Anytime you speak on Jennifer Hudson, you best put EGOT in front her name. JHud just earned EGOT status with the Tony Award win for Best New Musical “A Strange Loop.” Celebrate inside…
Putting some R-E-S-P-E-C-T on her name!
Only a select few of entertainers have earned the coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) status over the course of their careers in entertainment. And now, the prestigious club has a new member: Jennifer Hudson!
The powerful songstress/actress won her first-ever Tony Award last night when “A Strange Loop” won Best New Musical, which she serves as a producer. Woot!
Only 16 individuals in history have achieved an EGOT and JHud just nabbed the 17th spot. She joins Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Audrey Hepburn, and others.
Not only that, she’s the youngest female and the 2nd Black female EGOT winner in history!
The “American Idol” contestant won her first big award – an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress – for her role as Effie White in 2006’s Dreamgirls. In 2009, she nabbed a Grammy for Best R&B album for her self-titled album and then her second Grammy for Best Musical Theater album for “The Color Purple” in 2017. Stepping into the animation world, JHud won a Daytime Emmy for executing producing the VR-animated film “Baba Yaga,” which she also lent her voice to.
JHud’s story is a true testament that dreams come true if you stay the course. She could have quit when she didn’t win “American Idol.” She could have thrown in the towel when her mother, brother and nephew were brutally murdered in 2008. She could have quit after ending a decade-long relationship with her now ex-fiance/father of her child David Otunga. But, she didn’t. She stayed the course and is reaping the fruits of her labor. We’re super proud of her!
Congrats, JHud!
Speaking of “A Strange Loop”:
“A Strange Loop” won Best Musical and playwright Michael R. Jackson won Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
The Detroit native said “A Strange Loop” took 18 years to write and he penned it at a time when he felt “unseen, unheard, misunderstood.”
“I just wanted to create a little bit of a life raft for myself as a Black gay man to get through the day,” he said as he received a standing ovation. “…There’s so much I want to say. I’m really speechless.”
Watch his acceptance speech above.
Bowie native Myles Frost – a 22-year-old Broadway newbie – took home the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical award for his work in “MJ: The Musical.”
Congrats!
Congrats to Phylicia Rashad on winning the Tony Award tonight for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in “Skeleton Crew.”
Congrats to @ParadiseSquare’s Joaquina Kalukango, #TonyAwards-winner for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. Bravo! #75YearsofTonys pic.twitter.com/FNcGKGvunx
— The Tony Awards (@TheTonyAwards) June 13, 2022
Broadway star Joaquina Kalukango won her first Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role as a resilient Civil War-era bar owner in “Paradise Square.”
Actresses Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks fanned out after she won:
Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Books awarding the Tony to (and then freaking out for) their Color Purple co-star Joaquina Kalukango…love. pic.twitter.com/lNhzHa1TJA
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) June 13, 2022
Oprah tweeted congratulations after Joaquina’s win:
BRAVA BRAVA to Best Actress in a Musical, Joaquina Kalukango!!! What a thrill to see this full circle moment with Cynthia Erivo and @thedanieb presenting the award to their former cast member from The Color Purple #TonyAwards https://t.co/ErTrrzNJpi
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) June 13, 2022
During the show, Joaquina performed and tore the stage UP! Watch below:
Y’all she burned the house down. #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/pbIo6JWqZ7
— Tim Schraeder (@TimSchraeder) June 13, 2022
She ATE! Congrats to all of the winners!
You can check out the complete list of Tony winners here.
Photo: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
