Aretha and I had talked about this for over 15 years,
and it's like, is it really happening now?
Like, no, this is real.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC - JENNIFER HUDSON, "RESPECT"]
What you-- ooh!
Baby, I got-- ooh!
What you need.
Ooh!
Do you know I got it.
Ooh!
All I'm asking-- oh.
Is for a little respect!
My favorite part of the shoot today-- one,
being able to do the shoot again, and
the beautiful changes of gowns.
I was thinking, like, someone asked me,
what did you do today?
Hmm, I played in different gowns all day.
[LAUGHS] So, that was fun.
My very first reaction to locking in the role,
I was in disbelief in a way, because, Aretha and I
had talked about this for over 15 years.
And it's like, is it really happening now?
Like, no, this is real.
It's-- it's happening, right?
Even while filming, like, hey, after 15 years,
it's-- it has manifested.
I truly feel like my whole life prepared me for it.
When I look back, knowing how Aretha influenced me musically,
you know.
Or even how many times I performed her songs.
Even when I was on "American Idol",
my audition song was Aretha Franklin song.
So to fast forward from then to now, and to see the outcome,
it's like, oh, that's kinda, I don't know, full circle?
[MUSIC - JENNIFER HUDSON, "RESPECT"]
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take care, TCB.
The thing I'm most excited for people to see in the film
is to get to see Aretha's story.
Musically, we all know who she is.
But to get to know her as a person, as a mother,
as a preacher's kid, as a musician,
as a sister in different ways.
And then to also see how the music connected
to her story, or vise versa.
And even for myself, is like, getting
to rediscover her or learn her in other ways,
and to see the human.
Because when you're an icon to that extent,
it's sometimes hard to see, like, wow,
there's a person under there.
You know?
Forest Whitaker plays C. L. Franklin,
which is Aretha's father.
And then, Marlon Wayans plays Aretha's husband, as Ted,
uh, her first husband.
Audra McDonald play my mother.
She plays Aretha's mother in the film, which
is one of my absolute favorite scenes
working with her in the film.
Mary J. Blige plays Dinah Washington.
Heather Headley, she plays, uh, Clara Ward.
And I think it's amazing to have those people in those roles,
especially like Mary as Dinah Washington,
and to be able to work with her, as well, is amazing.
My favorite Aretha Franklin song to sing?
That's a hard question, but, I would have to say,
"Share Your Love With Me", which I sang
on my "American Idol" audition.
Then I also love, of course, "Ain't No Way".
That bridge, in the way it climbs,
'cause she was a great writer.
So, she had our own special technique and skill.
I don't think you could ever really be ready for something
as huge as an award season.
I do feel like, if I'm blessed to get that this time around--
I can't even believe I get to say, this time around,
uh, I will be able to appreciate and understand it even more.
Because the first time I was a part of award season,
that was my first everything.
And I didn't really know.
I remember Jamie Foxx saying, the funny-- the craziest
thing about Jennifer is, she has no clue what's going on.
She has no idea what she has in store for.
And I didn't.
So now that I have obviously been in the industry
for 15, 20 years, whew, which is also crazy to say,
I feel like I-- have a better understanding of it,
and appreciation for it.
So, um, maybe I'll be-- maybe a little bit more ready
this time.
[MUSIC PLAYING]