When Jennifer Hudson sang the words “You’re gonna love me” at the climax of her new film, she had no idea how right she was. After achieving notoriety as one of the three “divas” on American Idol’s third season, Hudson has belted her way to the head of the pack after a scene-stealing, show-stopping turn as Effie White in the film version of the iconic Broadway musical Dreamgirls.
“I have always dreamed, but never, ever this big,” Hudson said when she accepted a Golden Globe on Monday for her performance, and it’s easy to believe her sincerity. Her rise to fame has been so dramatic that she has been comparied to Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role of Effie on stage and won a Tony for her performance.
Surprisingly enough, Jewel Magazine reports that Hudson was born with underdeveloped lungs that left her gaunt and unable to cry at a young age. Needless to say, she has since recovered and has developed enough vocal horsepower to reserve her a spot on the A-list.
Hudson knew from a very early age that she was destined to sing. Born in Chicago on Sept. 12, 1981, she started her love affair with singing in church when she was 7 years old. She says that she believes her vocal prowess is inherited from her grandmother, who sang in her church choir and emphasized the importance of worship.
While she continued to nurture her talent through grammar school and high school productions, she did not sing professionally until 2002, when she landed a steady gig as a singer on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. In an interview with David Letterman, she revealed how important working with Disney was in her career development.
“I actually started out on the Disney Wonder cruise . that is the only acting experience [I had],” she said.
After several months of performing for Disney, she decided to join the huddled masses waiting to audition for the third season of American Idol. Having wowed the judges at her initial audition, she eclipsed almost 70,000 others to win a spot as one of that season’s top 12 contestants.
Although it took a while for Hudson to hit her stride on American Idol, when she did, the American people took notice. She scored the most votes of the night for her dynamic performance of “Circle of Life,” written by the legendary Elton John, who called her “the best of the lot.”
From there, Hudson became a clear frontrunner for the Idol crown, continuing to stun viewers, including Quentin Tarentino, who raved that Hudson’s talent rivaled that of ?ber-diva Whitney Houston.
Hudson was shockingly eliminated from the competition after what many fans believe was her best performance: a ferocious rendition of the Barry Manilow classic “Weekend in New England,” which drew praise from the composer and even hard-hearted judge Simon Cowell.
But Hudson didn’t let her Idol reject status keep her down for long. Soon, she was headed to New York to embrace the local theater. Then came her big break in the form of an open casting call for the role of Dreamgirls’ Effie White. But getting to the set was no cakewalk. Hudson had to out-perform 782 professional singers, including American Idol Fantasia Barrino, to get the part.
After she got the part, she had one more actress to match up with: Jennifer Holliday, who made her career as Effie on Broadway in 1982.
In order to slip into character, Director Bill Condon had to train Hudson to be a diva. He interrupted her family vacation and worked with her individually, helping her to confront her inner diva, storming off-stage, mouthing off and all of the trimmings.
Watching the film, it becomes apparent that she took good notes, because she fills Effie with indefatigable spunk and sass, at once maddening and heartwarming. Hudson is the fearless cornerstone of the film, filling Effie’s eyes with defeat as her spirit is slowly crushed in the name of commercial success. The storyline of the film has a few interesting similarities to Hudson’s rise to fame. Despite her undeniable talent, Effie is gradually phased out of The Dreams, a Supremes-like 1960s musical group she founded.
When she is kicked out of the group after being replaced as lead singer by Beyonc?’s less talented Deena Jones, Hudson delivers the film’s most electrifying moment: “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” the venerable and vulnerable final plea for acceptance with unparalleled vocal acrobatics.
It is the power of this song, and the power of Hudson’s freight train of a voice, that has made her the frontrunner for this year’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar. But Hudson needn’t wait for the Academy Awards; she is already being showered with praise from audiences and critics alike. When she sang “You’re gonna love me,” I think she was on to something.
