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Published on 7/24/08
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Right now, everything about Jennifer Hudson screams, “I told you so!” Two and a half years after being voted off American Idol, a contentious moment that saw host Ryan Seacrest blaming a power outage and guest judge Elton John crying racism, the 25-year-old Atlanta-based belter is set to outshine all Idol finalists combined by playing Effie Melody White in the movie version of Dreamgirls. The once-in-a-lifetime part made a legend out of Jennifer Holliday, who won a Tony for the role in 1982, and you can bank on it shooting Hudson into the diva stratosphere; at least one publication has called her a certain Oscar nominee. She’s also already signed a deal with Clive Davis’s J Records and chatted on Oprah, and on December 30 she’ll perform music from Dreamgirls at Hammerstein Ballroom—as remixed dance versions. Most important, she knows her rendition of “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going,” the drag-queen classic that Holliday all but patented, can hold its own.
What are you doing right now?
I’m in my hotel room, getting all diva’d up.
What for?
I’m going to have lunch with Clive Davis. So I need to look fierce.
You looked pretty fierce on Oprah.
Oh, goodness. Being on Oprah was amazing. I still can’t believe I was on the Oprah show! She called me beforehand, so that made it even better.
What did she say?
She told me my performance was like a religious experience.
The audience gave you a standing ovation.
Well, they saw the movie the night before.
But they stood longer for you than they did for Jamie Foxx or Beyoncé. How did that feel?
I don’t even know what to tell you. I can’t find the words.
Well… try!
[Laughs] It was overwhelming, beyond my dreams. Like, oh my God! I had to fight back the tears. Yup.
What was it like hearing Simon Cowell eat his words on Oprah?
Well, that was a treat! [Laughs] You know how you feel when you see somebody from years ago, and you’re looking good and you’re successful? It was rewarding. I was like, “I told you that I’d be back, Simon. Now here I am!”
You didn’t want to throw anything at him?
I’d throw him a ticket to go see the movie.
When did you first hear about Dreamgirls?
Actually, I learned about Jennifer Holliday first, while I was watching an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Will Smith lip-synched to her version of “And I’m Telling You,” and I was like, Who is that singing like that?!? I want to sing that song!
You didn’t know it was from a musical?
Not until later, way later—like, a little bit after being on Idol. Up till then, I didn’t know there was an Effie, and a Dreamgirls, and a whole soundtrack behind it. I thought those songs came from Jennifer Holliday. I used to tell people, “I’m going to play Jennifer Holliday on Broadway.”
Have you checked out YouTube?
I’m always on YouTube.
Have you seen the clip of Jennifer Holliday singing “And I’m Telling You” at the 1982 Tonys?
Of course!
Did you see that clip before you filmed your version?
I’m sure I did. I’ve seen it so many times.
That must’ve been intimidating as hell.
Oh, yes! But I didn’t need to see the video to feel that way. Hearing her arrangement on the audio was intimidating enough. It’s like, “Oh, goodness, I gotta come behind that?!?” But the character is Effie White—not Jennifer Holliday—and I know I’ve created my own Effie. Just like she put her Holliday-ness in it, I put my Jennifer Hudson–ness in it.
Dreamgirls opens Fri 15. The “One Night Only” concert is at Hammerstein Ballroom Dec 30.
