Jennifer Hudson is an American singer and actress who rose to fame after her exploits on American Idol (season 3). Soon after the Idols competition, she won her first-ever Oscar award for her first-ever film role in Dream Girls. With her powerful and angelic voice, Jennifer has released smash hits including; In the limelight, if this isn’t love, think like one man among a multitude of others. Because of her singing voice and charming personality, she was chosen by the to play in the upcoming Aretha Franklin Biopic Movie.
Jennifer Hudson’s bio
Jennifer Kate Hudson was born in Chicago,Illinois on September 12, 1981. She is a well-known singer and actress who is currently part of Shell’s renewable energy initiative. She comes from a close and loving family. Her father’s name is Samuel Simpson while her mother’s name is Darnell Donnerson. She also has two sisters (Julia Simpson and Dinah Simpson) and one brother (Jason Simpson).
Jennifer’s journey to stardom began when she first auditioned for the third season of American Idols in 2004 and placed seventh in the competition. There was an uproar at the time as to why three black candidates were in the bottom three. Still, she had to leave the competition, but by then her voice had already captivated the world.
Soon after American Idols, she was asked to join the cast of a biofilm “Dream Girls” in 2006. This was her first film ever. The film was a smash hit as its powerhouse cast (Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, Anika etc.) and incredible music played a big part in making the film a huge hit. Moreso, the film awarded Jennifer her first Oscar for the incredible portrayal of “Effie White.” The awards came as she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress, a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Other films also came through Sex and the City , Black Nativity and The Secret Life of Bees. She also got good television roles like Empire, Smash, Inside Amy Schumer , etc. She tested her chops on Broadway in 2105 with her debut role as “Shug Avery” (The Color Purple Revival).
So far she has three studio albums to her name. Her first album, Jennifer Hudson, peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200, premiered in 2008 and was certified Gold by the RIAA after selling more than a million worldwide. The album also won her four Grammy nominations and a win in 2009. Her second album, I Remember Me, was released in 2011. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. Her third attempt, which she dubbed “JHUD”, made the top ten. One of the tracks from the album, “It’s Your World”, was nominated at the Grammys.
tragedy and sadness
Jennifer’s family was thrown into a state of grief on October 24, 2008 when three family members were shot dead in cold blood by William Balfour, her sister’s husband and brother-in-law. These offerings include; Her beloved mother Darnell Donnerson, 57, her brother Jason, 29, and nephew Julian King, 7, were found dead in the trunk of a car three days after the incident.
Jennifer loved her mother so much and she also wanted to be with her on the night of her death. That night she had to fly out to meet her fiancé, David Otunga. She believes she is still alive because she made the journey.
After the incident, Hudson’s family established “TheHudson King Foundation for Families of Killed Victims” to commemorate their slain relatives. The foundation provides gifts to students and families in the Chicago area who are less privileged.
Wealth (income and earnings)
Jennifer Hudson is undoubtedly a hard worker and we think she’s had a blessed career. Ever since she appeared in American Idol Season 3, her fame and fortune has soared with big money spinners coming from different fields like movies, music, Voice Coach/Judge on “The Voice” etc.
With all of these and more, her net worth sits at a whopping $20 million. This number should be higher, but periods of tragic loss of some of her beloved family members as well as messy breakup with her fiancé brought a minor setback to her career, hence her current net worth.
Family – husband, fiancé, son
Jennifer Hudson has been in a long-term relationship with her husband David Otunga (Harvard Law graduate and professional wrestler in WWE) since 1999. Although the two got engaged in 2008, they never officially tied the knot. The reason for this was given by Hudson, who said that she and her fiancé had to hold off on a wedding until they were absolutely sure they were a perfect match. They both welcomed a son, whom they named David Daniel Otunga, Jr., in August 2009.
Sadly, Jennifer and her fiancé announced that Jennifer had accused Otunga of mental and physical abuse of both her and her son and therefore filed for a protective order against Otunga. But that claim has been refuted by him, claiming that Hudson is not being honest. The case is still in court, hopefully it will be resolved as soon as possible.