Jennifer Hudson exploded into the pop culture zeitgeist two decades ago as a contestant on the singing competition series “American Idol.” And although she was eliminated early from the third season’s top 7, she would rapidly outgrow her reality show roots and become one of Hollywood’s most prolific multi-hyphenates.
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By 2009, Hudson had won an Oscar for her role as Effie White in “Dreamgirls” and a Grammy for her eponymous debut album. She landed a Daytime Emmy in 2021 (as exec producer on “Baba Yaga”) and the following year received the Tony for best musical for “A Strange Loop” (she was a producer). Along the way, Hudson lent her voice to some of the most significant events in American culture, notching performances at the Academy Awards, the Emmys, two Super Bowls, Michael Jackson’s memorial service and Pope Francis’ first visit to America.
So far, Hudson’s talker “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” has racked up 10 Daytime Emmy nominations since its launch in 2022. In anticipation of the talk show’s third season, which begins Sept. 16, Hudson sat down with Variety to discuss her upcoming Christmas album, her dream guests and what to expect for Season 3.
Sept. 12 is not only your birthday but also the anniversary of “The Jennifer Hudson Show’s” premiere. What sort of things are you reflecting on as we circle the date?
That is so funny you said that. You made me realize that I did debut on my birthday. We’re in the midst of prepping for the show and I forgot that my birthday was coming up. I feel like I’m at home right now, and I like that feeling. I’m learning more and more as I go. I’m feeling like I’m getting my grip and bearings on everything. And so now, with that being said, I feel like I can relax and enjoy my birthday. When I reflect back, I cannot believe I’m in Season 3 now. [Season 1] was three years ago, because I was turning 40 then, and now I’m going to be 43 in two days.
Do you have any special plans to celebrate your 43rd? Will you take the day off this time around?
I will, which is rare. But I don’t mind working on my birthday. Why? Because if I wasn’t doing what I love, that’s what I would be wishing for over on those birthday candles, wishing I was doing this. So I never mind working on the birthday, but this birthday, it’s 43. It’s not like it’s a big birthday, like 40 or turning 50 or 25. So I just want to have dinner and be with the family. And then I love animals, so I want to ride horses or something.
Another milestone you’re celebrating is 20 years since your appearance on “American Idol.” In your book, you said when you were in the bottom three, you were hoping to be eliminated. Why was that?
While we were in the process of the show, you got to think about potentially being eliminated. You have come to terms with that. I remember thinking if I go, I want to go seventh because that’s my favorite number, God’s complete number. But also, you want to go out where you feel like you’ve represented your artistry as best as possible. When I was eliminated the weekend in New England, I was like, “This is who I am as an artist and if that means I need to go, then I’m okay with that.” You know what I mean? I like to do things for the experience, and I said I was going to do “American Idol” for the experience. Because of that, look at all the things I’ve gotten to experience since.
When you first announced “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” there was a lot of skepticism considering how crowded the talk show space was at the time. What do you think about that now as you prepare for your third season?
Well, I’m always willing to try. No one can blame you for that. I like having the opportunity, and I’m gonna focus on that and let the work speak for me. A saying my grandmother used to say, “You’ll understand it better by and by,” you know? If I based what I could do on other people’s thoughts, concerns and comments, I wouldn’t be sitting here. What I like to say is, “No one knows your potential the way you do.” So that’s outside noise. That’s what I would call it. What does it have to do with me and how I think, and what the standards are? I’m going to create my own lane.
One of the most striking things about “The Jennifer Hudson Show” is how much fun everyone has. You do a great job engaging your audience and creating a space where everyone feels involved in the production. What is the key to fostering that environment?
I don’t know any other way to be. I come from a huge family, and everything we did was within the family. So I don’t care when I meet a stranger on the street or somebody’s uncle, mother, sister, or brother, all I see is my family, and that’s how I see everyone. This experience at the show is for all of us. It’s not me, then the audience and then the guests. No, we’re all here together. That’s how I treat film sets, that’s how I treat my performing crew and now the show. Any environment I’m in, it’s how my mama raised me.
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Some of the show’s best moments come from the children you interview. Is working with young guests ever a challenging?
They’re kids, and allowing them to be that and still knowing this is a baby, this is a kid, and they may be nervous, that’s okay. Notice when they come on the show, I’m like, “No, put toys here. Don’t leave a glass right there.” That’s a baby, you know? I allow them to be that. As a parent, I’m sensitive to those things and I think the kids can sense that you’re hanging out with Mama Hud, we gonna have some fun. My thing is when you come to my party, or my kid’s party, or if I got a party for the kids, if you don’t leave passed out, and we don’t have to carry you out by the time we’re done then I didn’t do my job. All the kids want to come back to my house, whether that’s the talk show or my actual house.
Do you have dream guests that you haven’t been able to land yet? I’m surprised Elton John has never been on your show.
Thank you! We got to get Sir Elton John on this show. You know who else I want, Tom Jones. I would love to have Tom Jones. I love the legends and the icons and the game changers. Stevie Wonder, I want to have him on the show. One of my biggest dreams is to have Michael Jordan. I really want Michael Jordan. It’s a big dream, but I’m a dreamer. Oh, you know who else I want, I would love the Obamas as well.
How do you plan out the guests and the segments for a season? Is there a theme you try to adhere to for each one?
What we have to realize is life is happening while the show is happening, and I’m very present in life. A lot of it is a response to what I’m feeling at that moment. The theme of this season is “Choose Joy.” That’s the space I’m in. I feel like that’s why God allows so many things to happen to me because, I want to share it with somebody, I want to inform somebody, I want to help somebody. So this is just giving me a bigger platform and a tool to do that. With that being said, the show will be a reflection of wherever I am in life, and what I want to share, which is most things.
You recently signed with Interscope Records, what inspired the return to music after all this time?
I don’t feel like I ever left it. I go from industry to industry to industry and music is the base of it all. No matter where I go, just because I said I was going to do a talk show did not mean I was going to stop singing. Or if I go to act, the music is still there. As a creative, you always feel the urge to create, and a Christmas album is something I have always wanted to do. I couldn’t think of a better time than now to do it and express my artistry. Now I have a talk show with families and a platform and an audience that I can share it with. Growing up, I used to recreate “Oh Holy Night.” I would remix it and pass it out every year to my family as my Christmas gift. Now, I get to share that with the world.
Can we expect more music after the Christmas album?
At this moment, [I’m focusing on] this Christmas album, but there will be other music to come after that. I love starting with Christmas music because it gets my creative chops going. I love the holidays, and so to me, it’s like my Christmas gift.
Your goal on American Idol was to hear Simon Cowell say you were the best singer he’s ever heard. As someone who has appeared to have done it all with your EGOT and your own show, what are some of your goals for the future?
Well, I want to be impactful in all of those things and then I want to win my second EGOT. That’s a goal of mine. I’m just curious to see what else is out there because I’ve been blessed to do everything I love to do. I want to do more producing and I have a lot of productions under JHud Productions. So producing is a huge thing that I’m interested in, and directing is probably last on my list, to be honest. But more music, more acting and more productions.
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