Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981) is an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer.

She first gained notice as one of the finalists on the third season of the FOX television series American Idol. She went on to star as Effie White in the 2006 motion picture musical Dreamgirls for which she won numerous awards including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a SAG Award.

Academy Award winner Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American singer and actress. She was one of the finalists on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol. She recently stared as Effie White alongside Beyoncé Knowles and Jamie Foxx in the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. She beat out American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino to get the role. Prior to American Idol, Hudson had worked as a singer a