Jennifer Hudson teases her role of Grizabella as her beautifully soulful rendition of iconic Cats track Memory is released
Jennifer Hudson gave music theater fandom a gift that kept on giving in 2006, when she starred alongside Beyoncé in Dreamgirls.
The actress is preparing to recapture that magic with her role as Grizabella in the feature film adaptation of Cats, which premieres December 20.
She recently gave fans a tease of her performance with the release of Memory, the musical’s most memorable track (no pun intended).
Memorable performance: Jennifer Hudson recently gave fans a tease of her performance in Cats with the release of Memory, the musical’s most memorable track (no pun intended)
The 38-year-old gives a beautifully soulful rendition, which makes us wonder how she didn’t make it past the top seven on season three of American Idol.
The song has become a musical theater classic since it was originated by Elaine Paige on the West End in 1981, and later by Betty Buckley on Broadway in 1982.
Hudson recently told The Today Show of performing the track: ‘It’s such an honor to sing it, it really is. Songs like that, you don’t touch. But at the same time, I’m like, “What am I supposed to do? Stand on my head and sing it?”
‘My resolve was to add my heart to it, let the notes be the same but let the emotion do the speaking.’
True idol: The 38-year-old gives a beautifully soulful rendition, which makes us wonder how she didn’t make it past the top seven on season three of American Idol
A classic: The song has become a musical theater classic since it was originated by Elaine Paige on the West End in 1981, and later by Betty Buckley on Broadway in 1982
Adding heart: Hudson told The Today Show: ‘It’s such an honor to sing it, it really is. Songs like that, you don’t touch… My resolve was to add my heart to it, let the notes be the same but let the emotion do the speaking’
The song has been teased in previous trailers, and it is now available to stream in its entirety.
Hudson previously received comparable fanfare for her performance of And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going in Dreamgirls.
She’s joined in Cats by Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, James Corden, Jason Derulo and Rebel Wilson.
Cat lady: Hudson is joined in Cats by Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, James Corden, Jason Derulo and Rebel Wilson
Meow: She said of getting into character: ‘We did “cat school,” but I think the thing for us was the set was gigantic. So, everything was from a cat’s perspective… We felt like a cat, which was amazing’
The Tom Hooper-helmed movie has received some social media humor, regarding the CGI transformation of the star-studded cast into their feline counterparts.
Hudson also told Today about getting into character: ‘We did “cat school,” but I think the thing for us was the set was gigantic.
‘So, everything was from a cat’s perspective… We felt like a cat, which was amazing. Then, we played on the set like kids.’
She’s also been hard at work getting into character as Aretha Franklin for the 2020 biopic Respect.
Queen of Soul: Hudson has also been hard at work getting into character as Aretha Franklin for the 2020 biopic Respect