Top 20 'Idol' Contestants of All Time - 4: Jennifer Hudson
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- January
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She finished seventh in Season 3 of “American Idol,” hasn’t sold a single solo album yet and—other than William Hung—is tied with Sanjaya Malakar for the lowest-finishing “American Idol” contestant in this Top 20 list.
Try telling that to Jennifer Hudson, who won an Academy Award and a trunkload of other trophies for her performance in “Dreamgirls.” And although she sang in the movie musical, she received the Oscar and other awards for acting, no less. To put it another way, a first-time movie actress beat out previous Oscar-winner and always-outstanding Cate Blanchett to claim the Academy Award. Freakin’ Cate Blanchett!!!
It was already unbelievable that a reality TV show and its contestants changed the music industry. It was downright unfathomable that one of its losers would go on to win an Oscar. I mean, as great as the title of “Idol” champ is, that unto itself just doesn’t compare to the Oscar—the Vince Lombardi Trophy of the Hollywood circuit.
By far the most active and credible singer-turned-actor among the “Idol” set, Hudson will be appearing in three movies the next two years: The much-anticipated “Sex and the City” flick, “Winged Creatures” and “The Secret Life of Bees,” according to Internet Movie Database.
Those, right there, are enough reasons to rank her ahead of all but three contestants on my Top 20 list. And I almost ranked her higher. Now, to play devil’s advocate to somehow justify her as only the fourth-most significant “American Idol” contestant in history:
-She wasn’t particularly great on the show. I actually remember her as more shouty than sure-fire.
-She still hasn’t sold a solo record yet, although her debut album is slated to hit stores early this year.
-Sometimes it seems like anyone can win an acting Oscar and then either do a string of terrible movies or outright disappear. See: Cuba Gooding Jr., F. Murray Abraham, Mira Sorvino, etc.
Um, that’s about it.
And in case you didn’t know, Hudson’s “Dreamgirls” showstopper was “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” How prescient.
Also see:
– Top 20 ‘Idol’ Contestants of All Time – Epilogue-No. 1: Kelly Clarkson
-No. 2: Carrie Underwood
-No. 3: Chris Daughtry
-No. 5: Sanjaya Malakar
-No. 6: William Hung
-No. 7: Clay Aiken
-No. 8: Fantasia Barrino
-No. 9: Blake Lewis
-No. 10: Tamyra Gray
-No. 11: Jordin Sparks
-No. 12: Melinda Doolittle
-No. 13: Bo Bice
-No. 14: Elliott Yamin
-No. 15: Ruben Studdard
-No. 16: Katharine McPhee
-No. 17: Taylor Hicks
-No. 18: Diana DeGarmo
-No. 19: Frenchie Davis
-No. 20: Lisa Leuschner
-Top 20 intro and criteria/Honorable Mentions (Nos. 21-31)
(Photo courtesy of FOX.)
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 at 9:15 am by Chris Serico.
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How typical that no one paid Jennifer Hudson any attention for 3 WHOLE YEARS after she was ousted out of Idol until the Dreamgirls movie, and now she has always been atop of everyones list and they always knew she could "make it" barf. Bandwagon jumpers are so lame. If her debut album flops, then everyone will quickly jump back off her bandwagon and act like she never existed, yet again. I predict next year she won't even make your Top 20 list.
i love Jennifer Hudson…she should be number 1!!
Jennifer Hudosn screamed too much on American Idol, as for the Oscars, I don't think her performance was that good. In the movie meaning after taking so many takes this gave her time to sing the song any way she wanted to sing it in the movie. When she song it on TV it was a disappointment. Broadway would tell the story if she can really sing the song And I Am Telling You. Clay Aiken back up singer Quiana Parler will blow Jennifer out of the Ball park, Now that who can really sing this song.