Jennifer Hudson’s Halloween Costume Honors Iconic Character — See an Exclusive First Look!
Halloween #Halloween
Jennifer Hudson is celebrating her first Halloween episode by honoring an iconic character.
In a PEOPLE exclusive sneak peek at Monday’s The Jennifer Hudson Show, the EGOT winner, 41, surprises audience members on her daytime talk show with her costume as Sister Mary Clarence from 1992’s Sister Act, the character played by fellow EGOT recipient Whoopi Goldberg.
“Do you think I did okay, y’all?” Hudson asks the audience while striking a pose as the singing nun. “What do you think [Goldberg] will say?”
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The Respect star confesses that the 1993 sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was her favorite movie and helped inspire her dreams to become a singer.
“The movie just meant so much to me as a little girl,” she says. “When I saw that movie, it gave me so much inspiration. That’s the power of an icon like Whoopi Goldberg. It helped me create my dreams.”
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Hudson says the movie made her believe that she could one day be in a musical, a dream she eventually brought to life through her breakthrough portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls.
But there was another dream that she also fulfills in the clip: getting to perform the Sister Act 2 finale song, complete with a choir. Hudson flawlessly belts through the medley of songs, even ending like Goldberg did in the first film, attached to wires and levitating above the audience.
The Halloween episode marks one of the show’s first special events since its premiere on Sept. 12, Hudson’s birthday. Her first special guest was none other than Simon Cowell, who made Hudson a finalist on season 3 American Idol, the show that launched her career.
Other guests who have appeared on the show include former American Idol judge Randy Jackson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Magic Johnson.
Hudson said in a PEOPLE behind-the-scenes exclusive that she hopes fans will have “a good time” with the show — which features a mix of interviews with celebrities, community heroes and viral sensations, as well as chats about topical news.
“I hope [fans] discover their superpower, and I hope they feel on top of the world before they leave The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she said.
The Cats actress announced that she would be the face of a new talk show in June, saying she wants the opportunity to let audiences get to know who she is as a person beyond her talent and awards.
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“People from around the world have been a part of my journey from the beginning — 20 years ago — and I’m so ready to join their journey as we sit down and talk about the things that inspire and move us all,” Hudson said. “I have always loved people and I cannot wait to connect on a deeper level and let audiences see the different sides of who I am, the human being, in return.”
The Jennifer Hudson Show airs weekdays. Check local listings or visit jenniferhudsonshow.com.
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