Who is Jennifer Hudson? Closer look at singer and actress set to perform during 2024 NBA All-Star Game halftime

The NBA All-Star Game will feature Jennifer Hudson, one of the most well-known performers, who will perform at the halftime show. Hudson has been around since 2004 and has built a long-lasting career in the showbiz industry. With that, let's take a closer look at her life.

Hudson started singing and performing at her local church at seven. Her grandmother, who helped her hone her skills at a young age, cited Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Patti LaBelle as her influences.

Hudson was born on Sept. 12, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Darnell Donerson and Samuel Simpson. She is the youngest among three siblings and was raised as a Baptist. According to sources, she attended Dunbar Vocational High School and graduated in 1999.

After that, she enrolled at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma. However, Hudson left after a semester as she was homesick and unhappy with the weather. Therefore, Hudson transferred to Kennedy–King College, closer to her family in Chicago.

Hudson signed her first record deal with Righteous Records, a Chicago-based independent record label, in Jan. 2002. Her time with them didn't last long, as she was released to appear on American Idol.

During the third season of the singing competition television show, Hudson auditioned and started strong. However, she didn't win the contest and was eliminated in the "Top 9." But that wasn't the end of her career, as she eventually would be recognized as the third greatest Idol contestant in the show.

After her stint with the show, Hudson landed in movies that started her career. She starred alongside Beyonce and Jamie Foxx in the hit movie musical Dreamgirls. Hudson is the second African-American woman to be awarded all four major American entertainment awards (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). She also earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.

Hudson was married to former WWE wrestler David Otunga from 2008 until 2017. They share a son, David Otunga Jr. In Nov. 2023, she confirmed she was in a relationship with rapper Common.

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Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant

Jennifer Hudson is a huge fan of basketball. The famed singer mourned the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi. During the 2020 All-Star Game, Hudson paid tribute to the two and dedicated a song to them.

Hudson sang the song "For All We Know," popularized by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway in 1972.