Clarence and I were lucky enough to snag an interview with Jennifer Hudson, whose work in Respect has flown under the radar until the Screen Actors Guild were smart enough to nominate her. It has been a hard year for the Oscar contenders overall to showcase themselves and their work throughout this season. Respect was ready to go last year but was one of the titles pushed back because of COVID. Hudson’s work, however, is exceptional and though I know how this game is played (I practically invented it) I still think it’s worth taking the time to consider her masterful work here. She could be looking at her second Oscar nomination, or she might not make the cut. Regardless of either of these outcomes, she has delivered a performance that would have made Ms. Aretha Franklin proud. Hudson is incredibly humble, a rarity in Hollywood that’s for sure. She was a pleasure to speak with.
