The Envelope‘s Tom O’Neill got Dreamgirls costar Jennifer Hudson to tell him about the filming of the scene in which she sings “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” — the classic tune that Jennifer Holliday sang in the original B’way stage version that ran in the early ’80s, and which won more or less won her a Best Actress Tony Award.
For Hudson’s performing of “the most anticipated scene in one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the year, director Bill Condon fretted so much over shooting it that he saved it up for last and shut down the set so no one could spy on the scene,” O’Neill writes. “All early buzz indicates that Dreamgirls is about to transform Hudson into a superstar,” he adds. “[And] she’s already the frontrunner for the Supporting Actress Oscar.”
O’Neill is correct about this — Hudson is the one to beat right now. I saw the Dreamgirls scenes Monday night at the Pacific Design Center and listened to Hudson belt out three tunes like a champ. She’s got the hot role in Dreamgirls — the one with the most soul and punch and heartache.
I didn’t think I’d be saying this, but the great Meryl Streep needs to put herself into the Best Actress category after all for her Devil Wears Prada performance. If she goes for Best Supporting Actress she’ll almost certainly lose to Hudson.