Jennifer Kate Hudson, also known by her nickname J.Hud, is a singer, actress, and talk show host. She earned minor attention in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, and made her film debut as Effie White in the musical Dreamgirls (2006). She is also known for Sex and the City (2008), Winged Creatures (2008), The Secret Life of Bees (2008) and Respect (2021). On television she is known for her roles as Veronica Moore in Smash and Michelle White in Empire.