
Best-known for her amazing voice (she rose to fame as a finalist on American Idol), Jennifer Hudson has also made a name for herself as an actor. While only a few of her roles have been historical, they’ve been pretty spectacular and often feature her musical skill. I bet we’ll be seeing her on screen again and hopefully in more dramatic roles.
Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006)

Rosaleen Daise in The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

Winnie Mandela in Winnie Mandela (2011)

Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray Live! (2016)

Aretha Franklin in Respect (2021)

What’s your favorite of Jennifer Hudson’s frock flick roles?
Hairspray until Respect is out.
Can’t wait to see “Respect,” especially as a friend recorded Erivo for us (on friend’s complex new system); good production, as far as I could tell, given that the episodes played out of order, we had to fast-forward through ads, etc.
Dreamgirls is genuinely one of my favorite movies. And her performance in it is spectacular. I’m very much looking forward to Respect too..
I can’t wait to see Respect. I loved her in Sex and the City 2. Have a great evening.
Just saw “Respect.” Pretty much a standard Hollywood bio-pic–had that made-for-television- movie feel–but well written and very well acted. Young Aretha’s wardrobe would have made my late mother swoon: all those beautifully designed and sewn dresses for proper little ’50s girls. And Audra McDonald plays Aretha’s mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin! Go see it just for the cast, the music, and the costumes.