said by on November 1, 2009 Filed Under: Uncategorized» Home l Information
Dreamgirls (2006)
In November 2005, Hudson was cast in the role of Effie White for the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, which also starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy. The role, originally created in a Broadway performance by Jennifer Holliday, marked Hudson’s debut screen performance. She won the role over hundreds of professional singers and actresses, including Raven-Symoné and American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino.
Filming of Dreamgirls began on January 9, 2006, and the film went into limited release on December 25, 2006, and national release on January 12, 2007.
Hudson has won particular praise for her show-stopping onscreen rendition of the hit song, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, the signature song of the role, which had earlier been recorded, and had already reached the status of musical standard, because of the definitive performance of Jennifer Holliday. The New York Observer described Hudson’s performance of the song as, “five mellifluous, molto vibrato minutes that have suddenly catapulted Ms. Hudson… into the position of front-runner for the best supporting actress Oscar.” Newsweek said that when moviegoers hear Hudson sing the song, she, “is going to raise goose bumps across the land.” Variety magazine wrote that Hudson’s performance, “calls to mind debuts like Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl or Bette Midler in The Rose, with a voice like the young Aretha.”
Hudson’s version of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the January 13, 2007, issue. The Dreamgirls track became Hudson’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay chart on February 24, 2007. The track has also reached number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while remixes of the song have topped the Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.
As Effie White, Hudson has garnered 29 awards from film critics as Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performer of 2006. She won the Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In addition, she has been named Best Supporting Actress by the Broadcast Film Critics Association and also by the Screen Actors Guild. After seeing Hudson’s performance in Dreamgirls, American Idol judge Simon Cowell taped a congratulatory message to her, which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show. With the March 2007 issue, Jennifer Hudson became the third African American celebrity, and the first African-American singer, to grace the cover of Vogue magazine.
Hudson performing in 2007
On February 25, 2007, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. Upon winning the award, Hudson also became one of the very few performers ever to win an Oscar for a debut screen performance. As of 2009, she is also the only person to have gone from participating in a reality television series to becoming an Academy Award winner. During her acceptance speech Hudson said: “Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn’t think I was going to win. If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration.” She also concluded her speech by thanking Jennifer Holliday.
Later in 2007, the Mayor of her home town Chicago, Richard M. Daley declared March 6 as “Jennifer Hudson Day”. She also was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on June 18, along with 115 other individuals for 2007.
Sex and the City (2008)
In September 2007, Hudson began work on Sex and the City as Louise, Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant. Filming finished in December 2007 and the movie was released on May 30, 2008.
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
In January 2008, she began filming her third film The Secret Life of Bees as Rosaleen, the mother figure of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning). Also starring in the film are fellow Oscar nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo, as well as Alicia Keys. The film opened on October 17, 2008, and grossed over $37 million at the box office. The film won two People’s Choice Awards in January 2009 in the categories, Favorite Drama Movie and Favorite Independent Movie. The film also received nine Black Reel Awards nominations including three wins. Hudson was nominated for her performance in the film, but lost to Queen Latifah. The film also received eight nominations at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards, including a nomination for Hudson for her performance.
Fragments (2009)
In 2009, Hudson starred as Kathy Archenault in Fragments, a film based on the novel by Roy Freirich, with Dakota Fanning and Forest Whitaker. The name of the film was changed from “Winged Creatures” to “Fragments”. It was released on DVD on August 4, 2009.
Complete Movie list
2006 // Dreamgirls as Effie White
2008 // Sex and the City asLouise
The Secret Life of Bees as Rosaleen Daise
2009 // Fragments as Kathy Archenault
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