Jennifer Hudson
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
2015
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
The View
Self - Guest
1997
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self
2015
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
The Voice
Self - Coach
2011
Series
The Voice
Self - Mentor
2011
Series
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self - Host
2022
Series
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
Series
Sherri
Self - Guest
2022
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
1944
Series
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Series
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge
2004
Series
American Idol
Self
2002
Series
American Idol
Self - Musical Guest
2002
Series
American Idol
Self - Contestant
2002
Series
American Idol
Self - Performer
2002
Series
Empire
Michelle White
2015
Series
Today
Self
1952
Film
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
Lilian Ledes (voice)
2026
Series
MTV Video Music Awards
Self
1984
Film
Sing
Young Nana (voice)
2016
Series
Celebrity Family Feud
Self - Contestant
2015
Film
GOAT
Louise Harris (voice)
2026
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Series
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self
2011
Series
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge
2018
Series
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Mane (voice)
2023
Series
Steve Harvey
Self - Musical Guest
2012
Series
Smash
Veronica Moore
2012
Series
Entertainment Tonight
Self
1981
Series
The Voice UK
Self - Coach
2012
Series
The Voice
Jennifer Hudson
2012
Film
Sex and the City
Louise
2008
Series
Live from E!
Self
2002
Film
Cats
Grizabella
2019
Film
Respect
Aretha Franklin
2021
Film
Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
Self
2020
Series
The Early Show
Self
1999
Series
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self - Musical Guest
1973
Film
The Three Stooges
Sister Rosemary
2012
Series
Forensic Justice
Self (archive footage)
2016
Film
Dreamgirls
Effie White
2006
Film
Breathe
Maya
2024
Film
The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl
Self
2025
Film
Winged Creatures
Kathy Archenault
2009
Film
The Secret Life of Bees
Rosaleen Daise
2008
Film
Sandy Wexler
Courtney Clarke
2017
Film
Hairspray Live!
Motormouth Maybelle
2016
Film
Confirmation
Angela Wright
2016
Film
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
Gloria
2013
Film
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy
Self
2026
Film
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Maggie
2013
Film
Monster
Mrs. Harmon
2021
Film
Chi-Raq
Irene
2015
Film
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
Self
2019
Film
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Self
2021
Film
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Film
Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk
Ophelia the Owl (voice)
2027
Film
Winnie Mandela
Winnie Mandela
2011
Film
Tell It Like a Woman
Pepcy / Kim
2022
Film
Diane Warren: Relentless
Self
2025
Film
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self - Interviewee
2014
Film
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021
Film
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Self
2017
Film
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2025
Film
The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
Self
2020
Film
Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Self
2007
Film
The Concert for Valor
Self - Performer
2014
Film
Black Nativity
Naima
2013
Film
Christmas at Graceland
Self
2023
Film
A Very Pentatonix Christmas
Self
2017
Series
The Oprah Winfrey Show
Self
1986
Film
The Making of 'Sex and the City'
Self
Film
Grace for the World
Self
2025
Film
Lullaby
Nurse Carrie
2014
Film
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
2018
Film
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Self
2019
Series
The Grammys
Self
1959
Film
Baba Yaga
Forest (voice)
2021
Film
Always Whitney Houston
Self
2012
Film
VH1 Divas 2009
Self
2009
Film
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul
Self
2019
Film
Michael Jackson Memorial
Self
2009
Film
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Jewel
2006
Film
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
2012
Film
Live from the Red Carpet: Sex and the City
Self
2008
Film
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
Self
2011
Film
92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center
Self
2024
Film
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
Self
2011
American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
Self
2024
Film
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover
Jennifer Hudson
2020
Film
Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays
Self
2024
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert
Self
2020
Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Self
2009
Film
Happy Hour with Olly Murs
Self
2018