How far is too far to prepare for a role? According to media darling Jennifer Hudson, five days is enough! The actress and singer recently finished a five day stint in solitary confinement in an African prison to prepare for the title role in the upcoming film “Winnie.” The real Winnie Mandela, the estranged wife of activist Nelson Mandela, spent 500 days in the African prison.
Hudson told Newsweek, “As a woman, I am angry for her, hurting for her,” she adds, “And as a mom? God, being in solitary confinement, away from my son just for five days when shooting those scenes – it was too much for me. I was drained and stripped down. I was changed.”
“Her hair was tangled, her eyes sunken, and she started having imaginary conversations with her son,” says Newsweek.
No stranger to the big screen, Hudson has starred in hits like “Dreamgirls”, “Sex and the City 2”, and “The Secret Life of Bees.” “Winnie” which features Hollywood vet, Terrence Howard, is slated to hit theaters later this year.
For more Jennifer Hudson, be sure to watch her Sunday at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards where she will be presenting alongside Justin Timberlake.
Jennifer Hudson is no stranger to taking on challenging roles. She has taken her career from singing in American Idol competitions to playing a key role in the movie, Dreamgirls. Now, she’s preparing for an even bigger challenge: portraying Winnie Mandela in the upcoming biopic, “Winnie.” In order to accurately portray this iconic figure, Hudson has gone through some serious preparation – including doing ‘hard time’ behind bars.
The story of Winnie Mandela is one that needs to be told and with Hudson taking up the mantle it will surely attract a great deal of attention. With her impressive acting resume already in place, many are wondering what sort of steps Hudson took before filming began. Was she getting into character by researching Mandela’s life? Or had she done something more drastic like immersing herself entirely into the role? As it turns out, it was a bit of both!
Hudson spent considerable time with actual prisoners who were incarcerated at South Africa’s Pollsmoor Prison where Nelson Mandela served 27 years of his sentence. By spending time talking and listening to these inmates firsthand accounts about their experiences, Hudson gained valuable insight about how prison life really works which helped bring weight and realism to her portrayal of Winnie Mandela.
Background Of Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson is an Academy Award-winning actress and singer. She made her film debut in the 2006 movie Dreamgirls, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Since then, she has starred in several films and television shows, including The Secret Life of Bees, Sex and the City 2, Smash and Empire.
Recently, Jennifer took on the role of Winnie Mandela in a biopic about the late South African activist. To prepare for this challenging role, Jennifer decided to go through ‘hard time.’ This involved researching Winnie’s life and immersing herself in all types of activities that would help bring her character to life. She read countless books about Mandela’s history; watched documentaries; attended lectures by scholars on his legacy; listened to music he was known to enjoy; visited museums dedicated to him; spoke with people who knew him personally or were inspired by his work; even learned Zulu phrases so she could sound like a native speaker when delivering lines from the script.
This intensive preparation paid off as it allowed Jennifer to authentically portray Winnie Mandela’s story on screen. Through her hard work and dedication, audiences around the world are able to gain valuable insight into one of history’s great figures – something they may not have been able to do without Jennifer’s willingness to put in long hours preparing for the part. Though it may have required sacrifice and endurance along the way, Jennifer showed that if you commit yourself fully towards your goals, success will follow.
Jennifer Hudson’s Process In Portraying Winnie Mandela
In order to accurately portray Winnie Mandela, Jennifer Hudson was determined to go beyond what was required for the role. She wanted to fully understand and experience the life of this great figure in history. To that end, she took on a rigorous process of research and immersion into all aspects of Mandela’s world.
Jennifer read books and watched documentaries about his journey from an activist leader to South Africa’s first black president and his wife. She attended lectures by scholars who had studied him extensively, spoke with people who knew him or were inspired by his work, and even learned Zulu phrases so her lines would sound native when delivering them in the film. This intense preparation allowed her to better comprehend the magnitude of Mandela’s legacy as well as how he lived his life day-to-day – something only someone of Jennifer’s dedication could do.
Through her hard work and commitment, Jennifer provided audiences around the globe with invaluable insight into one of history’s most iconic figures. Her willingness to go above and beyond proved that if you are passionate enough about your goals, anything is possible – no matter how difficult it may seem at times.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jennifer Hudson has shown her true determination and dedication to becoming the best actress she can be. She went through an extended process of researching and understanding Winnie Mandela’s life story in order to accurately portray the South African activist on screen. Her hard work paid off – audiences across the world were moved by her performance as a result of her commitment and attention to detail.
Hudson’s experience with portraying Mandela is just one example of how much effort goes into creating powerful stories that stay with us long after we leave the theater or turn off our screens. This proves how essential it is for actors like Hudson to put in the extra time and energy required to deliver captivating performances.
Acting isn’t easy, but it takes a special kind of talent and dedication from performers like Jennifer Hudson who give their all when taking on challenging roles such as this one. We owe them our gratitude for continuing to bring compelling stories closer to home, so that we may continue experiencing them for years to come.
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