Yet the ‘toughest challenge’ of Respect, Hudson tells me, was figuring out how to approach the vocals. ‘It didn’t register with me until I was in the middle of those scenes that I don’t think I would have been able to tell her story with so much depth and vulnerability without my own life trials,’ she says. This tragedy made Respect’s powerful scenes, where an alcoholic Franklin hits an all-time low and sees a vision of her much-loved deceased mother, particularly acute. In 2008 Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew were killed in a shooting in Chicago. ‘I feel I used my pain to tell her story and I think that is what she saw, beyond the singing and the acting,’ she says. The one thing Hudson never asked was why Miss Franklin (as she used to call her) picked her for the role. ‘I still can’t believe I was one of the last people to speak to her,’ says Hudson. The two women struck up a friendship, speaking weekly on the phone right up to the day Franklin died from pancreatic cancer in August 2018. Jennifer enjoyed weekly phonecalls with the Queen of Soul until her death in 2018 (Picture: Paul Natkin/Getty Images) The only thing I can play a bit is the piano.’Ī double Grammy winner/award-winning actress who Time magazine last year named one of the 100 most influential people in the world, J.Hud had four hours of piano lessons a day as part of portraying Aretha Franklin in the new biopic Respect. ‘I am a musician so I actually have tons of instruments around the house ready for those that can when I have rehearsals. ‘No, baby, I can’t! But I can look at it!’ guffaws Hudson, back in her real voice. ‘Gosh, can you play that?’ I ask, a bit overawed by such full-on Hollywood glamour. ‘You can see my piano,’ she says, settling herself down, resplendent in yellow silk Dolce & Gabbana loungewear, ‘and my harp’, indicating a full-sized golden harp by the window. ‘You are in my living room,’ she continues, waving gold and crystal-studded pointed nails around a white, ballroom-sized crib stuffed with purple orchids.
‘Welcome to my “herm”,’ declares Jennifer Hudson, adopting a faux Queen Elizabeth accent as she ushers Metro into her LA mansion, via Zoom. I wasn't going try to bring up Respect, but Aretha Franklin back then used to wear the same thing.Jennifer Hudson had a close friendship with legendary singer Aretha Franklin (Picture: Quantrell D. Even my makeup artist was like, 'We're going to keep your swoop because you do it really well.' I've been doing it my whole life. I do get stuck in the '60s a lot-more than anyone. Do you have a favorite beauty look from that era? You've starred in a few films that take place in the'60s. Think about it: A lot of times you can tell somebody is in a joyous mood when they're whistling or humming. Right now I love this whistle song by D'Angelo and The Vanguard, it's called "The Door." I like a song that whistles at me. What's a song that always puts you in a good mood? But at the same time, I think it's beautiful when you can embrace your naturalness. You don't necessarily need it, but it's fun to play in products. I feel like we've all been misled thinking that we needed to add all the bells and whistles to ourselves. There's nothing more beautiful than being in your natural state and just taking care of that. I think we've all been through that, like you need this, I need to be that, I should add this, and add that-but it's actually the opposite. What is something you once thought to be true about beauty that you've since changed your mind about? For me, I once thought you had to use 20 products to have great skin! It's refreshing and something I can do on my own. You know, when the weather breaks and gets nice, that's when I'm like, "Oh, I want to work out I want to ride a bike." I like to do outdoor activities. I love exercising, I love bike riding, I love to be outdoors. Self-care is about more than just skincare and makeup, though. So I'm trying to form great habits now and hold on to them. Once the world opens up, you know, we go back into our regular ways.
I like giving myself care, and paying attention to myself, and doing what I feel is best for me.
It's helped me in a way, having more time for myself, to be able to determine what it is I need. A post shared by Jennifer Hudson has your beauty routine changed in the last year?