Wissenswertes

After appearing on the March 2007 issue of Vogue magazine, she became the third African-American celebrity to grace the front cover. The other two were Oprah Winfrey and Halle Berry.

Was not in attendance at the 2007 BAFTA Awards ceremony when she was won the award as Best Supporting Actress for Dreamgirls (2006). Actor and fellow BAFTA-nominee, Daniel Craig, accepted the award on her behalf. Her award was shipped to her but got lost in the mail. In 2011, Hudson appeared on British talk show, Jennifer Hudson/K D Lang/Bill Bailey (2011), where Norton surprised her with the award.

Beat out 782 actresses for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006).

Is one of a very few actors to receive an Academy Award for their debut performance.

Managed to eke out a thanks to the original stage Effie, Jennifer Holliday, as the orchestra music began to unceremoniously drown out Jennifer's emotional Oscar acceptance speech. Both Holliday and Sheryl Lee Ralph (the theater's first Deena) had expressed hurt and dismay earlier at being snubbed during the mounting publicity for the "Dreamgirls" film. The third original Dreamgirl on stage, Loretta Devine, received a singing cameo in the film version. The other two were not offered or even approached to appear in the film.

On October 24, 2008, Hudson's mother Darnell, 57, and brother Jason, 29, were shot and killed at their home in Chicago. Her 7-year-old nephew, Julian Hudson-King, was kidnapped. He was found dead on October 27, 10 miles away, in the back of a white SUV. William Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia Hudson, was later arrested for the homicides. If Hudson hadn't accepted her then-fiancé David Otunga's invitation to go with him to a training trip in Florida that weekend, she would have been at her mother's house when she was killed.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6262 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on November 13, 2013.

Confessed that before making the film Sex and the City - Der Film (2008), she had never seen the television series Sex and the City (1998). After reading the film script, she went out and bought all of the DVDs on the television series and became completely addicted to them.

Jennifer was going to perform "Over the Rainbow" for movie night but was informed that she had have to perform it Kimberley Locke's way and decided to sing "I Have Nothing" instead.

Packed on 20 pounds to play the role of Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006).

Her favourite female pop artist is Céline Dion.

She cites Whitney Houston as her musical/movie influence, and has also said recently that her biggest wish is to collaborate on her debut album with Houston.

(March 10, 2007) She was overwhelmed to receive the Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, California. She also performed at the ceremony and said, "I just can't believe I got the Sammy Davis Jr. Award. I'm standing on the same stage where I made the top 32 of American Idol.".

Was invited to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2009, but respectfully declined, opting instead to make her comeback at the 2009 Super Bowl.

Is a huge fan of Michael Bublé and invited him to sing with her on her Christmas TV special Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas (2009).

Became close friends with singer Beyoncé during the filming of Dreamgirls (2006). Beyoncé was present at the February 2007 Academy Awards ceremony where Jennifer won the Oscar for best supporting actress.

Director Michael Patrick King and actress Sarah Jessica Parker wanted Jennifer specifically to play the role of Louise, Carrie's assistant, in Sex and the City - Der Film (2008). He created the role with only her in mind.

Is the first contestant from American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002) to be nominated and receive an Academy Award.

Beat American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002) winner Fantasia Barrino for her role in Dreamgirls (2006), despite the fact that Barrino had won Season 3 of the talent show with Hudson trailing in seventh place (2004).

Claims that Sister Act 2 - In göttlicher Mission (1993) is her favorite film. Sheryl Lee Ralph, who appears in that film, was in the original Dreamgirls Broadway cast.

She is the daughter of Samuel Simpson and Darnell Hudson Donerson, and is the youngest of three children. Her father was a bus driver. Her brother, Jason, was a mechanic, and her sister, Julia Hudson, works as a school bus driver.

Had she not accepted an invitation by fiancé David Otunga to accompany him to Florida on a training trip that fateful weekend in October 2008, she would have been at her mother's Chicago home where her estranged brother-in-law William Balfour fatally shot both her mother and older brother.

Has three Pomeranian dogs called Oscar, Grammy and Dreamgirl.

Dedicated her Golden Globe Award to Florence Ballard on whom her Dreamgirls (2006) character Effie White is so obviously based on. (Januar 2007)

Engaged to David Otunga from September 12, 2008: her 27th birthday to November 16, 2017.

Attended and graduated from Dunbar Vocational High School in Chicago, Illinois; she sang in the school's chorus (1999).

Her best supporting actress Oscar for Dreamgirls (2006) stands on the mantel of her Chicago apartment.

Began singing when she was 7-years-old. As a child, Jennifer performed as part of a choir at her local church in Chicago.

Is one of 8 actresses to have won an Academy Award for their performance in a musical. The others in chronological order are; Rita Moreno, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Anne Hathaway and Emma Stone.

Celebrated her son David's first birthday with a WWE-themed party.

Jennifer Hudson is the Godmother for the Disney Dream cruise ship.

Has a son: David Otunga Jr. (b. August 10, 2009) with ex-fiancé, David Otunga.

Worked at Burger King before becoming a contestant on American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002) and winning the role of her Academy-Award winning performance in Dreamgirls (2006).

Is one of 7 African-American actresses to win an Oscar in a competitive category. In chronological order the others are: Hattie McDaniel for Vom Winde verweht (1939), Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost - Nachricht von Sam (1990), Halle Berry for Monster's Ball (2001), Mo'Nique for Precious - Das Leben ist kostbar (2009), Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011) and Viola Davis for Fences (2016).

Is one of the 16 actors to win an Oscar for their film debut. The others are: Shirley Booth for Kehr zurück, kleine Sheba (1952), Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins (1964), Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl (1968) and Marlee Matlin for Gottes vergessene Kinder (1986) (all for Best Actress in a Leading Role), followed by Katina Paxinou for Wem die Stunde schlägt (1943), Mercedes McCambridge for Der Mann, der herrschen wollte (1949), Eva Marie Saint for Die Faust im Nacken (1954), Jo Van Fleet for Jenseits von Eden (1955), Goldie Hawn for Die Kaktusblüte (1969), Tatum O'Neal for Paper Moon (1973), Anna Paquin for Das Piano (1993) and Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave (2013) (all for Best Actress in a Supporting Role). The three male actors are Harold Russell for Die besten Jahre unseres Lebens (1946), Timothy Hutton for Eine ganz normale Familie (1980), and Haing S. Ngor for Killing Fields - Schreiendes Land (1984) (all for Best Actor in a Supporting Role). Out of these 16 actors, only Mercedes McCambridge, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand and Goldie Hawn have been nominated since their win.

Returned to work 5 months after giving birth to her son, David Jr. in order to begin recording her second album: I Remember Me.

Jennifer attributes her vocal talents to her late grandmother Julia Kate Hudson, who was a former choir mistress in Chicago.

Her favourite types of music are R&B and pop music.

Mentioned by Lil Mama in the remix of Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend": "I'm telling you like Jennifer Hudson".

Officially received, for the first time, the BAFTA trophy she had won for Dreamgirls (2006) when she appeared as a guest on Jennifer Hudson/K D Lang/Bill Bailey (2011). When Norton learned that Hudson had never actually received her trophy due to her absence on the night of the event, he organized a reissue of the prize with the British film academy and personally presented it to her himself.

On June 10, 2011, she was rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pains; was later diagnosed with food poisoning.

Is one of 15 African-American actresses to be nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. The others in chronological order are: Hattie McDaniel, Ethel Waters, Juanita Moore, Beah Richards, Alfre Woodard, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Queen Latifah, Ruby Dee, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson, Mo'Nique and Octavia Spencer. As of 2012, Whoopi Goldberg and Viola Davis are the only African-American actresses to receive nominations in both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories.

The song "All Dressed in Love" was written for the soundtrack of Sex and the City - Der Film (2008).

Made her stage debut with the one-off concert revival of "Hair" on Broadway in September 2004. She then returned to Broadway for the one-off concert revival of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" as Jewel in October 2006.

The seventeenth person, fifth woman, fifth person of color and third black performer to receive the status of EGOT. The other recipients (chronologically) are Richard Rodgers, Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, John Gielgud, Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, Mike Nichols, Whoopi Goldberg, Scott Rudin, Robert Lopez, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, John Legend, Alan Menken, Viola Davis and Elton John.

Is one of 13 actresses to have won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award and SAG Award for the same performance. The others in chronological order are Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich (2000), Renée Zellweger for Unterwegs nach Cold Mountain (2003), Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line (2005), Helen Mirren for Die Queen (2006), Kate Winslet for Der Vorleser (2008), Mo'Nique for Precious - Das Leben ist kostbar (2009), Natalie Portman for Black Swan (2010) and Octavia Spencer for The Help (2011), Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables (2012), Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine (2013), Patricia Arquette for Boyhood (2014) and Julianne Moore for Still Alice: Mein Leben ohne Gestern (2014).

She signed a record deal with Clive Davis's label, Arista Records. (November 2006)

Is one of 115 people invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 2007.

Is one of 6 actresses to have won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a character who is pregnant at some point during the film, hers being for Dreamgirls (2006). The others are Mary Astor for Vertauschtes Glück (1941), Kim Hunter for Endstation Sehnsucht (1951), Mary Steenburgen for Melvin und Howard (1980), Brenda Fricker for Mein linker Fuß (1989), and Rachel Weisz for Der ewige Gärtner (2005).

As of 2007, she is the eighth youngest recipient of the best supporting actress Academy Award. She won the award at the age of 25 for her performance in Dreamgirls (2006). The others, ranked from youngest to the seventh youngest, are: Tatum O'Neal (aged 10) for Paper Moon (1973), Anna Paquin (aged 11) for Das Piano (1993), Patty Duke (aged 16) for Licht im Dunkel (1962), Anne Baxter (aged 23) for Auf Messers Schneide (1946), Teresa Wright (aged 24) for Mrs. Miniver (1942), Goldie Hawn (aged 24) for Die Kaktusblüte (1969) and Angelina Jolie (aged 24) for Durchgeknallt (1999). She is also the youngest African-American actress ever to win an Academy Award.