The making of a star: Jennifer Hudson’s weight battles, talent shows and triumphs
Cast member Jennifer Hudson attends a premiere for the film "Respect" in Los Angeles, California, US, August 8, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Jennifer Hudson rose from humble beginnings in Chicago to global stardom, overcoming weight struggles, rejections and immense challenges.
- Dreamgirls transformed Jennifer Hudson from an overlooked talent into an award-winning actress, Grammy-winning singer, and international household name.
Jennifer Hudson grew up in Englewood, on the South Side of Chicago, as the third child in a single-parent family. Her mother, Darnell Hudson Donnerson, displayed remarkable dexterity in providing for her children, ensuring that a hot meal was always on the table, regardless of financial hardship.
She was a creature of habit, and her food defined every gathering. Breakfast featured bacon, ham, sausages, pancakes, waffles, eggs and home-baked biscuits. Wednesday dinners were reserved for spaghetti and meatballs, Fridays for fried fish ceremonies, while Sundays were dedicated to traditional African American soul food: collard greens, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, pork chops, and fried chicken.
By the age of 13, Jennifer had transformed from a tall, slender girl into a young woman standing five feet nine inches tall. She took pride in her appearance and inherited her maternal grandmother Julia Kate’s high-pitched choir voice. She sang confidently in her high-ceilinged home, where hardwood floors created soothing echoes that mimicked microphone acoustics.
When her classmate Walter Williams heard her delivering high notes during a music lesson, he was captivated. Declaring himself her manager, he used his credit card to buy her clothes and secured gigs at weddings, house parties, and funerals, where she performed for $25 per song.
Strenuous talent competitions, however, became a more lucrative source of income. Chicago had no shortage of talent shows, and Jennifer, alongside Walter, carefully selected contests based on prize money. She won all but one of the competitions she entered.
At 17, she landed a job at a Burger King drive-through restaurant. Instead of repeating the automated ‘Welcome to Burger King’ recording, Jennifer sang whatever came to mind through the shop’s microphone as customers drove by to buy Whoppers and fries. Her manager, who also promoted nightclubs, offered her $150 per session to perform at his club every night. Jennifer went on to audition as a backup vocalist for music legend Barry Manilow. Although she outshone other contestants, she was rejected because of her weight.
The cover of Jennifer Hudson's memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.
In her memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down, she reveals that by 19, she had reached 236 pounds. Determined to change, she gave up junk food and began a cardio-based exercise regime, eventually losing 60 pounds. In 2004, Walter bought plane tickets for himself and 22-year-old Jennifer to audition for Season 3 of American Idol at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Competing against 11,000 hopefuls, Jennifer performed Cissy Houston’s This Empty Place to thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Her powerful voice earned her a second audition weeks later before executive producers Nigel Lythgoe, Ken Warwick, and Cecile Frot-Coutaz, where she performed Celine Dion’s The Power of Love.
She was then flown to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, to sing before judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell, who harshly labelled her “hideous”. Despite this, she advanced to Hollywood Hills for six gruelling weeks of mentorship under Elton John. On April, 20, 2004, Jennifer was eliminated as the sixth contestant from the final 12.
Soon afterwards, rumours spread that DreamWorks was considering her for the role of Effie White in the upcoming film adaptation of the hit stage musical Dreamgirls. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, the story follows the rise of three women who form the group Dreamettes. Effie, sidelined due to her weight, resonated deeply with Jennifer. Acclaimed director Bill Condon cast Jennifer from among 782 women who auditioned. Filming began on January 9, 2006. To embody Effie, Jennifer was asked to gain 20 pounds, which she did with a sugar-heavy diet of cookies, cakes, and pies. Her powerhouse vocals and raw acting talent upstaged co-stars Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover, and Beyoncé Knowles.
In November 2006, Arista Records CEO Clive Davis signed Jennifer to a recording contract, announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show, shortly before Dreamgirls premiered on December 22. The film became an instant hit, with Jennifer hailed as its breakout star.
She went on to win 29 awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, including a Golden Globe in January 2007, followed a month later by an Oscar at the 79th Academy Awards. Within a week, she was in the recording studio in Orlando, creating more than 60 songs in two years. Thirteen tracks were chosen for her self-titled debut album, released on September 27, 2008. On February 8, 2009, she won a Grammy for Best R&B Album.
The writer is a novelist, Big Brother Africa 2 Kenyan representative and founder of Jeff's Fitness Centre (@jeffbigbrother).
