Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson started dating James Payton in 1999. They broke up in 2007.

Later she met wrestler David Otunga, with whom she got engaged in 2008. In 2009, she gave birth to a boy who was named David Daniel Otunga, Jr.

A great tragedy befell her family when her mother, brother, and nephew were killed in a shooting in 2008. The incident deeply shocked her and she stayed away from public life for a few months before returning to her public appearances.

Jennifer Hudson was born on 12 September 1981, in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Her parents were Samuel Simpson and Darnell Donnerson. They had three children, Jennifer being the youngest one.

Hudson was raised a Baptist, and during her childhood, she used to sing in the church choir. She attended the Dunbar Vocational High School, completing her graduation in the year 1999.

After finishing school, she enrolled in Langston University. But soon she started to feel homesick, which led to her leaving the university after a semester.

Jennifer Hudson signed her first recording contract in 2002, with a record label named Righteous Records. She had a five-year contract. However, she was released from it because she had to appear on ‘American Idol’ in 2004.

After defeating hundreds of other contenders, she earned her first role in films, in the movie ‘Dreamgirls’ in 2006. Her fantastic and unforgettable performance in the role of Effie White won her several awards, including an Oscar for best supporting actress.

She next appeared in ‘Sex and the City’, a 2008 American romantic comedy, which was directed by Michael Patrick King. The film premiered in London on May 15, 2008. Hudson’s role as an electronically savvy assistant was much loved by the audience.

In 2008, she also released her debut studio album, which was named after herself. It turned out to be a huge hit, and debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200. Having sold 217,000 copies within the first week itself, it also earned her several awards such as the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist.

Jennifer Hudson continued appearing in several movies such as ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ (2008), ‘Winged Creatures’ (2008), ‘Black Nativity’ (2013), and ‘Lullaby’ (2014).

'Dreamgirls' a 2006 American musical drama film, directed by Bill Condon, can be regarded as the most significant work of Jennifer Hudson. The story, which is shown through the eyes of a musical group known as Dreams, focuses on the history and evolution of American Rhythm and Blues music during the 1960s and 1970s. Hudson’s role earned her numerous awards, which included an Oscar for best Supporting Actress.

Hudson appeared in a supporting role, in the popular American romantic comedy film ‘Sex and the City’ which released in 2008. The film is a sequel to a comedy series of the same name, which aired on HBO from 1998 to 2004. It starred actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattral, and Kristin Davis in lead roles. The film was a commercial success, and grossed over $415 million worldwide.

She appeared in a lead role in the 2011 biographical drama film ‘Winnie Mandela’, which was based on the life of the wife of Nelson Mandela. The film, however, was criticized for several reasons, including the fact that Winnie Mandela herself was not consulted for making of a film about her life.

'Black Nativity' (2013) was an American musical drama film in which Hudson played a supporting role. The film was directed by Kasi Lemmons, and starred mostly African American actors including Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson, Mary J. Blige and Jacob Latimore. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

‘Chi-Raq’ a 2015 American musical drama, is the latest significant work in Hudson’s career. The film was directed and produced by Spike Lee, and along with Hudson, it starred Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Tevonah Parris, and John Cusack. The film received mostly positive reviews, with some critics even claiming it to be the greatest film of the year.