At just four years old, Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy, was already forging connections with Hollywood’s elite. One such moment came at the 2016 CFDA Awards in New York, where she gave her stamp of approval to Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Hudson’s stellar performance that evening captivated the entire audience, Blue Ivy included, showcasing the actress’s enduring talent.
Jennifer Hudson shows off her clipped hair at the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards held on June 6, 2016, in New York (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
Hudson, who had previously wowed audiences with her role as Rosaleen in The Secret Life of Bees, reminded everyone of her impressive acting abilities. The 2008 film, based on Sue Monk Kidd’s novel, saw Hudson portraying a mother figure to a young girl played by Dakota Fanning.
Hudson’s Performance in ‘The Secret Life of Bees’
Jennifer Hudson was 27 years old when she appeared in the 2008 American drama film The Secret Life of Bees. The film is based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd and can be bought on Amazon.
Dakota Fanning was 14 when The Secret Life of Bees was released in the United States on October 17, 2008.
Hudson was widely praised for her performance as Rosaleen, a maid and mother figure to a teenage girl named Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning).
A Powerful Improvisation: Behind the Scenes of ‘The Secret Life of Bees’
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood arranged for actors to stage an incident where Jennifer Hudson was verbally and racially abused while shopping to help Hudson understand the racially tense environment of the film’s time period and to aid in her character development.
Dakota Fanning as Lily Owens and Jennifer Hudson as Rosaleen “July” Daise-Boatwright in the 2008 American drama film The Secret Life of Bees (Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)
“We had very little rehearsal time, and Jennifer was coming off of the whole Oscar experience and was in a whole other world (laughs). So she could get in Rosaleen’s head, I set up an improvisation and hired some White actors to be in a drug store and told her and Dakota to meet me there. I told them it was an improvisation but I didn’t know that Jennifer thought it was real,”American film director Gina Maria Prince-Bythewood told Essence.
Jennifer Hudson exudes elegance in a form-fitting black dress and matching peep-toe heels at the premiere of The Secret Life of Bees on October 6, 2008, in Beverly Hills, California (Credit: S_Bukley / Shutterstock)
“My only direction to her was not to hit anybody. The shopkeeper followed her around and accused her of stealing. When Jennifer would ask for help, another one would turn and answer to Dakota. The third guy used the N-word and I saw Jennifer’s head whip over to him and I got scared for a second. She said all she remembered was not to hit anybody (laughs). When I talked to them afterward about what they got out of it, Jennifer said the hardest thing was feeling invisible. It was great bonding for [Fanning and Hudson].”
Jennifer Hudson Stuns in Prabal Gurung at the CFDA Awards
Jennifer Hudson stuns on the pink carpet in a red-and-black Prabal Gurung gown (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
At the 2016 CFDA Awards, Jennifer turned to Prabal Gurung for her voluminous two-toned gown.
The strapless dress showed off Jennifer’s toned arms. It featured a red-and-black design, which included an inner red lining that matched the geometric panels on the front of the gown.
Jennifer Hudson matches her red lipstick to the designs on her Prabal Gurung gown (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
The Iconic Kurt Geiger ‘Bond’ Pumps Complete the Look
The gown also conveniently featured the brand’s signature high-low hem, offering an easy peek at Jennifer’s shoes: The black Kurt Geiger “Bond” pumps, which you can purchase at Nordstrom and Zappos.
Jennifer Hudson steps out in sleek black Kurt Geiger ‘Bond’ pumps at the 2016 CFDA Awards (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
Jennifer Hudson Shines in a Custom Swarovski Crystal Jumpsuit for Her Tribute Performance
The songstress later changed into a sparkly jumpsuit for her stage performance, and we couldn’t help but be impressed with the glittering, glamorous outfit.
The sparkly number, designed by KaufmanFranco, was specially made for Jennifer Hudson’s tribute performance to Prince on the CFDA stage.
The custom jumpsuit was decorated with approximately 1.7 million Swarovski crystals and took over 1,000 hours to finish!
It was designed to look like one of Prince’s sequined costumes. According to Swarovski reps, a team of 13 people hand-crafted the piece, resulting in an intricately designed opulent outfit that will likely become one of the most memorable in CFDA history.
“It’s heavy, but it’s still moveable luckily,” Hudson revealed on the red carpet. “It takes some training. You have to take a minute to walk in it to pace yourself — how it moves and how to move in it and how to wear it.”
“It was beautiful” the singer added. “I was so happy to be here to see her have that moment. It was so well-deserved.”
This couture off-shoulder jumpsuit topped Rihanna’s 2014 CFDA naked dress, which featured about 230,000 Swarovski crystals. Plus, it looks much more glamorous too!
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Blue Ivy Steals the Show with Her Dance Moves
The Dreamgirls actress could not contain her happiness when she saw Blue Ivy bouncing to her Prince tribute. She uploaded the snippet to her Instagram and declared it the highlight of her night.
Yes, it looks like Blue Ivy’s dancing even topped Jennifer’s Prince tribute, which she performed in a $1.7 million Swarovski crystal-clad jumpsuit. It even topped Jennifer’s experience meeting Anna Wintour.
Jennifer’s sleek stilettos added the perfect touch of elegance and showcased her impeccable taste in footwear. Take a closer look at these stylish pumps below.
Black Kurt Geiger “Bond” Suede Pumps, $299.99