Who was the world's first American Idol to win an Oscar?
It’s true that the show American
Idol can do wonders for those who win and go on to receive a recording contract
and in many cases, a life of fame and fortune as their dreams of a singing
career are quickly brought to life. However in some cases, contestants don’t
even need to be crowned the winner at the end of the season for the show to do
wonders for their careers. Such was the case with Jennifer Hudson, who forever
seemed to be challenged getting votes during her time on American Idol 3, the
third season of the show. During Hollywood Week, which occurs very early on in
the season, Hudson was voted off by the judges and not chosen to go on. However,
during their Wild Card week, the judges brought Hudson back to let America
decide. Ultimately, Hudson was voted off by the American public after being
brought into the Final 12 and finished the show in 7th place. But that was only
the beginning of Hudson’s time in the spotlight.
In November 2005, just months after being voted off
the show, Jennifer Hudson was given the part of Effie White for the feature film
version of the musical Dreamgirls. The honor was huge as the part had first come
to life on Broadway when it was performed by Jennifer Holliday. Filming began on
January 9, 2006 and it was ready for national release on January 12, 2007. After
the film’s release, Hudson gained particular accreditation for her version of
the song And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, which was already popular due to
Holliday’s performance and which made critics, fans, and peers alike all take
special notice of Hudson. It was on February 25, 2007, that Jennifer Hudson was
an Academy Award for the role of Effie White. She won in the category for Best
Supporting Actress.
Along with this historical event, Jennifer Hudson
also became one of the only Oscar winners to win an award for a debut screen
performance and she’s the only winner that has ever first appeared in a reality
television show.
Jennifer Hudson
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