A Real ‘American Idol’: An Inside Look Jennifer Hudson’s Net Worth, Award-Winning Career, and Family Life
By Talia LeacockJune 7 2025, Published 11:51 p.m. ET
The Breakdown: From wowing audiences on American Idol to becoming the second Black woman to win an EGOT, Jennifer Hudson is an undeniable star. Despite the tragic losses she’s had to survive, she’s let her talent shine and made $30 million fortune doing it.
Jennifer Hudson may not have won her season of American Idol, but she didn’t need that victory to prove her stardom. The Chicago-born singer who placed seventh on the third season of the singing competition has gone on to build a remarkable career as a singer and actress. Hudson has earned nearly every accolade an entertainer could want and a hefty net worth to match.
Let’s dive into Jennifer Hudson’s net worth, her storied career, and everything we know about her personal life, including the tragedy that shook her family.
What is Jennifer Hudson’s net worth?
J Hud has come a long way from the bright-eyed 23-year-old who competed in American Idol. Since winning over viewers with her beautiful voice back in 2004, the singer and actress has built an impressive entertainment career, amassing a $30 million net worth.
Some of Hudson’s wealth comes from her work as a music artist. Hudson’s three studio albums were well received. Her self-titled sophomore project won the 2009 Grammy for Best R&B Album. Hudson also contributed to several award-winning soundtracks, including the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple (for which she won another Grammy) and Think Like a Man (2012).
In addition to her powerful voice, Hudson has some serious acting chops.
Listening to Hudson’s expressive voice, it’s easy to hear that she grew up singing in her church choir. But the “Spotlight” singer was also a theatre kid, and she’s put her passion and talent for acting to good use. Hudson beat out hundreds of actresses to win the role of Effie in Dreamgirls (2006). She starred alongside Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Loretta Devine, and her performance won her 29 awards, including an Oscar.
Hudson’s acting credits also Broadway performances like her role in The Color Purple (2017-2019) and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (2006). But she’s done major work behind the scenes in theatre, film, and television as well. She won an Emmy for her role as an executive producer of the short film Baby Yaga (2020). She was also a co-producer of the Broadway play, A Strange Loop (2021), which earned her Tony Award for Best Musical.
With an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony to her name, Hudson became one of only 27 people to achieve EGOT status. She is only the third Black woman (along with Viola Davis and Whoopi Goldberg) to hold that honor. With that kind of star power attached to her name, Hudson’s price has surely gone up, and we can expect her to pull in big checks for her film, television, and on-stage appearances.
Hudson’s talent and personality have made her a winner in unscripted television too.
By now, we’ve all seen clips of celebrities dancing their way down the Spirit Tunnel on The Jennifer Hudson Show. The daytime talk show, hosted by Hudson herself, has featured the hottest stars of the moment, from Aaron Pierre to Angela Basset.
Hudson’s warmth shines as she chats with her guests, but her ease with unscripted television should come as no surprise. The American Idol alumna has previously been on the other side of the judge’s table on both the UK and US versions of the singing competition show The Voice.
TV isn’t the only place where fans have had a chance to get a glimpse of J Hud outside of her acting and musical performances. In 2010 Hudson opened up about her struggle with her weight, becoming a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. Two years later, she penned a memoir about her weight loss journey titled I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighted Me Down.
Despite her career wins, Hudson has experienced devastating loss.
Hudson’s life has been full of highs, but she faced a tragic low in 2008 when three members of her family were murdered. Her mother, Darnell Donnerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, were found killed in their family home. Hudson’s nephew, Julian King, was reported missing but was sadly found three days later, killed by gunshot wounds.
The killer was William Balfour, Hudson’s former brother-in-law. Balfour and Hudson’s sister, Julia, had been estranged at the time of the killings. Balfour was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Despite denying his involvement, Balfour was found guilty in 2012 and is currently serving three life sentences.
That year, Hudson broke her silence about the tragedy on an episode of Oprah Winfrey’s Next Chapter. She spoke about the complexity of her grief, noting that she understood how Balfour’s upbringing contributed to his actions. “Had you had the love my mother gave us, or the background that some have, then you would’ve stood a chance.”
Hudson and her sister created the Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims in honor of their loved ones. The organization supports children and families affected by violence.
Motherhood helped Hudson mourn the loss of her family.
Hudson became a mother just a year after her mother, brother, and nephew were killed. In 2009, she welcomed a son, David Jr., with her fiancé former WWE star David Otunga. She told Glamour, “I went from being an aunt, having a mom, and being a child to not having a mom, becoming a mom, and raising my own child. I tell David all the time, ‘You saved my life.’”
Hudson’s relationship with Otunga ended in 2017, and fans were shocked when news broke that she had requested and received a protective order against her ex. The order was later dropped, and the pair privately reached a custody agreement. Hudson continues to be a proud mom to her son, who seems to have inherited her talent for entertainment. She has mostly kept him out of the public eye but celebrates milestones like birthdays with social media posts.
In addition to the joy of motherhood, Hudson has found love again. The star has been dating rapper Common since May 2022, though the couple only confirmed their relationship in January 2024.
