clearly destined for something 00:10:45.970 --> 00:10:48.269 bigger. It's kind of a testament to the idea 00:10:48.269 --> 00:10:50.269 that sometimes the most compelling stories, maybe 00:10:50.269 --> 00:10:52.950 the strongest foundations, aren't built on easy 00:10:52.950 --> 00:10:55.169 wins. They're built on overcoming these unexpected 00:10:55.169 --> 00:10:58.570 hurdles. And the public outcry. over her getting 00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:01.070 voted off. That created this really powerful, 00:11:01.070 --> 00:11:03.230 like, sympathetic connection, didn't it? That 00:11:03.230 --> 00:11:05.250 probably served her really well later on. I think 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:07.090 so, too. People were rooting for her even more 00:11:07.090 --> 00:11:09.769 after that. Okay, so Idle ends unexpectedly. 00:11:09.950 --> 00:11:11.889 Mm -hmm. But what came next wasn't just bigger. 00:11:12.049 --> 00:11:15.870 It was... well, truly transformative. Ender Statement 00:11:15.870 --> 00:11:19.110 of the Year, maybe. Right. November 2005. Just 00:11:19.110 --> 00:11:21.470 another year after Idle. Jennifer Hudson gets 00:11:21.470 --> 00:11:24.669 cast as Effie White in the movie version of Dreamgirls. 00:11:24.990 --> 00:11:28.149 The role. Effie White. I mean... Iconic. Absolutely 00:11:28.149 --> 00:11:31.929 iconic. A star -making part, vocal and emotional 00:11:31.929 --> 00:11:34.309 Mount Everest, really. And she gets this role 00:11:34.309 --> 00:11:36.929 over literally hundreds of professional singers 00:11:36.929 --> 00:11:41.190 and actresses, including fellow idol Fantasia 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:43.470 Brino, right? Who a lot of people thought was 00:11:43.470 --> 00:11:45.509 the front runner. Yeah, Fantasia was considered 00:11:45.509 --> 00:11:48.870 a lock by many. So for Jennifer to get it, huge. 00:11:49.389 --> 00:11:51.509 And remember, this was her very first movie. 00:11:51.690 --> 00:11:54.809 her screen debut in probably the highest -stakes 00:11:54.809 --> 00:11:57.009 environment imaginable. Talk about pressure again. 00:11:57.690 --> 00:12:00.509 Filming started January 2006, limited release 00:12:00.509 --> 00:12:04.649 Christmas 06, then wide in January 07, setting 00:12:04.649 --> 00:12:08.070 the stage for, well, an earthquake. Yeah, because 00:12:08.070 --> 00:12:09.970 her performance of, and I'm telling you, I'm 00:12:09.970 --> 00:12:13.049 not going. Oh, that performance. Right, Effie's 00:12:13.049 --> 00:12:15.850 signature power ballad. It just brought universal 00:12:15.850 --> 00:12:18.110 critical acclaim. And completely deservedly. 00:12:18.110 --> 00:12:20.250 You have to remember that song was already legendary 00:12:20.250 --> 00:12:22.149 on Broadway, right? Because of Jennifer Holliday. 00:12:22.409 --> 00:12:25.129 Exactly. Holliday's performance was definitive, 00:12:25.570 --> 00:12:28.230 electrifying. So Hudson wasn't just taking on 00:12:28.230 --> 00:12:30.309 a role, she was stepping into these enormous, 00:12:30.570 --> 00:12:33.190 critically adored shoes. And somehow she just 00:12:33.190 --> 00:12:35.610 made it her own. Yeah. While still honoring that 00:12:35.610 --> 00:12:39.279 legacy, critics were just... floored, utterly 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.860 blown away by the power, the emotion. The praise 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:44.639 was instant. And just over the top, the New York 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:48.600 Observer called her performance, five, mellifluous, 00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:51.860 multivibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted 00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:54.480 Ms. Hudson into the position of front runner 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:56.860 for the best supporting actress, Oscar. Front 00:12:56.860 --> 00:12:59.679 runner, immediately. Immediately. Newsweek predicted 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:02.580 she is going to raise goosebumps across the land, 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:05.600 which she absolutely did. Can confirm, goosebumps 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.559 were raised. Yeah. In Variety, you know the industry 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.840 Bible, they said, her performance calls to mind 00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:14.299 debuts like Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl or 00:13:14.299 --> 00:13:16.480 Bette Midler in The Rose with a voice like the 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:20.429 young Aretha. Streisand Midler. I mean, those 00:13:20.429 --> 00:13:24.129 comparisons are just insane for a debut. Insane. 00:13:24.250 --> 00:13:26.590 That kind of praise is incredibly rare for any 00:13:26.590 --> 00:13:28.750 debut performance, let alone someone basically 00:13:28.750 --> 00:13:30.730 known from a singing competition. Right. And 00:13:30.730 --> 00:13:32.149 Entertainment Weekly, they have this great line 00:13:32.149 --> 00:13:34.210 on their end -of -the -decade best -of list. 00:13:34.610 --> 00:13:37.009 They said, when she sang, You're Gonna Love Me, 00:13:37.330 --> 00:13:40.600 it wasn't just a lyric, it was a fact. Ah, that's 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:42.399 perfect. It's true though, she didn't just sing 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.659 the song, she embodied it. Commanded the screen 00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:47.940 with this emotional intensity that just grabbed 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:50.600 everyone. It was like, bam, a major star has 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:53.019 arrived. And what's truly amazing is how fast 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.919 that critical buzz turned into an actual awards 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:59.200 avalanche. Yeah. Like 2006, 2007, she just swept 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.159 everything. It was incredible to watch. February 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:05.120 25, 2007, a date etched in film history now. 00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:07.559 She wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:10.169 Actress. The Oscar. for her first movie. First 00:14:10.169 --> 00:14:13.090 movie. And she became the youngest African -American 00:14:13.090 --> 00:14:16.049 recipient of that specific award. A huge moment, 00:14:16.350 --> 00:14:18.370 personally and historically. Just incredible. 00:14:18.429 --> 00:14:20.850 And the Oscar, while obviously the biggest one, 00:14:21.049 --> 00:14:23.070 it was really just the start, wasn't it? Oh, 00:14:23.070 --> 00:14:25.330 yeah. Tip of the iceberg. Yeah. She also won 00:14:25.330 --> 00:14:28.110 the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting 00:14:28.110 --> 00:14:31.289 Role, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting 00:14:31.289 --> 00:14:33.049 Role. Although there's that funny story about 00:14:33.049 --> 00:14:35.690 the BAFTA statue, right? Ah, yes. Apparently 00:14:35.690 --> 00:14:38.149 she didn't physically get the statue until 2011. 00:14:38.609 --> 00:14:41.129 Bram Norton presented it to her on his show. 00:14:41.490 --> 00:14:45.629 A bit delayed, but she got it. Right. But beyond 00:14:45.629 --> 00:14:49.049 those big three, she got something like 29 awards 00:14:49.049 --> 00:14:51.710 from film critics groups, best supporting actress, 00:14:51.990 --> 00:14:54.769 breakthrough performer of 2006, broadcast film 00:14:54.769 --> 00:14:57.769 critics, Screen Actors Guild. It was practically 00:14:57.769 --> 00:15:00.409 unanimous across the board. A total consensus. 00:15:00.669 --> 00:15:03.590 Even Simon Cowell got in on it? Even Simon, the 00:15:03.590 --> 00:15:06.450 famously tough judge from Idol, he actually taped 00:15:06.450 --> 00:15:08.690 a congratulatory message for her that aired on 00:15:08.690 --> 00:15:11.659 Oprah. Wow. Full circle moment right there, vindication. 00:15:12.059 --> 00:15:14.639 Totally. And the dream girl's impact went beyond 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.600 just her performance. That song, Love You, I 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:18.759 Do, from the movie. Great song. It was nominated 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:21.559 for best original song at the Oscars in 07, and 00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:24.120 then it won the Grammy in 08 for best song written 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:26.500 for a motion picture or TV. So the whole project 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:29.019 just kept racking up accolades. And her wider 00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:30.899 cultural impact. That was instant too, right? 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:34.610 The Vogue cover? Oh, yeah. March. 2007, she becomes 00:15:34.610 --> 00:15:36.950 only the third African -American celebrity and 00:15:36.950 --> 00:15:39.129 the first African -American singer to grace the 00:15:39.129 --> 00:15:41.610 cover of Vogue. That's huge. A major fashion 00:15:41.610 --> 00:15:44.169 and cultural statement. Massive. And her hometown, 00:15:44.330 --> 00:15:47.049 Chicago, they were bursting with pride. Mayor 00:15:47.049 --> 00:15:49.789 Richard M. Daley declared March 6th Jennifer 00:15:49.789 --> 00:15:52.769 Hudson Day. Jennifer Hudson Day. Love it. Right. 00:15:53.230 --> 00:15:56.129 And then in June 2007, the Academy invited her 00:15:56.129 --> 00:15:58.350 to join the actual Academy of Motion Picture 00:15:58.350 --> 00:16:00.730 Arts and Sciences, along with like 115 other 00:16:00.730 --> 00:16:03.230 people, cementing her place in the Hollywood 00:16:03.230 --> 00:16:06.409 establishment like immediately. So looking back 00:16:06.409 --> 00:16:09.470 at this whole dream girl's whirlwind, what does 00:16:09.470 --> 00:16:12.549 it really tell us? I think it vividly shows how 00:16:12.549 --> 00:16:15.269 one truly iconic performance. That performance 00:16:15.269 --> 00:16:18.539 of And I Am Telling You. Exactly. That one show 00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:21.340 stopping moment can completely solidify an artist's 00:16:21.340 --> 00:16:24.100 place in history. It just transformed her from 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:26.659 an idol contestant who didn't even win. Right. 00:16:26.700 --> 00:16:29.120 Seventh place. Seventh place to an Oscar winner 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.320 and a global sensation almost overnight. It's 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.519 such a powerful lesson in seizing that one perfect 00:16:34.519 --> 00:16:36.860 opportunity and just delivering something so 00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:39.159 undeniable that it completely rewrites your narrative. 00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:41.840 Yeah. It blew all previous expectations out of 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:44.039 the water. Yeah. OK. So after that massive dream 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.649 girl success. Her career just keeps moving, right? 00:16:47.070 --> 00:16:49.649 Straight into her own music, finally, but also 00:16:49.649 --> 00:16:51.750 still acting. Definitely. She had signed with 00:16:51.750 --> 00:16:54.710 Arista Records back in November 2006, right in 00:16:54.710 --> 00:16:57.269 the middle of the Oscar buzz. Smart timing. Very 00:16:57.269 --> 00:17:00.450 smart. And her self -titled debut album, Jennifer 00:17:00.450 --> 00:17:03.429 Hudson, finally came out September 30, 2008. 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.880 And the lineup of collaborators on that album 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:07.339 was pretty impressive, wasn't it? Oh yeah, it 00:17:07.339 --> 00:17:09.819 was stacked. A real who's who of R &B and pop 00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:12.400 at the time. You had Ne -Yo, who co -produced 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.099 with Stargate. They were huge hitmakers. Big 00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:18.200 names. Then Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Robin Thicke, 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:20.880 Harvey Mason Jr., the legendary Diane Warren, 00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:23.950 Tricky Stewart. Wow, okay. They pulled out all 00:17:23.950 --> 00:17:26.269 the stops? They really did. It felt like a deliberate 00:17:26.269 --> 00:17:28.789 move to establish her as a recording artist in 00:17:28.789 --> 00:17:31.529 her own right. Showcasing that voice within, 00:17:31.529 --> 00:17:34.670 you know, a contemporary R &B soul sound. Something 00:17:34.670 --> 00:17:37.730 carefully crafted to appeal to that huge audience 00:17:37.730 --> 00:17:40.029 waiting after Dreamgirls. And did it work commercially? 00:17:40.089 --> 00:17:42.289 How did the album do? Big time. It debuted at 00:17:42.289 --> 00:17:44.849 number two on the Billboard 200. Sold something 00:17:44.849 --> 00:17:47.869 like 217 ,000 copies in the first week in the 00:17:47.869 --> 00:17:50.369 U .S. Number two debut is strong. Very strong. 00:17:50.450 --> 00:17:53.809 By August 2009, it had sold over seven 139 ,000 00:17:53.809 --> 00:17:56.349 copies, got certified gold. Pretty significant 00:17:56.349 --> 00:17:59.609 for a debut. Nice. And the singles. Yeah. I remember 00:17:59.609 --> 00:18:02.809 Spotlight. Yeah. Spotlight was the lead single 00:18:02.809 --> 00:18:06.690 June 2008. That became our first top 40 hit, 00:18:06.930 --> 00:18:09.990 peaked at number 24 on the Hot 100. Really infectious 00:18:09.990 --> 00:18:12.670 song, powerful vocal. It was catchy. It was. 00:18:13.009 --> 00:18:15.349 Then, If This Isn't Love came out February 09. 00:18:15.509 --> 00:18:19.250 That one peaked at 63. giving myself was the 00:18:19.250 --> 00:18:21.309 third single showed off different sides of her 00:18:21.309 --> 00:18:23.809 voice okay and the album got Grammy attention 00:18:23.809 --> 00:18:26.609 too right it did big -time it got three nominations 00:18:26.609 --> 00:18:30.710 at the 2009 Grammys best female R &B vocal performance 00:18:30.710 --> 00:18:34.349 for Spotlight, best R &B performance by a duo 00:18:34.349 --> 00:18:37.029 or group for I'm His Only Woman. Oh, the duet 00:18:37.029 --> 00:18:39.430 with Fantasia. The duet with Fantasia, her old 00:18:39.430 --> 00:18:42.210 idol rival, which was great to see. Yeah. And 00:18:42.210 --> 00:18:44.930 most importantly, the album Jennifer Hudson won 00:18:44.930 --> 00:18:47.309 the Grammy for best R &B album. Her first solo 00:18:47.309 --> 00:18:50.069 Grammy. Her first solo Grammy, which was huge, 00:18:50.130 --> 00:18:52.250 right? It really legitimized her as a recording 00:18:52.250 --> 00:18:54.970 artist separate from the acting, showed her musical 00:18:54.970 --> 00:18:57.170 talent was a force on its own. Definitely. So 00:18:57.170 --> 00:18:59.519 while music career taking off, she's still acting 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:02.440 too. Yep, kept expanding her film work, carefully 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:04.380 picking roles it seems that showed different 00:19:04.380 --> 00:19:07.579 sides. In 2008 she popped up in the Sex and the 00:19:07.579 --> 00:19:10.160 City movie. Oh yeah, Louise Carey's assistant. 00:19:10.349 --> 00:19:12.910 That's the one. A lighter role, more mainstream. 00:19:13.349 --> 00:19:15.670 Showed her sort of effervescent side. And she 00:19:15.670 --> 00:19:17.250 sang all dressed in love for the soundtrack, 00:19:17.509 --> 00:19:20.109 too. Right. Same year, though, 2008, she did 00:19:20.109 --> 00:19:22.890 something much more dramatic. Played Rosaline 00:19:22.890 --> 00:19:25.670 in The Secret Life of Bees. Ah, that was a good 00:19:25.670 --> 00:19:28.089 film. Powerful performances. Really powerful. 00:19:28.430 --> 00:19:31.650 And her role got her nominations for Black Reel 00:19:31.650 --> 00:19:35.089 and NAACP Image Awards. So connecting with roles 00:19:35.089 --> 00:19:38.269 focused on the Black experience. Then in 2009, 00:19:38.470 --> 00:19:40.509 she starred in a drama called called Fragments. 00:19:40.789 --> 00:19:44.170 OK. And then she took on a really significant, 00:19:44.269 --> 00:19:46.190 maybe challenging role, right? Playing Winnie 00:19:46.190 --> 00:19:49.470 Mandela. Yes. That was filmed in 2010. The biopic 00:19:49.470 --> 00:19:51.849 Winnie Mandela. A really complex figure, obviously. 00:19:52.109 --> 00:19:54.369 Hero to some, controversial to others. Definitely 00:19:54.369 --> 00:19:56.690 a demanding part. Absolutely. And the casting 00:19:56.690 --> 00:19:58.490 itself caused a bit of stir, didn't it? Some 00:19:58.490 --> 00:20:00.750 discussion about who should play such an iconic 00:20:00.750 --> 00:20:03.369 South African figure. I remember that. And didn't 00:20:03.369 --> 00:20:05.470 Winnie Mandela herself have issues with the film? 00:20:05.690 --> 00:20:08.250 She did. She threatened legal action at one point, 00:20:08.289 --> 00:20:10.059 claiming she had an been consulted properly, 00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:12.359 which just added another layer of difficulty 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:14.460 to the whole thing. Wow. The film eventually 00:20:14.460 --> 00:20:17.779 came out in 2013, but it showed Hudson was willing 00:20:17.779 --> 00:20:20.559 to take on these diverse, challenging, complex 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:24.339 characters. Really push yourself. OK, so career 00:20:24.339 --> 00:20:27.519 is firing on all cylinders, music, movies. But 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:30.660 this is where the story takes that just incredibly 00:20:30.660 --> 00:20:33.460 difficult, devastating turn, personally. Yeah. 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:36.539 This is hard to even talk about. Unimaginable 00:20:36.539 --> 00:20:41.039 loss. October 24, 2008. Just horrific tragedy 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:43.599 strikes her family in Chicago. Her mother, Darnell 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.299 Donerson, who was 57, and her brother, Jason 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:49.599 Hudson, just 29, they were found shot to death 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.920 inside the family home. And then the horror compounded. 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:55.220 Her little nephew, Julian King, only seven years 00:20:55.220 --> 00:20:57.740 old? Yeah. He was reported missing. Yeah. And 00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:59.700 then found deceased three days later, also from 00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:01.799 multiple gunshot wounds. It's just unthinkable. 00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:04.240 The shock, the grief for her and her sister Julia, 00:21:04.619 --> 00:21:06.480 just incomprehensible. Absolutely gut -wrenching. 00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:08.160 The whole world seemed to gas when that news 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.359 broke. It sent shockwaves everywhere. Huge outpouring 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:14.940 of sympathy. And eventually justice was served, 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.859 to some extent, William Balfour, who was Julia's 00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:20.240 estranged husband. Right. Her sister is a strange 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:22.339 son. Yeah. He was charged, ultimately convicted 00:21:22.339 --> 00:21:24.420 on seven counts, including three counts of first 00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:27.059 degree murder, got three consecutive life sentences 00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:30.420 without parole, plus another 120 years. Provides 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:33.519 some measure of closure, legally speaking, but 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.940 the emotional scars. They must remain. Absolutely. 00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:39.259 And in the face of that kind of soul crushing 00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:43.609 grief. her return to the public eye. It was just 00:21:43.609 --> 00:21:46.930 extraordinary. It spoke volumes about her inner 00:21:46.930 --> 00:21:49.069 strength. It really did. Her first public appearance 00:21:49.069 --> 00:21:51.509 after the murders, singing the national anthem 00:21:51.509 --> 00:21:54.630 at the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XL3, February 2009. 00:21:54.809 --> 00:21:56.589 Less than the four months later, standing on 00:21:56.589 --> 00:21:59.230 that massive global stage. Can you even imagine 00:21:59.230 --> 00:22:01.609 the strength that took, the composure, the raw 00:22:01.609 --> 00:22:04.470 courage, to stand there after losing your mother, 00:22:04.630 --> 00:22:07.990 brother, nephew so violently and deliver a flawless 00:22:07.990 --> 00:22:10.819 emotionally charged performance? It was breathtaking. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.740 Just a collective moment of admiration for her 00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:16.279 resilience. Her voice in that moment felt like 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:18.640 more than just singing. It really did, like a 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:21.299 symbol of healing maybe? Hope? And her family, 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:23.700 they channeled that grief into purpose too. They 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:25.940 created the Hudson King Foundation for families 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:28.279 of slain victims. Helping others going through 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:30.180 similar nightmares. Exactly. And Jennifer and 00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:32.859 her sister Julia also started the Julian D. King 00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:36.079 Gift Foundation in honor of her nephew. They 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.420 give Christmas presents, school supplies to families 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:41.500 in need in Chicago. Turning that personal sorrow 00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:44.400 into something positive for the community. Yeah. 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:46.619 That's incredible. It really is a testament to 00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:49.400 their character amidst everything. And somehow, 00:22:49.819 --> 00:22:51.779 despite everything she must have been going through 00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:55.180 privately, she kept working, kept her commitment 00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:57.980 to her music, her audience. Yeah. She toured 00:22:57.980 --> 00:23:00.799 the U .S. with Robin Thicke in 2009, reconnecting 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:04.720 with fans. Then in July 2009, she performed Will 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:07.519 You Be There? at Michael Jackson's memorial service. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:11.039 Another huge, emotional, global stage. Right. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:14.240 Then she did a Christmas special. Jennifer Hudson, 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:17.779 I'll be home for Christmas, December 09. She 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:20.559 kept sharing childhood memories. January 2010, 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:22.859 she was part of the Hope for Haiti Now telethon 00:23:22.859 --> 00:23:24.720 after the earthquake. Saying let it be. Right. 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:26.880 Yeah, a really moving version. That telethon 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:30.660 raised like... $61 million. Wow. And she even 00:23:30.660 --> 00:23:33.799 recorded one shining moment for the NCAA basketball 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:36.799 tournament in 2010. The iconic anthem. Yeah. 00:23:37.140 --> 00:23:39.220 So it's striking, isn't it, how her experiences, 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:43.160 the triumphs, and the absolute devastation seem 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:45.240 to be channeled into her art, her public work. 00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:47.680 Every performance after that loss just carried 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:50.579 this extra weight, this resonance. Absolutely. 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:52.579 It reinforced those deep connections she has 00:23:52.579 --> 00:23:55.180 to music, community, and just her own extraordinary 00:23:55.180 --> 00:23:58.509 strength. What does this whole period, 2008 to 00:23:58.509 --> 00:24:01.170 maybe 2010, really show us about her? I think 00:24:01.170 --> 00:24:03.789 it just highlights this almost unimaginable strength, 00:24:04.190 --> 00:24:06.190 perseverance during immense personal hardship. 00:24:06.329 --> 00:24:09.130 She didn't just endure the darkest loss imaginable. 00:24:09.349 --> 00:24:11.849 She found a way to channel that grief into purpose, 00:24:12.490 --> 00:24:14.509 continuing to share her gift, building these 00:24:14.509 --> 00:24:16.490 legacies of support for others. Her ability to 00:24:16.490 --> 00:24:18.990 just stand on a stage and sing, to perform, to 00:24:18.990 --> 00:24:21.269 inspire after that kind of personal catastrophe 00:24:21.269 --> 00:24:23.849 is just a testament to the human spirit's power 00:24:23.849 --> 00:24:27.049 to endure, create, and find. and hope, even in 00:24:27.049 --> 00:24:29.430 the deepest sorrow. Truly remarkable resilience. 00:24:29.650 --> 00:24:32.750 OK, let's move into the 2010s. Her evolution 00:24:32.750 --> 00:24:35.289 continues. Big milestones here. Personal health, 00:24:35.470 --> 00:24:39.009 new music, Broadway, coaching. She really branched 00:24:39.009 --> 00:24:41.109 out. Yeah, showcasing incredible versatility. 00:24:41.289 --> 00:24:43.009 One of the first big things people noticed in 00:24:43.009 --> 00:24:45.650 this period was her health journey, right? Wait, 00:24:45.849 --> 00:24:48.569 Watchers campaign. Right. That was 2010. became 00:24:48.569 --> 00:24:51.170 their spokesperson. And had this amazing transformation. 00:24:51.250 --> 00:24:54.690 Lost 56 pounds initially, then ultimately a total 00:24:54.690 --> 00:24:58.009 of 80 pounds by early town 2011. It was a huge 00:24:58.009 --> 00:25:00.049 story at the time. It really was. And it clearly 00:25:00.049 --> 00:25:02.650 resonated. So much so that she wrote an autobiography 00:25:02.650 --> 00:25:05.789 in 2012 called I Got This. How I changed my ways 00:25:05.789 --> 00:25:07.869 and lost what weighed me down. Detailing the 00:25:07.869 --> 00:25:09.829 whole journey. Yeah, the diet, the lifestyle 00:25:09.829 --> 00:25:11.990 changes. It connected with a lot of people, you 00:25:11.990 --> 00:25:14.509 know? Talking about self -improvement, discipline, 00:25:14.589 --> 00:25:17.109 achieving health goals made her very relatable. 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:20.259 And then musically, she released her second album, 00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:24.400 I Remember Me, March 2011. Right. And Neo, who 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:26.460 worked with her again, had said she was ready 00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:28.420 to get really personal on this one, which made 00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:30.119 sense, right? Reflecting everything she'd been 00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:32.000 through in the past few years. Absolutely. How 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:34.420 did that album do? It did well. Debut Strong 00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:37.220 Again, number two on the Billboard 200. Sold 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:40.759 about $165 ,000 first week. Showed her fans were 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:42.940 still right there with her. Solid performance. 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.700 And the lead single. That was Where You At. Written 00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:49.339 by R. Kelly, produced by Harvey Mason Jr. It 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:52.140 was powerful, but maybe more introspective. Reached 00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:54.940 number 10 on the R &B hip hop chart. And the 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:58.839 music video got an NAACP Image Award nomination. 00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:02.279 So culturally significant too, this album felt 00:26:02.279 --> 00:26:04.460 like she was evolving her sound again, really 00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:06.619 integrating that personal growth, that emotional 00:26:06.619 --> 00:26:09.400 depth into her singing. Not just repeating the 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:11.680 debut formula. And this period was also packed 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:13.480 with really high profile performances, wasn't 00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:16.250 it? Kept her very visible. Oh yeah. Big moments. 00:26:16.529 --> 00:26:19.509 February 2012, just one day after Whitney Houston 00:26:19.509 --> 00:26:21.710 dies, she's saying, I will always love you at 00:26:21.710 --> 00:26:23.710 the Grammys. Oh, I remember that vividly. So 00:26:23.710 --> 00:26:27.430 raw, so emotional. The timing was just... Yeah, 00:26:27.769 --> 00:26:29.789 a profound tribute to her idol that just moved 00:26:29.789 --> 00:26:32.849 everyone. Then she did a multi -episode arc on 00:26:32.849 --> 00:26:35.349 the TV show Smash. The musical drama, right? 00:26:35.450 --> 00:26:37.809 Played Veronica Moore. Yeah, showed off her acting 00:26:37.809 --> 00:26:40.750 and singing chops there. Then in 2013, Super 00:26:40.750 --> 00:26:43.930 Bowl XL7, she sang America the Beautiful with 00:26:43.930 --> 00:26:46.329 the Sandy Hook Elementary School Chorus. Another 00:26:46.329 --> 00:26:49.289 incredibly poignant, healing moment on a huge 00:26:49.289 --> 00:26:52.130 stage. So much emotional weight in that performance. 00:26:52.250 --> 00:26:54.529 Just bringing people together through music after 00:26:54.529 --> 00:26:57.019 tragedy. Yeah. She also performed at the Oscars 00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:59.359 again that year, right? In a tribute to movie 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:01.700 musicals. Highlighting her connection there. 00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:04.480 And later in 2013, she performed Same Love with 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:07.180 Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Mary Lambert at the 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:10.880 MTV VMAs. Embracing more socially conscious music, 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:13.539 collaborating across genres. Yeah, showed she 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:15.359 was willing to use her platform for different 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:18.319 kinds of messages. Really solidified her as an 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:20.759 artist with something to say. Then came album 00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:24.930 number three, J -HUD. September 2014. And this 00:27:24.930 --> 00:27:26.950 one felt like a real shift, didn't it? Definitely. 00:27:27.250 --> 00:27:30.430 She described herself as more upbeat, more soulful 00:27:30.430 --> 00:27:33.690 dance. Said it had a 70s kind of style. A deliberate 00:27:33.690 --> 00:27:35.670 move towards something different. Absolutely. 00:27:35.869 --> 00:27:37.930 Exploring new sounds, showing different sides 00:27:37.930 --> 00:27:41.150 of her artistry, moving beyond just the big R 00:27:41.150 --> 00:27:43.430 &B ballads. She worked with a whole new group 00:27:43.430 --> 00:27:46.289 of people, too. Timbaland again, but also Feral 00:27:46.289 --> 00:27:49.289 Williams, Redone, Iggy Azalea, R. Kelly again. 00:27:49.549 --> 00:27:53.480 Interesting mix. Feral Iggy Azalea. Definitely 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:55.839 aiming for a different vibe. Yeah, and it seemed 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:59.240 to connect. The track, It's Your World, with 00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:02.160 R. Kelly, got a Grammy nomination for best R 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:04.500 &B vocal performance. So The New Direction got 00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:07.000 critical recognition, too. It did. She said the 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.940 album was about showing different expressions 00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:11.740 of her as an artist, a girl, and a music lover. 00:28:12.019 --> 00:28:15.140 More vibrant, more celebratory, maybe. Reflecting 00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:17.380 her journey of healing showed she wouldn't be 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:20.039 put in one musical box. Right. And around this 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:22.220 time, she got a huge Hollywood honor, didn't 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:26.039 she? The Walk of Fame star. Yes. November 13th, 00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:30.400 2013, honored with the 2 ,512th star on the Hollywood 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:32.359 Walk of Fame. That's got to feel pretty amazing. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:34.259 Yeah. A permanent spot in Hollywood history. 00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:36.880 Absolutely iconic milestone for any entertainer. 00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:39.240 Really cements your legacy. And she kept up the 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:41.140 acting work, too, with really diverse roles during 00:28:41.140 --> 00:28:43.579 this time. Yeah, really stretching. She was in 00:28:43.579 --> 00:28:45.579 The Inevitable Defeat of Mr. And Pete, which 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:48.660 was a tough coming -of -age drama, and Black 00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:51.559 Nativity, the musical holiday film, both in 2013. 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:55.359 Then Lullaby, another drama, in 2013. 2014, and 00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:59.440 Spike Lee's Chirac in 2015. Chirac tackling gang 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:01.680 violence through musical drama. Bold choice. 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:04.579 Very bold. She was also in the HBO movie Confirmation 00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:07.599 in 2016, and she did voice work Young Nana Noodle 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:09.740 Men in the animated movie Sing. Oh yeah, Sing. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.819 She sang the Beatles Goldie Slumber Scary, that 00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:14.420 weight in that. Right, beautifully. Beautifully. 00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:17.019 And a great duet of Hallelujah with Tori Kelly. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:19.900 So yeah, musicals, dramas, animation. Really 00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:22.079 versatile. Okay, but then comes a really exciting 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:25.480 turn. A whole new stage. Literally. Broadway. 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:30.480 Yes. Fall of 2015. Her highly anticipated Broadway 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:34.660 debut. As Shug Avery. in the revival of the color 00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:37.140 purple. Shug Avery, another iconic role. That's 00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:39.619 a huge leap, isn't it? Live theater, eight shows 00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:41.880 a week. Massively. Totally different discipline 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:44.839 than film or recording. That direct connection 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:48.259 with a live audience every night. The stamina 00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:51.720 required. It's intense. And how did she do? How 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:54.339 was she received? She excelled. Ben Brantley, 00:29:54.440 --> 00:29:55.980 the chief critic at the New York Times, you know, 00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:58.480 a really respected voice. Yeah, his reviews carry 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:01.640 away. He lauded her, said, Mrs. Hudson radiates 00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:04.420 a lush, supple stage presence that is echoed 00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:07.759 by her velvet voice. High praise. Wow. Lush and 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:10.359 supple. Nice. Yeah. And that critical acclaim 00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:12.579 quickly led to another major award. She got her 00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:15.259 second Grammy. Second Grammy? For Broadway. Yep. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:18.339 For West's musical theater album in 2017. For 00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:20.380 her work on the Color Purple cast recording. 00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:23.140 Okay, so that solidifies her as legitimate force 00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:25.539 on Broadway, too. And adds another piece to that 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:27.319 ego P -pezzle we mentioned earlier. Yeah, exactly. 00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:30.440 The G was already there. The O was there. Now 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:32.940 a Grammy for theater. Things are lining up. Interesting. 00:30:33.230 --> 00:30:35.390 And beyond Broadway, she kept doing other high 00:30:35.390 --> 00:30:37.089 profile things too, right? Oh yeah, constantly 00:30:37.089 --> 00:30:39.829 working. She guest starred on Empire, the big 00:30:39.829 --> 00:30:42.630 musical drama show, played Michelle White, sang 00:30:42.630 --> 00:30:45.569 three songs, reached a huge TV audience there. 00:30:45.750 --> 00:30:48.349 Empire was massive. Massive. She also had the 00:30:48.349 --> 00:30:50.970 immense honor of welcoming Poop Francis on his 00:30:50.970 --> 00:30:54.109 first visit to the US, sang Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah 00:30:54.109 --> 00:30:57.029 for him. Singing for the Pope. Doesn't get much 00:30:57.029 --> 00:30:59.220 bigger than that. Pretty global, spiritually 00:30:59.220 --> 00:31:02.240 significant moment, right? And then December 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:05.759 2016, she took on another iconic role, Motormouth 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:09.240 Maybel in NBC's Hairspray Live. Oh right, the 00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:12.839 live TV musical. Her I Know Where I've Been was... 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:15.700 Incredible. Incredible. I got major Emmy buzz 00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:18.660 for that performance. Just so powerful and emotional. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:20.880 And she did a great duet with Ariana Grande on 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:23.299 Come So Far 2. Yeah, she really nails those big 00:31:23.299 --> 00:31:25.240 emotional numbers. It's fascinating, isn't it? 00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:27.619 Her ability to just deliver these show -stopping 00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:29.500 moments across completely different mediums, 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:32.319 Broadway stage, live TV musical, a papal visit. 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:34.880 And professionally, there was another big move 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:38.079 around then, too. June 2016, she signed with 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:40.920 Epic Records. OK, another major label deal. Yeah. 00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:44.059 And the industry reaction was huge. L .A. Reid 00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:47.299 called her the defining voice of this generation. 00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:50.380 Wow. High praise from L .A. Reid. And Clive Davis, 00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:53.440 legendary exec, obviously, he said, she has become 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:56.700 that. as Ellie and I excitingly reunite to capture 00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:59.619 Jennifer at her all -time best. Clive Davis reuniting 00:31:59.619 --> 00:32:02.180 with Ellie Reid for her, that's a massive vote 00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:04.680 of confidence. Huge. Show the industry still 00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:07.000 had immense faith in her musical power and her 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:09.440 future. So looking at this whole period, maybe 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:13.180 2010 to 2016 or so, what's the main takeaway? 00:32:13.380 --> 00:32:16.519 I think it just screams versatility and this 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:19.059 relentless artistic growth. It wasn't enough 00:32:19.059 --> 00:32:21.839 to be an Oscar winner, a Grammy winner. She conquered 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:24.720 Broadway. She jumped into to TV coaching, she 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:26.960 transformed her health, constantly evolved her 00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:29.259 sound. Yeah, never resting on her laurels. Never. 00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:31.740 It firmly established her as this formidable 00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:34.299 presence everywhere, music, film, Broadway, even 00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:37.059 as a voice for social causes. It's just a profound 00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:39.680 example of an artist constantly pushing boundaries, 00:32:40.220 --> 00:32:42.319 always seeking new ways to express herself and 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:44.779 make an impact. OK. And that brings us to the 00:32:44.779 --> 00:32:47.339 most recent chapter, the one that culminates 00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:50.859 in that rare ego status and sees her take on 00:32:50.859 --> 00:32:54.400 even newer roles. talk show host, solidifying 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:57.000 her legendary status. Yeah, this is where it 00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:00.609 all comes together, in a way. Her move into TV 00:33:00.609 --> 00:33:02.970 coaching really took off internationally first, 00:33:03.009 --> 00:33:06.049 right? Early 2017, she debuted as a coach on 00:33:06.049 --> 00:33:08.670 The Voice UK, season six. OK, starting to cross 00:33:08.670 --> 00:33:11.869 -spawn. Yep. And made a huge impact right away. 00:33:11.950 --> 00:33:13.670 She actually won her first season there with 00:33:13.670 --> 00:33:15.910 her contestant, Moa Dinaran. Won on her first 00:33:15.910 --> 00:33:18.650 try. Nice. Yeah. Became the first female coach 00:33:18.650 --> 00:33:20.910 to win the UK show. Pretty impressive debut. 00:33:21.150 --> 00:33:23.329 Definitely. And that led to her joining the US 00:33:23.329 --> 00:33:26.450 version. Exactly. Success there paved the way. 00:33:26.809 --> 00:33:29.450 Joined the American Voice for season in 2017, 00:33:30.049 --> 00:33:32.829 came back for season 15 in 2018, and went back 00:33:32.829 --> 00:33:35.450 to the UK for their eighth series in 2019. So 00:33:35.450 --> 00:33:37.589 she became a real fixture in that whole voice 00:33:37.589 --> 00:33:39.990 world. Totally. The Lovett coach known for being 00:33:39.990 --> 00:33:42.289 passionate and those incredible vocal demos she'd 00:33:42.289 --> 00:33:44.529 do just showing everyone how it's done. Yeah, 00:33:44.529 --> 00:33:46.990 I bet. And she kept putting out music alongside 00:33:46.990 --> 00:33:50.019 the coaching. She did. kept her voice out there, 00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:53.000 released the single Remember Me in March 2017, 00:33:53.339 --> 00:33:56.380 then Burdened Down in December 2017, still showcasing 00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:58.240 that power. And then during the pandemic, she 00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:00.099 did that collaborative song, right? Yeah, that 00:34:00.099 --> 00:34:03.339 was fascinating. March 2020, she worked remotely 00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:06.380 with Bono, Will .i .am, and Yoshiki, quite a 00:34:06.380 --> 00:34:09.599 lineup. Wow. Bono and Will .i .am. to create, 00:34:09.659 --> 00:34:13.619 hashtag, egenvia life, a song they literally 00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:15.960 compiled remotely to try and lift spirits during 00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:18.780 lockdown, showed her using her voice for connection, 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:21.599 community, even in isolation. That's great. And 00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:24.000 her film work continued, too. Kept going. Diverse 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:26.280 roles. She starred with Adam Sandler and Sandy 00:34:26.280 --> 00:34:28.900 Wexler in 2017, played a singer, Courtney Clark. 00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:31.460 OK. Then she took on Grizzabella in the movie 00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:34.539 version of Cats in 2019, saying memory, obviously. 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:38.320 Ah, Cats. That movie was. Something else, but 00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:40.800 her memory was powerful. It was. Divisive movie, 00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:42.559 but she delivered the signature song. And then 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.820 she did something really interesting. She won 00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:46.780 a Daytime Emmy. A Daytime Emmy? For what? As 00:34:46.780 --> 00:34:49.440 an executive producer. For this interactive VR 00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:51.900 fairy tale called Baba Yaga, made for Oculus 00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:55.840 Quest, September 2021. VR? Okay, branching into 00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:58.059 new tech. Yeah. She voiced a character in it 00:34:58.059 --> 00:35:01.099 too, The Forest. So an Emmy for producing innovative 00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:03.480 media adds another dimension. Definitely. And 00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:06.119 she's kept acting since then too. Yep. appeared 00:35:06.119 --> 00:35:09.320 in Tell It Like a Woman in 2022, starred in the 00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:12.760 sci -fi thriller Breathe in 2024, and she's got 00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:14.940 voice roles coming up in Goat and Paw Patrol, 00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:17.980 the Dino movie in 2025. So still very active 00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:21.179 across the board. Wow, she does not stop. But 00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:23.219 during this period, there was one role that felt 00:35:23.219 --> 00:35:26.159 really destined, right? Playing Aretha Franklin. 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:29.679 Oh, absolutely. Respect. The 2021 biopic. That 00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:32.110 felt like a culmination, a dream role. and made 00:35:32.110 --> 00:35:34.329 even more special because Aretha herself picked 00:35:34.329 --> 00:35:37.969 her. Exactly. Clive Davis revealed back in 2018 00:35:37.969 --> 00:35:40.809 that Aretha, before she passed, had personally 00:35:40.809 --> 00:35:43.090 handpicked Jennifer Hudson to play her in a movie. 00:35:43.250 --> 00:35:45.269 That's the ultimate endorsement, passing the 00:35:45.269 --> 00:35:47.369 torch from the Queen of Soul herself. It doesn't 00:35:47.369 --> 00:35:49.409 get bigger than that. So the film comes out August 00:35:49.409 --> 00:35:52.630 2021 and Hudson's performance just universally 00:35:52.630 --> 00:35:54.489 acclaimed. It was a huge undertaking, right? 00:35:54.630 --> 00:35:57.889 Not just the singing, but embodying Aretha's 00:35:57.889 --> 00:36:00.210 whole life, the struggles. Immense challenge, 00:36:00.349 --> 00:36:03.429 but she dove in completely. Earned the Chairman's 00:36:03.429 --> 00:36:05.570 Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival, got 00:36:05.570 --> 00:36:07.750 nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for 00:36:07.750 --> 00:36:09.889 Outstanding Lead Actress. She didn't just mimic 00:36:09.889 --> 00:36:12.489 Aretha, she channeled her essence. Yeah, you 00:36:12.489 --> 00:36:15.110 could feel it. And that role brought her more 00:36:15.110 --> 00:36:17.949 major awards too, right? NAACP Image Awards. 00:36:18.289 --> 00:36:21.610 Big time. February 2022, she was the major winner 00:36:21.610 --> 00:36:24.889 there. Took home Entertainer of the Year and 00:36:24.889 --> 00:36:27.610 Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for Respect. 00:36:28.010 --> 00:36:31.809 Huge for that portrayal. Deservedly so. And the 00:36:31.809 --> 00:36:33.889 soundtrack. She sang everything on that. Everything. 00:36:34.030 --> 00:36:36.409 All the iconic Aretha covers, plus the original 00:36:36.409 --> 00:36:38.989 song, Here I Am, Singing My Way Home, which she 00:36:38.989 --> 00:36:40.989 co -wrote. And that got nominated, too. Yep. 00:36:41.090 --> 00:36:43.030 The original song got Golden Globe and Grammy 00:36:43.030 --> 00:36:45.349 nominations. And the soundtrack itself got a 00:36:45.349 --> 00:36:47.329 Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack. 00:36:47.369 --> 00:36:49.190 Just more validation for the whole project. And 00:36:49.190 --> 00:36:50.929 she kept reminding people of her life power, 00:36:51.070 --> 00:36:53.449 too. Didn't show at the Apollo. Yeah. August, 00:36:53.530 --> 00:36:57.159 2021. Jennifer Hudson. Live at the Apollo, a 00:36:57.159 --> 00:36:59.599 night of soul, must have been incredible. Wow. 00:36:59.940 --> 00:37:02.900 And then she sang opera in Central Park. Can 00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:07.179 you believe it? Just days later, sang Ness Dorma, 00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:09.800 a notoriously difficult aria with the New York 00:37:09.800 --> 00:37:12.699 Philharmonic at that We Love NYC, the homecoming 00:37:12.699 --> 00:37:15.000 concert. From soul at the Apollo to Puccini in 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:17.699 the park, the range. Just unreal versatility, 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:20.039 command over completely different styles. OK. 00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:22.360 So all this leads up to the absolute pinnacle. 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:26.280 The historical moment. The EGO -T. The EGO DeChiefment. 00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:30.139 June 12, 2022. The 75th Tony Awards. And she 00:37:30.139 --> 00:37:33.079 wins the Tony. Not for performing, right, but 00:37:33.079 --> 00:37:35.219 as a producer. Exactly. She won the Tony Award 00:37:35.219 --> 00:37:38.440 for Best Musical as a co -producer of A Strange 00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:41.340 Loop. Which was a huge groundbreaking show itself, 00:37:41.579 --> 00:37:43.480 Pulitzer Prize winner. Right. So her contribution 00:37:43.480 --> 00:37:45.699 was recognizing and helping bring this important 00:37:45.699 --> 00:37:47.940 artistic work to Broadway. A different kind of 00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:50.719 role, but vital to theater. And that Tony completed 00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:55.380 the set. EGO -T. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony. Wow. 00:37:55.820 --> 00:37:58.059 Monumental. Puts her in that incredibly exclusive 00:37:58.059 --> 00:38:00.559 club. With that Tony, she became the youngest 00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:02.800 woman and only the third African American to 00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:05.300 win all four major American entertainment awards 00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:07.760 competitively. Only 17 competitive winners ever. 00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:10.880 It's just rarefied air. Completely. It speaks 00:38:10.880 --> 00:38:14.159 to unparalleled talent, yes, but also dedication, 00:38:14.699 --> 00:38:17.179 smart career moves, longevity across all these 00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:19.760 different mediums, vocal gift, acting chops, 00:38:20.179 --> 00:38:23.239 stage presence, and now a sharp eye for producing 00:38:23.239 --> 00:38:25.820 impactful theater. It's the whole package. But 00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:28.099 what's amazing is she hits this ultimate peak, 00:38:28.460 --> 00:38:30.900 the ego T, something most artists only dream 00:38:30.900 --> 00:38:33.449 of. Yeah. And she doesn't stop. Not at all. Quite 00:38:33.449 --> 00:38:35.929 the opposite. Her syndicated talk show, The Jennifer 00:38:35.929 --> 00:38:38.449 Hudson Show, premiered on her birthday, September 00:38:38.449 --> 00:38:41.849 12, 2022. Launched it on her birthday. Nice touch. 00:38:42.090 --> 00:38:44.150 A whole new chapter. Yeah. A full circle moment, 00:38:44.170 --> 00:38:46.610 in a way. A platform to connect with people differently, 00:38:46.690 --> 00:38:48.670 more conversationally. Right. And she's back 00:38:48.670 --> 00:38:51.989 to music, too. A new album. Yep. October 18th, 00:38:52.070 --> 00:38:54.769 2024, released her fourth studio album, The Gift 00:38:54.769 --> 00:38:57.530 of Love, her first solo project in a decade. 00:38:57.610 --> 00:38:59.969 A decade. So a significant return to recording. 00:39:00.210 --> 00:39:02.909 Definitely. Sharing new music, new themes. And 00:39:02.909 --> 00:39:05.150 she supported it with a tour, The Gift of Love, 00:39:05.389 --> 00:39:07.769 an intimate live experience, getting back out 00:39:07.769 --> 00:39:10.010 there, connecting with fans directly in these 00:39:10.010 --> 00:39:12.289 smaller settings. Nice. And her personal life 00:39:12.289 --> 00:39:14.369 has seen a new chapter recently, too. Dating 00:39:14.369 --> 00:39:16.860 Common. Yeah, that became public. They started 00:39:16.860 --> 00:39:19.380 dating apparently in 2022 while working on their 00:39:19.380 --> 00:39:22.480 movie Breathe, fellow Chicago native. Right, 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:24.440 both from Chicago. They kept it pretty private 00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:26.300 for a while, but then confirmed it with a joint 00:39:26.300 --> 00:39:29.199 appearance on her talk show in January 2024. 00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:31.679 He had lovely things to say about her. One of 00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:34.260 the most beautiful people I've met, smart, loves 00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:37.170 God, down to earth. Talented. Sounds like a great 00:39:37.170 --> 00:39:39.650 connection. Good for her. Yeah. And this follows 00:39:39.650 --> 00:39:42.010 her previous long relationship with David Otinga. 00:39:42.190 --> 00:39:45.510 Right. They were engaged from 2007 to 2017, and 00:39:45.510 --> 00:39:47.809 they have a son together, David Daniel Otinga 00:39:47.809 --> 00:39:51.329 Jr., born in 09. And before that, she dated James 00:39:51.329 --> 00:39:53.829 Payton for many years. Right. And other little 00:39:53.829 --> 00:39:56.630 details. She still lives near Chicago. Doesn't 00:39:56.630 --> 00:39:59.670 drink. Friends with Obama. Yeah. Resides in Burridge, 00:39:59.690 --> 00:40:02.349 Illinois. Keeps those strong home state ties. 00:40:02.449 --> 00:40:05.980 Yeah. No non -drinker. And yeah, described as 00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:08.460 a friend of President Obama, performed at fundraisers, 00:40:08.539 --> 00:40:10.800 the White House, speaks to her standing beyond 00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:13.280 just entertainment. Definitely. So what's the 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:15.340 big takeaway from this most recent culminating 00:40:15.340 --> 00:40:17.599 part of her story? Well, obviously, it highlights 00:40:17.599 --> 00:40:20.260 the incredible ego achievement, the peak. But 00:40:20.260 --> 00:40:23.619 it also emphasizes her just continuous, relentless 00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:27.880 drive for new ventures, artistic, personal. Yeah, 00:40:27.880 --> 00:40:30.489 she never seems to settle. Never. It shows the 00:40:30.489 --> 00:40:33.570 dedication, the multifaceted talent needed to 00:40:33.570 --> 00:40:35.289 reach those heights. And then even at the summit, 00:40:35.730 --> 00:40:38.210 this continued hunger for growth, for new beginnings. 00:40:38.349 --> 00:40:40.889 It was like, for true artists, reaching the ultimate 00:40:40.889 --> 00:40:43.369 goal isn't the end. It just means finding new 00:40:43.369 --> 00:40:45.789 ways to create, connect, and make an impact. 00:40:45.929 --> 00:40:48.449 A really powerful statement about artistry itself. 00:40:48.630 --> 00:40:50.429 OK. So that brings us toward the end of this 00:40:50.429 --> 00:40:52.389 deep dive into the incredible world of Jennifer 00:40:52.389 --> 00:40:55.030 Hudson. What a journey. Right. We've traced it 00:40:55.030 --> 00:40:57.329 all. From that determined kid singing on a cruise 00:40:57.329 --> 00:41:00.469 ship to the idol stage through the absolute transformation 00:41:00.469 --> 00:41:03.610 of dream girls and that Oscar win Navigating 00:41:03.610 --> 00:41:07.329 profound personal tragedy with such grace Unbelievable 00:41:07.329 --> 00:41:09.829 grace all the way to achieving that absolute 00:41:09.829 --> 00:41:13.269 pinnacle of entertainment the ego data Her story 00:41:13.269 --> 00:41:16.099 really is this potent mix, isn't it? breathtaking 00:41:16.099 --> 00:41:20.059 voice, undeniable acting skill, and just sheer, 00:41:20.199 --> 00:41:23.199 almost unbelievable resilience. Yeah, resilience 00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:24.920 is the through line. It's not just about the 00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:27.539 talent, which is immense, but about that unwavering 00:41:27.539 --> 00:41:30.460 determination, making smart choices. Yeah. And 00:41:30.460 --> 00:41:33.139 that remarkable ability to turn the deepest challenges 00:41:33.139 --> 00:41:36.239 into sources of strength, purpose, and inspiration 00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:38.840 for so many people. Absolutely. So Jennifer Hudson 00:41:38.840 --> 00:41:41.280 has done what very few artists ever even dream 00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:46.400 of. Concord film, music, TV, theater. Got the 00:41:46.400 --> 00:41:49.059 Emmy, the Grammys, the Oscar, the Tony. Yet, 00:41:49.539 --> 00:41:52.000 like we just discussed, she keeps going, launching 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:54.460 the talk show, releasing new music, constantly 00:41:54.460 --> 00:41:56.800 redefining herself. So considering everything 00:41:56.800 --> 00:41:58.260 she's achieved and the fact that she's still 00:41:58.260 --> 00:42:00.880 evolving, what does her ongoing journey tell 00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:03.659 us maybe about the nature of artistry? Ambition. 00:42:03.820 --> 00:42:05.719 even after you've reached the very top. It's 00:42:05.719 --> 00:42:07.820 a great question. What drives someone who's already 00:42:07.820 --> 00:42:10.440 won everything? Exactly. What further impact 00:42:10.440 --> 00:42:12.420 might she, an artist who has literally achieved 00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:15.460 it all, choose to make? What new stages could 00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:18.619 possibly remain for a voice, a spirit as boundless 00:42:18.619 --> 00:42:21.280 as hers? Something to think about. Definitely 00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:23.670 something to think about. And in the meantime, 00:42:24.050 --> 00:42:26.050 we really encourage you, if you haven't already, 00:42:26.329 --> 00:42:29.469 to explore her work. It's so diverse. Go back 00:42:29.469 --> 00:42:32.710 and watch those early idol clips, the award -winning 00:42:32.710 --> 00:42:35.610 films, check out the Broadway cast recording, 00:42:36.110 --> 00:42:38.690 listen to the new album. There's just a rich 00:42:38.690 --> 00:42:41.909 tapestry of artistry there waiting for you. Absolutely, 00:42:42.150 --> 00:42:44.150 a phenomenal talent. Thank you for joining us 00:42:44.150 --> 00:42:46.110 on this deep dive. Yeah, thanks for listening. 00:42:46.269 --> 00:42:46.829 We'll see you next time.