Jennifer Hudson rises from traumatic past with successful talkshow

Jennifer Hudson continues to expand and develop projects with her production company, Jhud Productions. Her daytime talk show, 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' has been renewed for a second season. This multi-talented star seems to do everything right, despite tragedy tainting her past.

The singer spoke to Entertainment Tonight in November 2021, hinting at the possibility of a talk show. According to the publication, she was "pitching a daytime talk show, with Warner Bros. TV, in association with Telepictures." The show began in September 2022 and features everything from celebrity interviews to viral sensations, and music.

Jennifer Hudson is an icon for many. Not only does the actress come from humble beginnings and overcome many feats to get to where she is today; but she is also an inspiration for many thanks to her dedication, work ethic, and magical ability to light up a room. Her powerful, flawless voice has gained her the utmost respect in the entertainment industry.

Jennifer Hudson was rewarded with the honor of Entertainer of the year at last year's NAACP Awards.  Hudson won the grand prize of 'Entertainer of the Year' and was also recognized for her incredible role as Aretha Franklin in 'Respect' with a Best Actress win.

Jennifer Hudson has gained a great deal of respect from her wonderful performance as Aretha Franklin in 2021's 'Respect'. She dazzled many at the premiere in a purple sequin Dolce and Gabbana Gown, adorned with Christian Louboutin heels. The film had been decades in planning and follows the gospel star from her young church days to her 1972 'Amazing Grace' album, which was Franklin’s highest-selling album ever.

Aretha Franklin died in 2018, but before she did, she handpicked Jennifer Hudson to star as herself in this biopic. Hudson had initially met Aretha in 2004 and paid huge tribute to the tsar upon her death singing ‘Amazing Grace’ at the legend’s funeral.

Jennifer Hudson was initially nervous about the role: “You just can’t wake up one morning and decide ‘I’m gonna be Aretha Franklin,’” said Hudson. “I mean, her voice. Her legacy. The songs. Who she is to all of us. It was daunting. There were times when I was like, ‘Jennifer, what have you done?’”

Despite the tough boots to fill in the role of Aretha, there was no doubt Jennifer could pull it off. She is no stranger to creating complex characters and receiving awards for her portrayal. She not only received an Academy Awards for her role as Effie White (Dreamgirls), but also a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA and the Sammy Davis Jr. Award for entertainer of the year.

In every sense, Jennifer Hudson is a ‘Dreamgirl’ with a voice that had audiences on their feet in the premier. But it hasn’t been all dreams for this actress as we take a look at her harrowing journey.

Jennifer was born in in 1981, the youngest of three children. The smallest, but with the biggest voice. The ‘Cats’ star remembers, "The story goes that I sat on my godmother's lap at church during a choir rehearsal, and when she couldn't hit the right note, I sang it for her. She told my mother, 'This girl is going to be a singer'."

The church was always a point of reference for the young singer and she sang in her Chicago church choir. She performed at wedding receptions and in local talent shows, as well as finding her own place in the world of musical theatre. But it wasn’t immediate stardom.

Yes, everyone needs to earn a dollar, and this singer, before all the glitz and glam, did a stint working at Burger King.

Hudson’s first professional singing job was on a Disney cruise ship. She performed in the ship’s entertainment as the Greek muse, Calliope, from the hit musical production 'Hercules: The Musical.'

Jennifer decided not to renew her contract with Disney and have a shot at the third season 'American Idol' in 2004. Judge Randy Jackson told her, "We're expecting more than a cruise ship performance from you.” And she delivered.

Regarded as one of the most shocking eliminations ever from the TV show, Hudson was eliminated in 7th place. She was placed in the bottom three in a group of all African-American women which raised some eyebrows at the time. She had, however, already made her mark on the world.

780 shortlisted competitors were belting it out to win the role of Effie White in 'Dreamgirls,' and Hudson beat them all to it. It was a gruelling six months of auditions but the hard work paid off - professionally, at least - and Hudson’s efforts were beginning to pay off.

The mayor of her hometown in Chicago declared March 6th as ‘Jennifer Hudson Day’ in 2007. She was on a fastback to stardom and even received her own star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

The same year, Jennifer became the first African-American singer to appear on the front cover of Vogue Magazine. She was only the third African-American women ever to grace the front page of this legendary magazine.

The same year, she had a little professional hiccup. Her BAFTA award went missing. She wasn’t there to receive the award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ and it seemed to have got lost in the post. She finally received the award four years later on ‘The Graham Norton Show’.

Hudson soared at the beginning of 2008, not knowing what would await her at the end of this fateful year. She released her much anticipated debut album, sang the national anthem for Barack Obama and returned to the screen.

Hudson played Louise, Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant. It was more to the actress than just appearing in a huge franchise - she would be the first featured African-American to have appeared in the show’s yen years. She said, “I hope I represent us well.”

Alongside Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning and Alicia Keys, Hudson joined this star-studded cast as Rosaleen. Again, there was a strong emotional focus on race relations that shocked Hudson to the core. “One of the reasons I can relate to Rosaleen is because there are some things in life worth fighting for. I’ve known what it’s like to be the underdog and that’s how my character felt in that moment,” the actress explained.

Despite the race controversy Hudson was battling, she worked hard, sang hard and had worldwide appreciation for her work. But the end of 2008 would bring sadness and heartbreak for the singer in a horrific tragedy that saw her family murdered.

On October 24th 2008, Hudson’s 57-year-old mother Darnell Donerson and her 29-year-old brother were shot and killed at the home of her sister, Julia. Darnell had often been seen out supporting her daughter at public events, and the story was unfathomable, but the ugliest discovery was yet to come.

Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, was no where to be found. He was discovered dead three days later in the back seat of an SUV parked on the West Side of the city. He had also been shot ‘multiple times’.

A gun was found close to the SUV which was later linked to all of the shootings and, William Balfour was to blame.

William Balfour was the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister, Julia. It was reported in the court records tat he had threatened to kill members of Hudson’s family on at least two dozen occasions before the murders. They started when Julia broke up with her husband and moved out of the family home.

The Assistant State Attorney, James McKay reported that Balfour had told Julia, "If you ever leave me, I'm going to kill you, but I'm going to kill your family first. You will be the last to die.” Hudson’s family had, for a long time, been shrouded in horror.

Balfour pleaded not guilty, saying "My deepest prayers go out to Julian King. I loved him. I still love him. I'm innocent your honor.” But he was eventually found guilty by the jury of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion.

Balfour faced three mandatory life sentences without parole, followed by an additional 120 years for his previous convictions. "You have the heart of an arctic night," Judge Burns told Balfour at his sentencing hearing. "Your soul is as barren as dark space.”

Was the sentence at least some justice for the horror Jennifer and her family went through? Although this ordeal would never end for Jennifer, the family created the Hudson-King foundation for Families of Slain Victims. She also founded the Julian D King Gift Foundation in honour of her nephew, along with her sister, Julia. The foundation provides families most in need with school supplies and Christmas presents.

Hudson tearfully accepted her Grammy Award for best Rhythm and Blues album in February 2009 as she paid tribute to her family who were murdered in cold blood. She said, “I would like to thank God who pulled me through and my family: those who are in heaven and those who are here today.”

Jennifer Hudson got engaged with David Otunga, a professional wrestler and Harvard Law graduate in September 2008, just a month before the shooting. But Hudson was to see a beautiful light at the end of the dark tunnel when they welcomed their first child, her son, David Daniel Otunga Jr. in 2009.

Weight Watchers allowed Hudson to shed around 80 pounds and she became a spokeswoman for the brand. She said she felt better than ever, but it had been a long weight-loss struggle for the singer. She documented her struggles in the book, ‘I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down’ (2012).

"I don't really have time to do much [working out], so I really just watch what I eat," she said. "I'm very careful and cautious of what I'm eating, so I just try to pace those meals throughout the day.
She added: "I throw the pancakes across the room! I don't let the food intimidate me. If it's too much, I just get rid of it ... And I make sure I know what it is. It's all about portions for the most part. I don't work out a lot, but I do like to be active."

In 2015, Hudson made her Broadway debut in ‘The Color Purple’ and, along with the resulting soundtrack album, received worldwide critical acclaim for her portrayal of the blues singer, Shrug Avery.

In November 2017, it was announced that Jennifer Hudson and David Otunga had split up. Although Hudson credited Otunga with saving her life, claiming that if she hadn’t flown to Florida to be with him, she would have been at home with her mom in Chicago on the day of the murders; Jennifer and Ortunga ended their relationship with Hudson claiming he had shown volatile and aggressive behaviour towards her and their son.

David Jr. flitted between both his parents for the next two years, while the couple got ugly in court over the custody of their son. They didn’t reach an agreement for years, but finally in 2019 an agreement was reached. Both signed a gag order meaning the details of the agreement will not be shared publicly.

Jennifer Hudson continued with her TV career and, despite the custody battle raging at the time, she became a coach on The Voice UK and the American version of the show in both 2017 and 2018.

Her 2020 film, Cats, didn’t receive such widespread recognition as her previous roles, however this is mainly down to the production of the film rather that her own performance. She has absolutely regained her reign as the queen of vocal talent in film and an all-round entertainer.