Jennifer Hudson struggled to gain notice and popularity for the first several episodes of American Idol 3. Today, she is the new hot actress in Hollywood. How did she make this incredible transformation? The young star landed the role of Effie White in 2005 (beating out former Idol Fantasia Barrino) in the movie Dreamgirls, an adaptation of the Broadway play. Hudson’s big voice and on-screen energy helped her finally gain fan approval (for which she battled on AI) and nationwide recognition in the form of the Academy Awards. It’s an honor just to be nominated – but to win is a huge deal. Though Hudson barely gained her seventh-place American Idol finish (she was brought in on a wildcard round), she won first place in the Oscar race. Hudson finally found the singing style that suits her best – and it shows.