She’s also only the second Black woman to win all awards, after Whoopi Goldberg.
Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson won a Tony at New York’s Radio City Music Hall during the awards ceremony. This makes Hudson an EGOT club member, where only 17 people in history have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.
Other EGOT awards include Audrey Hepburn, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, and music producer Quincy Jones.
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Hudson is only the second Black woman (and the youngest ever) to achieve all four prestigious recognitions, after Whoopi Goldberg. The 40-year-old snagged a Tony under best musical for co-producing A Strange Loop.
The Broadway show that led with 11 nominations revolved around a theater usher (named Usher) and was written by Michael R. Jackson, a former one himself. As described by VOA News, A Strange Loop is “an irreverent, sexually frank work about Blackness and queerness.
“Voters celebrated Broadway’s most racially diverse season by choosing an envelope-pushing Black voice.”
Fifteen-year journey
Hudson’s EGOT journey began in 2007 when she bagged her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Dreamgirls.
In 2009 and 2017, she earned two Grammys for her self-titled album (Best R&B Album) and The Color Purple, which won under Best Musical Theater Album.
And last year, the former American Idol contestant was awarded a Daytime Emmy as executive producer of the animated children’s film Baba Yaga.
Although she hasn’t spoken about her new EGOT status, Hudson shared a tweet congratulating Jackson. “Congratulations to the brilliant [Michael R. Jackson] on your incredible achievement with @StrangeLoopBway,” she posted after the win.
“It was such a joy to celebrate [you] and your beautiful art last night at @TheTonyAwards. [So] proud of [you]!!!”
Banner photo from @gettyentertainmant on Instagram.
