An Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author, Jennifer Hudson is an extraordinary talent. From humble beginnings, Hudson began singing in a small Chicago church where, week after week, she brought the congregation to its feet. From there, she’s gone on to worldwide acclaim.

Hudson most recently finished production on “Black Nativity,” where she stars alongside Forrest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige. The film, directed by Kasi Lemmons, is based on Langston Hughes’ gospel musical re-telling of the Bible's nativity story and will be released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in November 2013. In late 2012, Hudson finished production on director George Tillman…

An Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author, Jennifer Hudson is an extraordinary talent. From humble beginnings, Hudson began singing in a small Chicago church where, week after week, she brought the congregation to its feet. From there, she’s gone on to worldwide acclaim.

Hudson most recently finished production on “Black Nativity,” where she stars alongside Forrest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige. The film, directed by Kasi Lemmons, is based on Langston Hughes’ gospel musical re-telling of the Bible's nativity story and will be released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in November 2013. In late 2012, Hudson finished production on director George Tillman Jr.’s “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete”, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Lionsgate in the fall of 2013. The same year, she also completed “Lullaby,” an ensemble drama where she appears with Richard Jenkins, Garrett Hedlund and Amy Adams. This fall will also see Hudson starring alongside Terrence Howard in Darrell Roodt’s “Winnie Mandela,” in which she plays the titular role of activist, politician and ex-wife to South African President and revolutionary Nelson Mandela. The film will be released by Image this September.

In February 2013, Hudson was seen in three episodes for a guest starring arc on NBC’s acclaimed series, “Smash,” as a Broadway star in the show’s second season. In April of the same year, Hudson was seen in Lifetime’s series of short films centered on the topic of mental illness. “Call Me Crazy,” a follow-up to critically acclaimed anthology on the impact of breast cancer “Five,” was directed by Ashley Judd.

Expanding her talents in the arts, Hudson added author and clothing designer to her list of accomplishments in 2012. First in January with the release her New York Times best-selling memoir, “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways, Found Myself and Lost Everything that Weighed Me Down” and then with the launch of her first clothing line the Jennifer Hudson Collection, which debuted on QVC in September. In April of the same year, Hudson could also be seen back on the big screen in the Farrelly brothers’ comedy, “The Three Stooges,” in which sheplayed Sister Rosemary.

In 2007, Hudson won an Academy Award for her role as “Effie” in the smash hit “Dreamgirls,” an adaptation of the Broadway musical.  Her breakout film performance also garnered a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA and an NAACP Image Award. Additional credits include being honored by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review and being named “Entertainer of the Year” at the Soul Train Awards.

Hudson also received an NAACP Image Award nomination in 2009 for her role in Fox Searchlight’s “The Secret Life of Bees.” Directed by Gina Prince Blythewood, the stellar cast included Dakota Fanning, Alicia Keyes and Queen Latifah.  Prior to “Bees,” Hudson co-starred in the box office hit “Sex and the City: The Movie,” joining the hit television series' original cast of Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis.

Hudson has made the same kind of impact in the world of music that she has made in film with the successful release of both of her Arista Records albums. Her sophomore album, “I Remember Me,” was introduced on March 22, 2011 to rave reviews. The album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B Albums charts and has since been certified RIAA Gold in the U.S. She went on to receive a 2012 Billboard Music Award nomination for Top R&B Album as well as taking home two 2012 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Music Video and Outstanding Album. Additional recent collaborations include “Think Like A Man” with Ne-Yo and Rick Ross for the title track of the film and critically acclaimed single “Night Of Your Life” with David Guetta for his most recent hit-album “Nothing But The Beat.”

Hudson’s 2008 debutself-titled album won a Grammy Award for “Best R & B Album,” which was presented by one of Hudson’s idols, Whitney Houston. She also received three additional nominations including “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance,” “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals” and “Best R&B Song.” The album then went on to win three awards at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards including “Best Album.” The RIAA Gold Certified album entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2 and marked the biggest first week sales for an R&B female entry since 2004 and has since sold over 1.1 million albums worldwide to date.

In 2009, Jennifer, along with her sister Julia, founded The Julian D. King Gift Foundation in loving memory of Jennifer’s nephew and Julia’s son, who they lost in 2008. As a catalyst for change in children’s health, education and welfare, the Foundation exists to provide stability, support and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds so that they will become productive, confident and happy adults. The work of the Foundation is carried out through fund raising events, the content and proceeds of which are used to support and encourage the positive development of children. Jennifer and Julia have thus far hosted four Annual Toy Drives at Christmas for less fortunate children in the Chicago area as well as founding “Hatch Day” in 2011, an annual back-to-school supply drive, which takes place in August on Julian’s birthday to make sure all children start their school year with the supplies they need.

Hudson has been the national spokesperson for Weight Watchers since 2010.