Jennifer Hudson has opened up about her highly anticipated return to American Idol, describing the experience of joining the judging panel as an “insane” full-circle moment.
Appearing as a guest judge for the 20 April episode, the 44-year-old star reflected on how much has changed since she first appeared as a contestant during the show’s third season over two decades ago.
Speaking to E! News at a tribute for Eddie Murphy, the Oscar winner admitted that being on the other side of the desk has put her incredible career trajectory into perspective, noting with surprise that her original Idol run was 22 years ago and Dreamgirls followed shortly after.
The passage of time has clearly been a blessing for the EGOT winner, who is now finding joy in helping the next generation of talent find their feet.
Beyond her guest stint on the show that made her a household name, Hudson is also part of the producing team for the upcoming Broadway revival of Dreamgirls.
She explained that she is at a stage in her life where she feels ready to transition from being the one in the spotlight to being on the production side, allowing her to watch someone else get their big break.
This spirit of mentorship and connection is something Hudson has carried into her television career, specifically with The Jennifer Hudson Show, which was recently renewed for its fifth season.
She previously shared with fellow EGOT winner Viola Davis that the talk show was a conscious choice to show the world who she really is.
After years of the public only knowing her through her music or her film characters, she felt the show provided a much-needed space to just be herself, the “Jenny Kate from the South Side of Chicago.”
