Jennifer Hudson reached EGOT status after winning a Tony Award

EGOT is the person who has won every one of the four major American Entertainment Awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

Hudson began her journey with EGOT in 2007 with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as the effervescent Effie White in Dream Girls. Next was a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for Her Self-titled Debut in 2009 (it was followed up eight years later with a win for “The Color Purple”, Best Theatrical Musical Album of 2017). And just last year, she was honored with a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Interactive Media as Executive Producer of the animated film “Baba Yaga”.

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Hudson joins a select group of 16 other celebrities who have reached EGOT status, beginning with composer Richard Rogers in 1962 and including such famous artists as actress Rita Moreno and singer John Legend.

She is the second black woman to join the EGOT elite; She is joined by Whoopi Goldberg, who became a member of the respected group in 2002. Hudson, 40, is also the third youngest EGOT winner, and the first to be a former American Idol contestant.

Although Hudson did not win the third season of the singing competition, her distinctive and emotional vocals carried her career. She was no stranger to sweeping awards for her strong performance.

In addition to the Academy Award, she has received a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award (Britain’s equivalent of the Academy Awards) for her acting debut in Dreamgirls. She has also received several NAACP Image Awards over the years, including two for her portrayal as Aretha Franklin in the musical “Respect” – a role Kant Hudson Handpicked to play by Franklin herself.