{"id":406035,"date":"2011-04-29T00:12:16","date_gmt":"2011-04-29T00:12:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/"},"modified":"2011-04-29T00:12:16","modified_gmt":"2011-04-29T00:12:16","slug":"jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I’m bigger than ever! Oscar-winner"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Nicole Lampert<\/a>
Last updated at 1:12 AM on 29th April 2011<\/p>\n

Jennifer Hudson\u2019s life-changing moment of truth came when she set foot on the red carpet for the first time at a Hollywood premiere.<\/p>\n

Although just one of thousands of wannabe actresses, she believed her natural assets gave her the edge in the battle for stardom. \u2018I was as statuesque as a supermodel with breasts that other women would pay good money to have,\u2019 she says. \u2018I stood out from the crowd \u2014 literally.\u2019<\/p>\n

But she was stopped in her tracks when a TV reporter thrust a microphone in her face. \u2018And how does it feel to be the big girl in town?\u2019 she was asked.<\/p>\n

\"Slimline:<\/p>\n

Slimline: Actress Jennifer Hudson shows off her new figure after she lost more than five stone – something she claims has worked wonders for her career<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018I couldn\u2019t believe what I was hearing,\u2019 Jennifer recalls now, \u2018Until that moment, I thought that size 16, the average in America, was how the studios wanted women to look \u2014 I hadn\u2019t realised that any woman over size 4 (UK size 8) is considered fat.\u2019<\/p>\n

It is only in retrospect, now that she is on, what she calls, \u2018the other side\u2019 \u2014 having slimmed down from almost 13 stones to seven and a half \u2014 that Jennifer realises she was discriminated against because of her size.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s an unconscious prejudice against the fuller-figured woman,\u2019 she says. \u2018You would never understand exactly what I meant unless you got to live in both positions. I didn\u2019t know before. I thought things were great but you can\u2019t miss what you never had.
\u2018The only time I really noticed it was when designers would dress me. All they wanted to do was cover me up. They would want to hide every bit of flesh.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Fuller<\/p>\n

Fuller figure: Miss Hudson thought her natural assets gave her an advantage in the battle for stardom but a TV reporter’s comment changed the way she thought about her size<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Jennifer Hudson of today is very different \u2014 both physically and mentally \u2014 from who she was a decade ago. She says the only thing she recognises about herself now are a scar on her hand and her voice.<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s nothing left for me to grasp on to of who I was,\u2019 she says. \u2018And I don\u2019t just mean there is less flesh \u2014 I\u2019m a different person. I don\u2019t recognise old pictures of myself. I found an old passport and couldn\u2019t believe it was me. Or when I read old interviews I did, I don\u2019t recognise myself.\u2019<\/p>\n

Shedding more than five stone has helped, of course, but Jennifer\u2019s story is so dramatic that, were it turned into a film, few would believe it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A big girl with an even bigger voice, she first found fame in 2004 singing on the reality TV show, American Idol, where she came an unimpressive seventh place. Obscurity beckoned, but instead she went on to win an Oscar and a Bafta for her role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls, outshining co-star Beyonce.<\/p>\n

In 2008 she won a Grammy for her first album, had a role in Sex And The City: The Movie, and got engaged to David Otunga, a professional wrestler.<\/p>\n

But that same year, tragedy struck. Her mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew were brutally gunned down by her sister\u2019s estranged husband and Jennifer went into hiding for three months.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many wondered if she would ever have the strength to return to the limelight and it\u2019s a time in her life that she still resolutely refuses to talk about in any detail.<\/p>\n

Two and a half years on, it\u2019s no surprise Jennifer feels like\u00a0 a different person. She\u2019s a mother now; to 20-month-old David \u2014 whom she credits with \u2018saving my life\u2019. She also has a new album, I Remember Me, and has made a biopic in which she plays Nelson Mandela\u2019s wife, Winnie.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Indeed, the only scars she openly shows are physical; her skin is criss-crossed with stretch marks across her arms and chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jennifer attributes her strength to her undiminished faith \u2014 \u2018I am so grateful for the favour that God has on my life\u2019 \u2014 and a go-getting attitude which her beloved mother taught her.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think we have no choice but to keep on going,\u2019 she says. \u2018No matter what happens in life you have to keep doing it.<\/p>\n

\u2018There was a time when I thought I didn\u2019t want to sing any more. I didn\u2019t want to do it. But there\u2019s something in me that won\u2019t let me stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Even when part of me thinks I don\u2019t want to do this \u2014 another part of me thinks you have no choice but to keep on going.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is clear that her happy upbringing in Chicago has a lot to do with her approach to life.
\u2018Apparently we were poor but we didn\u2019t know it,\u2019 she says of family life with her two siblings and parents Darnell and Samuel. \u2018We always had everything we wanted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018My mother always wanted us to see the world; she said it\u2019s more than just the box you live in. All my family had huge personalities and we had a sense of who we are. Why would I want to be anyone else?\u2019<\/p>\n

The family were practising Baptists and were in church every Sunday.<\/p>\n

Jennifer, whose bus driver father died in 1999, soon had a starring role in the church choir and it was obvious \u2014 at least to her family and friends \u2014 that she was destined for greater things.<\/p>\n

Her best friend Walter \u2014 now her personal assistant \u2014 got her a gig on a Disney cruise ship. And by the time that had docked back in the USA he had arranged her an audition with American Idol. A wildcard entry into 2004\u2019s top 12, when she was voted off Simon Cowell told her: \u2018You\u2019re out of your depth in this competition.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Taste<\/p>\n

Taste of success: Miss Hudson kisses her Oscar statuette she won for her role in Dreamgirls – one of the few actresses ever to win the award for her debut film<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Post American Idol, she says things happened so fast it was almost a blur.<\/p>\n

One minute she was collecting scrapbooks of Destiny\u2019s Child; the next she had beaten over 700 girls (including American Idol 2004 winner Fantasia Barrino) at the auditions to star alongside the group\u2019s Beyonce Knowles in Dreamgirls, based on the story of the Supremes.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I first met Beyonce I said to her, \u201cyou have no idea how much of a fan I am\u201d. I still don\u2019t think she gets it. It was like a dream come true.\u2019<\/p>\n

By the time Jennifer was awarded her Oscar, one of the few actresses to ever win one for a debut film performance, she was a bona fide star. What\u2019s more she had done it as a larger lady in Hollywood, where a British size 10 is considered hefty. But she admits at the time she did not realise what an achievement it was.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jennifer says losing weight was entirely her own decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Latest<\/p>\n

Latest hit: Jennifer’s new album I Remember Me is out now<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The turning point came when she was six months pregnant and no one noticed. \u2018I didn\u2019t even have to wear maternity clothes and that was like a red flag,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018My diet started four days after I had my baby. I didn\u2019t expect to get as far as I have.\u2019<\/p>\n

And she has been stunned by the response to her transformation: \u2018It\u2019s like, wow, this is a whole new world. People treat you completely differently. You get more attention.<\/p>\n

You get more clothes. You get on more magazine covers. You get more opportunities; you name it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Inevitably, the rumours have started that she is beginning to look too thin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Oh goodness, yes, people are gossiping,\u2019 she says. \u2018But trust me, I\u2019m content right here. I don\u2019t believe in the so-skinny look. There\u2019s already so many more doors open for me. Why would I?\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

When she\u2019s come this far without conforming to every Hollywood norm; why indeed?<\/p>\n

Jennifer Hudson\u2019s album I Remember Me is out now<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Follow this link:
\nJennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I’m bigger than ever! Oscar-winner<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Nicole Lampert Last updated at 1:12 AM on 29th April 2011 Jennifer Hudson\u2019s life-changing moment of truth came when she set foot on the red carpet for the first time at a Hollywood premiere. Although just one of thousands of wannabe actresses, she believed her natural assets gave her the edge in the battle for stardom. \u2018I was as statuesque as a supermodel with breasts that other women would pay good money to have,\u2019 she says<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-406035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nJennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"By Nicole Lampert Last updated at 1:12 AM on 29th April 2011 Jennifer Hudson\u2019s life-changing moment of truth came when she set foot on the red carpet for the first time at a Hollywood premiere. Although just one of thousands of wannabe actresses, she believed her natural assets gave her the edge in the battle for stardom. \u2018I was as statuesque as a supermodel with breasts that other women would pay good money to have,\u2019 she says\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ghanamma\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\",\"@id\":\"\"},\"headline\":\"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I’m bigger than ever! Oscar-winner\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-04-29T00:12:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\"},\"wordCount\":1404,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\",\"name\":\"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2011-04-29T00:12:16+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/\",\"name\":\"Ghanamma.com\",\"description\":\"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com","twitter_description":"By Nicole Lampert Last updated at 1:12 AM on 29th April 2011 Jennifer Hudson\u2019s life-changing moment of truth came when she set foot on the red carpet for the first time at a Hollywood premiere. Although just one of thousands of wannabe actresses, she believed her natural assets gave her the edge in the battle for stardom. \u2018I was as statuesque as a supermodel with breasts that other women would pay good money to have,\u2019 she says","twitter_image":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg","twitter_creator":"@ghanamma","twitter_site":"@ghanamma","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/"},"author":{"name":"","@id":""},"headline":"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I’m bigger than ever! Oscar-winner","datePublished":"2011-04-29T00:12:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/"},"wordCount":1404,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/","name":"Jennifer Hudson: I lost five stone, now I'm bigger than ever! Oscar-winner - Ghanamma.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2011-04-29T00:12:16+00:00","author":{"@id":""},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/jennifer-hudson-i-lost-five-stone-now-im-bigger-than-ever-oscar-winner\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/6d9f55f2577_468x549.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/","name":"Ghanamma.com","description":"News In Ghana - Latest Ghana News Headlines","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406035\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}