Jennifer Hudson Interview, DreamGirls

We are concluding our interviews with the cast of Dreamgirls with Jennifer Hudson. Be sure to read our interviews with Beyoncé Knowles and Jamie Foxx if you have not already. In 1960s Detroit, a good night onstage can get you noticed but it won't get your song played on the radio. Here, a new kind of music is on the cusp of being born – a sound with roots buried deep in the soul of Detroit itself, where songs are about more than what's on the surface, and everyone is bound together by a shared dream.

Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx) is a car salesman aching to make his mark in the music business – to form his own record label and get its sound heard on mainstream radio at a time when civil rights are still only a whisper in the streets. He just needs the angle, the right talent, the right product to sell. Late for their stint in a local talent show, The Dreamettes – Deena Jones (Beyoncé Knowles), Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose), and lead singer Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) – show up in their cheap wigs and homemade dresses, rehearsing songs and steps by Effie's brother, C.C. (Keith Robinson), with hopes that talent and sheer desire will break them out of the only life that seems available to them.They're young. They're beautiful. They're just what Curtis is looking for.

All they have to do is trust him. James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy) is a pioneer of the new Detroit sound, spellbinding audiences all along the "Chitlin' Circuit" with his electrifying blend of soul and rock 'n' roll. Curtis finesses The Dreamettes a gig singing backup for Early, and suddenly, for all of them, the gulf between what they want and what they can have draws closer for the first time.

Curtis launches the girls as a solo act, rechristening them The Dreams, knowing in his gut that success lies not with the soulful voice of Effie, but with the demure beauty and malleable style of Deena – despite their history…and Curtis' promises. Deena is ready to step into the spotlight, even as Effie fades away. As a new musical age dawns, Curtis' driving ambition pushes this one-time family to the forefront of an industry in the throes of music revolution. But when the lights come up and the curtains part, they hardly recognize who they've become. Their dreams are finally there for the taking, but at a price that may be too heavy for their hearts to bear. Here is what Jennifer had to say about her role.

Hudson: Goodness, I don't know. I guess at this point I have no choice but to be ready [laughs]. But I think it's a process, what you learn as you go along. So I don't know, I just have to be ready for whatever, you know.

Question: Do you tell yourself, i can't get a big ego? How do you quell that?

Hudson: Well first off, it's not me, it's God. So as long as I know that, I can remain humble. And two, I like the balance of home, and Hollywood, because you know, you get in Hollywood and you get all spoiled, but when you go home you get smacked by reality, and that family is there to put you back in your place, so I think that's something that helps keep me balanced.

Question: What is your home life like?

Hudson: Well, it's just normal. Like you would never guess I would come and - this is - I feel like I'm leading a double life, really [laughs], like I'm stuck in between worlds.

Question: Is it a big family?

Hudson: It's a big family - well, not so much. I'm the youngest of three. I have an older sister Julia, and a brother Jason, and there's my mom, my father's deceased. And I have a host of cousins and things like that. But it's just normal, you know, I'm from a normal neighborhood, I'm a normal girl, and going back into reality, that's what helps me.

Question: Is there a parallel between this character and what happened to you on 'american idol?' as far as having a great voice, but not being pretty enough?

Hudson: I don't think - I don't know if it was an image, or if they was like bold or blunt, they put it out there like that, maybe. If that had something, you know, image, had a big role to play in it. But I felt like yes, then there's a parallel between Effie and my story, but my experience with Idol, I'd been eliminated, and still having to go against all odds to pursue my goals, and Effie doing the same, when she was kicked out of the Dreamgirls.

Question: You don't think the choice of someone like fantasia is comparable to what happens in the film?

Hudson: As like her being parallel to Deena? No. [laughs] No.

Question: Was it intimidating to work with people of this caliber? Who did you bond with most?

Hudson: Well everybody played their part. I did feel intimidated in the early stages of production, when we would read around at the table and go through the script, and they'd have all them sitting around, all of these superstars at the table, and I'm sitting at the head of it like oh my God, why would you put me at the head of the table?! But you know, thinking that they would say okay, why is she here? What credibility does she have? He has an Oscar, this is her fourth movie, she has a Tony award, and I'm from American Idol! [laughs] I mean, really! So I'm thinking they might say, can you get somebody else on our level? But it wasn't like that at all, and everybody played a part in it, Anika [Noni Rose] was always there, and she was always really sweet and extremely supportive, if I needed her help at any time she was always there. Beyonce [Knowles] did just the same, and she was extremely patient. Jamie [Foxx], he was - that was the one, he was

really extra supportive, and a lot of fun, and just helped break things and make it more quick for me, and of course Bill Condon the director as well.

Question: How could this character not get a job again, with that voice?

Hudson: I think it goes with that thing, it's not about how good you are, but how good you are to work with. And I think we all know Effie was not the most professional person. And I don't think it was her talent that hindered her, I think it was more of her attitude. And therefore she would be rejected.

Question: How familiar were you with this show?

Hudson: I wasn't at all. I had never - I still have never seen the actual play.

Question: Did you have the music?

Hudson: I only knew of, 'And I'm Telling You' and 'I Am Changing.' And I thought it was just Jennifer Holliday's original material from her album. I didn't know it was a full soundtrack, I didn't even know there was 'One Night Only,' and 'Dreamgirls,' until what – probably before my audition. And I thought the original character of Effie was Jennifer Holliday. I used to say, I want to play Jennifer Holliday on Broadway. [laughs] That's how much I knew of 'Dreamgirls.'

Question: What were your thoughts on the balance of being aggressive?

Hudson: Well, if anything, that was the thing they felt I didn't have, in my character, was the aggressiveness. They would say, you're too sweet, you need to toughen up a bit. So as far as being more aggressive and finding my way through with Bill Condon directing me through all of that, and put me in these courses, Evil 101, to build up that aggressiveness and that presence that Effie - that confidence she possessed.

Question: How do you prepare for that big ending song? How many takes did you do?

Hudson: I don't know exactly how many takes we did, but I know it was about three or four days of shooting it. And it took a - I had to get to know Effie, learn my character, and Effie and Jennifer had to meet and become - we didn't shoot that - that was the last scene filmed, so by that point I got to know Effie and live as Effie for months, and I felt I needed to know the character, and know her relationship between her and her in the dreams, before I could even go into something like that. To understand what her relationship and connection was to each and every one of them, and what was her goal of this song, which I don't feel is a song, I feel like that's Effie's story. And I needed to know her, to be able to tell her story.

Question: You signed with Clive Davis, and will have an album out next year, but do you want to make more movies?

Hudson: I definitely want to continue to make more movies. But I would like to continue to do both movies and music, just separate the two. I would like to balance them both out by - like I focused on 'Dreamgirls,' and now I'm gonna focus on that album, and then after that album is done I want to focus on the next movie. So if I can balance it out by going back and forth and doing the two, you know, you should just focus on one thing at a time, and that's how I'd rather do it.

Question: What do you have in mind for the album?

Hudson: Goodness. Haven't even had much time to think about it, but I do like Effie's style. That's where my heart is in music, and I just want to contribute to bringing back songs of substance and music with a message. And the only thing I can guarantee is a lot of soul.

Question: Have you seen simon since the show?

Hudson: No, I have not seen him, in the flesh. [laughs] I was on Oprah's show, and she had him on satellite, and he gave me an apology and all that good stuff, because he heard the song, and he's saying he heard all the buzz and he's extremely proud, and he wants me to thank him later down the line.

Question: For what?!?

Hudson: [laughs] Well I guess, Idol did give me the platform to be seen, because had it not been for 'American Idol' - I'm searching deep, I'm stretching here. Had it not been for 'American Idol,' then 'Dreamgirls,' Bill would've never known of Jennifer Hudson, to call and say, we want you to come out and audition for 'Dreamgirls,' and for that I guess I should say thank you.

Question: Would you go back and perform on 'American Idol' if they asked you to?

Hudson: I wouldn't mind at all. Yeah. I don't see anything wrong with it. It's a part of our history, and you can't erase that. I don't mind, I don't see any harm in it.

Question: There's Oscar buzz about your performance, how does that make you feel?

Hudson: Oh my God. I feel honored, and I'm just in awe of that, because last year this time, I had just got the role, and the only thing on my mind was not to disappoint the people who gave me the job, you know. And wanting the part. I never even, even dreamed of this, even thought about it, I just feel so special that my name is even being mentioned, I never would've guessed [laughs], so I have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

Question: How big a movie fan are you in general? Is there a movie that changed your life?

Hudson: It's funny, I get in trouble for this all the time, because I've always followed music, my whole life. Like some people breathe movies, I breathe music, and now I'm a part of this whole new world that I did not expect at all. My boyfriend's a movie fanatic, and now I guess I have to become one. I do love movies, I mean, they're a part of just entertainment and everyday life, I don't know. But I have to find my way to that.

Question: Is your boyfriend in the business?

Hudson: No, no, he's not. He's just a normal guy. One of those things at home that keeps me tied to reality [laughs].

Question: Who inspired you from the beginning? Kept you going?

Hudson: I've always been blessed just to have a lot of support around me, long before Idol and everything else, always. My mother was a strong supporter, my family's always supported me, even friends, would go out of their way to help me, to say you need to hear this girl sing, and I have a friend, Walter Williams [?], we started out in sixth grade in grammar school together, and he was determined to have anybody possible to hear me sing. I didn't even want to sing, and he'd be like

oh you have to sing! I don't want to sing, leave me alone! But I had so much support like that behind me, and my mother, actually, was one of the people who told me, Jennifer you should act. I think you could act. And I'm like mom please, I can't act, are you serious? I never would've guessed! And now here I am, like she foresaw it or something, I don't know.

Question: What was the first big expensive thing you bought?

Hudson: Um, I didn't - I didn't go buy anything, but what I did was, I put a washroom, on the third floor in my house, so I didn't have to go to the second floor to use the bathroom. That's so I wouldn't have to go down the steps. So I think that's crazy. Give me a washroom right here, put it in here, so I don't have to go down the steps in the middle of the night [laughs] to use the bathroom. I'm real lazy.

Question: The next thing you have coming, is that just straight acting? Is that what you want to do?

Hudson: I definitely want to continue acting, but I think I want to balance both movies and music. But next is the album, and then after that I want to focus in on another movie.

Question: A movie without singing?

Hudson: Without singing, yes. I would like to separate the two of them, do singing in the music industry, and acting in the movie industry.

Question: And you feel comfortable doing that?

Hudson: Oh yes, definitely. I don't know why, I haven't done much to be able to compare it to, but I felt doing the musical was extremely challenging, because I don't know, and you guys can correct me if I'm wrong, but in a regular movie you don't have to act - I mean, you don't have to act, dance, sing, all of those things in one. So if I can eliminate the singing and the dancing, then that would be a big relief! [laughs] I'm like, ugh!

Question: Was there a number that was harder than 'And I'm telling you?'

Hudson: Good question! Actually, vocally challenging, I think 'I'm Changing' was far more vocally challenging than 'And I'm Telling You.' But as far as portraying the song, of course 'And I'm Telling You' was the hardest. 'And I'm Telling You' is Effie's story, in musical to drama, and tell the story, and I felt like, 'I'm Changing' is her journey, but at the same time, from a singer's prospective, I felt like 'I'm Changing' is far more vocally demanding than 'I'm Telling You' is. At least in my book. [laughs]

Question: How was dubbing?

Hudson: That was quite challenging as well. Because you can't – there is no cast before you, you're not acting it out in the studio, everything is in your head, you have to give it that same performance level and do it the same way, in the booth, without a scene set up, you know what I mean. And anybody going through the motions with you. So, that was definitely a little bit more challenging.

Question: And then you're stuck with it.

Hudson: Right, right! [laughs] Then you get back and say, okay, now what did I do in that recording? Okay! So you have to make sure it was digging in the right direction, so when you did get to - just like 'And I'm Telling You,' for instance, I needed to make sure that it lead me in that right direction, so by the time I got to the scene, I let the music guide me the rest of the way.

Question: If you do end up on stage at the Oscars, do you think you'll write a speech? Who would you hate to forget to thank?

Hudson: God, of course! That's the first thing that's gonna be on my list.

Question: Thank us, remember us.

Hudson: You know what, you're my number two guy. What room is this? Room number six! Room number six!

Question: It's okay to do God first.

Hudson: Whatever the season, or if I'm blessed to be a part of any season, or any award show, I know that's first on my list, thanking God. If nothing else, I know that's - I won't miss that.