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‘Turned It Around For My Good': Jennifer Hudson Reflects On Her American Idol Elimination From Two Decades Ago
One talk show, one Oscar, one Emmy, one Tony, and two Grammys later, Jennifer Hudson is throwing it back hard on her American Idol elimination 20 years back.
Revisiting the memory of her shocking exit from the renowned reality show American Idol in 2004, American actor and singer Jennifer Hudson has reflected on one of the most notable setbacks in her career that ultimately led to her winning the EGOT status. “God turned it around for my good!” she wrote.
Hudson took to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) on April 22 sharing a short video clip from the episode of the reality show’s third season when she was eliminated. She is now a proud recipient of the EGOT– Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards and has her own show– Jennifer Hudson Show.
“On this day in 2004, I was eliminated from American Idol! From Idol to EGOT baby!!! 20 years later, and now back on TV with my own show,” she wrote.
The video shows host Ryan Seacrest declaring that Fantasia Barrino would qualify for the next round while Hudson, who had received the most votes earlier in the season, would be sent home. As he gave her a hard hug, Barrino, who went on to win the season, told her, “You are my American Idol.”
Hudson further added, “Never give up on your dreams, yal! If I can do it, so can u! If it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it at all ! Remember nobody knows your potential the way you do. Just keep the faith, keep believing, and keep going !!!”
Judges Reaction To Jennifer Hudson’s Shocking Elimination in American Idol Season 3
Reacting to her exit, one of the then-judges of the show said it was not Hudson’s fault but instead her poor song choice. Hudson’s performance of Barry Manilow's 1976 single Weekend in New England led to her shocking elimination.
When Hudson reunited with Simon Cowell, one of the judges at the time, on the first season of the Jennifer Hudson Show in 2022, “Who chose stupid 'Barry Manilow Week?' It wasn't my idea! And I remember thinking, 'This is not a great song.' Wasn't your fault. And then, of course, what happened, happened.”
Jennifer Hudson’s EGOT-winning Works
Born in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois, Hudson is the youngest and only the second African American woman to receive the prestigious EGOT after Whoopi Goldberg. In 2023, Viola Davis became the third.
Merely two years after her exit from the show, Hudson made her acting debut as Effie White in Bill Condon’s musical drama film Dreamgirls winning her first Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress. She became the first African American woman to win in a competitive acting category, making history.
Hudson bagged a Tony Award for A Strange Loop and a Daytime Emmy Award for being the executive producer for Outstanding Interactive Media for a Daytime program of Baba Yaga. She won her second Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for her Broadway debut in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. Her first Grammy was for Best R&B Album for the album Jennifer Hudson.
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