A Look Back At Jennifer Hudson's Time On American Idol

Jennifer Hudson is one of the most all-around talented celebrities in Hollywood. The EGOT winner has made history with her music career, and gained massive acclaim from her starring roles in films such as "The Secret Life of Bees" and "Cats." Hudson became a household name in 2006 when she starred in "Dreamgirls," winning her first Oscar and Golden Globe award. Hudson has also made her mark on the world of musical theater, winning a Tony Award for her part as a producer in 2022's "A Strange Loop." While Hudson has also endured tragedy and hit some roadblocks along the way, she always comes out stronger.

The celebrated talent kickstarted her career in 2004 when she auditioned for season three of "American Idol," quickly becoming a fan favorite with her powerful voice and lovable personality. That's why it was a shock to Hudson and her fans when she placed seventh in the competition and was eliminated. But she hardly needed the win; just the boost of confidence that the show gave her.

"American Idol" is known for finding some of the biggest names in the music industry today, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks. Unlike those alums, Jennifer Hudson didn't win big on season three, despite much support from the judges, fans, and her fellow contestants. Former judge Paula Abdul still hears about Hudson's shock elimination to this day, as she explained on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" in March 2023.

"Oh my goodness, that was a moment," Abdul exclaimed. "When you were eliminated, it was like the whole world was pissed. That's true! I'm sure they come up to you, I mean, people still talk to me about it, 'God, that night Jennifer Hudson was eliminated.' I go, 'I know!'"

Many viewers of "American Idol" had their own idea as to what led to Hudson being eliminated, including racist voters, and even a power outage that prevented people from getting their votes in. As disappointed as Hudson was to be sent home, she wasn't too concerned with the details. She told MTV in 2004, "Nobody knows what really happened, but I feel like whatever it is, it was meant to be. Right now, everybody's just trying to make sense of all this, so there's a lot of stuff thrown out there. But I don't think we'll ever know."

As Jennifer Hudson progressed on "American Idol," not only did she learn how to hone her craft, but she also made some friends along the way; namely, the winner of season three, Fantasia Barrino. The two contestants, along with LaToya London, were a tight-knit group on their season and weathered the storm of competition together. Clearly the memories haven't faded, as Hudson told Barrino on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" that she remembered being in the bottom three with Barrino and London "like it was yesterday."

Barrino also recounted her most vivid memories from that time in her life, explaining that what she remembers most was, "Working hard. We worked very, very hard. I also remember building great relationships and being around great gifts. Iron sharpens iron, and just being around you guys, making a family. And being up every morning, away from our families, but steady going because it was something we all wanted, and now look."