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.
Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk
Ophelia the owl (voice)
2026
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
(voice)
2025
The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl
Self
2025
Diane Warren: Relentless
Self
2025
Christmas with Andrea Bocelli & Friends: A Grammy Holiday Special
2024
92nd Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center
Self
2024
Josh Groban & Friends: Home for the Holidays
Self
2024
American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
Self
2024
Breathe
Maya
2024
Christmas at Graceland
Self
2023
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Mane (voice) · (1 episode)
2023
Tell It Like a Woman
Pepcy / Kim
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self - Host · (511 episodes)
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021
Respect
Aretha Franklin
2021
Monster
Mrs. Harmon
2021
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Self
2021
Baba Yaga
Forest (voice)
2021
Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
Self
2020
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover
Jennifer Hudson
2020
Global Goal: Unite for Our Future | The Concert
Self
2020
The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
Self
2020
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Cats
Grizabella
2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Herself
2019
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
Self
2019
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul
Self
2019
Happy Hour with Olly Murs
Self
2018
Q85: A Musical Celebration for Quincy Jones
Self
2018
Always at The Carlyle
Self (archive footage)
2018
A Very Pentatonix Christmas
Self
2017
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Self
2017
Sandy Wexler
Courtney Clarke
2017
Hairspray Live!
Motormouth Maybelle
2016
Sing
Young Nana (voice)
2016
Confirmation
Angela Wright
2016
Forensic Justice
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2016
Chi-Raq
Irene
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (3 episodes)
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
(1 episode)
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Empire
Michelle White · (1 episode)
2015
The Concert for Valor
Self - Performer
2014
Lullaby
Nurse Carrie
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (3 episodes)
2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self - Interviewee
2014
Black Nativity
Naima
2013
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete
Gloria
2013
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Maggie
2013
Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You
Self
2012
The Voice
Jennifer Hudson · (2 episodes)
2012
The Three Stooges
Sister Rosemary
2012
The Voice UK
Self - Coach · (45 episodes)
2012
Smash
Veronica Moore · (3 episodes)
2012
Always Whitney Houston
Self
2012
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
Self
2011
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
Self
2011
Winnie Mandela
Winnie Mandela
2011
The Jonathan Ross Show
Self · (1 episode)
2011
The Voice
Self - Coach · (55 episodes)
2011
We Are the World 25 For Haiti
Self
2010
Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas
Self
2009
VH1 Divas 2009
Self
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2009
Winged Creatures
Kathy Archenault
2009
Michael Jackson Memorial
Self
2009
DJ Juice: The King is Back Mixtape Blend DVD Vol. 70
Self (archive footage)
2009
The Secret Life of Bees
Rosaleen Daise
2008
Sex and the City
Louise, Carrie's assistant
2008
Sesame Street: Elmo's Christmas Countdown
Self
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (3 episodes)
2007
Dreamgirls
Effie White
2006
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (2 episodes)
2003
American Idol
Self · (3 episodes)
2002
American Idol
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
2002
E! Live from the Red Carpet
Self · (2 episodes)
2002
The Early Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1999
The View
Self · (2 episodes)
1997
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
(2 episodes)
1992
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (4 episodes)
1988
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1984
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (1 episode)
1981
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1973
The Grammys
Self · (1 episode)
1959
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Today
Self · (1 episode)
1952
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1944