It’s easy to look at Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo today—two absolute titans of the stage and screen—and assume they’ve always been in each other's orbits as peers. One is an EGOT winner with her own talk show; the other is currently redefining what a movie musical star looks like in Wicked. But if you really look back at where their paths first crossed, the dynamic was actually way more interesting than just "two famous people working together."
Honestly, a lot of fans forget that when they shared the stage in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, their careers were in completely different places. Jennifer was already the Oscar-winning powerhouse from Dreamgirls. Cynthia? She was the "new girl" from across the pond, making her Broadway debut.
The Broadway Room Where It Happened
The 2015 revival of The Color Purple wasn't just another show. It was a cultural moment. You had Danielle Brooks (pre-Oscar nomination Danielle Brooks, mind you) as Sofia, Jennifer Hudson as the glamorous Shug Avery, and Cynthia Erivo as Celie.
People flocked to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre to see JHud. That’s just the reality of star power. But a funny thing happened once the lights went down. While Jennifer was radiant and brought that signature velvet vocal to "Push Da Button," it was the "tiny pint of dynamite"—as some critics called her—who ended up being the show's supernova.
Cynthia’s performance of "I'm Here" became the stuff of legend. You’ve probably seen the YouTube clips where the audience stands up before she even finishes the song. It was visceral. Jennifer, to her immense credit, didn't just stand in the wings; she watched. In a recent reunion on The Jennifer Hudson Show in late 2024, Jennifer admitted she sat there every single night watching Cynthia "sing us down."
There’s this misconception that there must have been some Diva-off happening backstage. You know how the internet loves a "feud" between two successful Black women. But the reality was much more about mutual respect. Jennifer was the established veteran lending her massive profile to a show that allowed a newcomer like Cynthia to be truly seen by American audiences.
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Breaking Down the EGOT Race
We can't talk about Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo without talking about the hardware. The awards race is where their trajectories really start to mirror each other, but with a few key differences in how they got there.
Jennifer Hudson officially hit EGOT status in 2022. She secured the "T" (Tony) as a producer for A Strange Loop. It was a savvy, well-earned move that cemented her place in the history books alongside legends like Rita Moreno and Whoopi Goldberg.
Cynthia Erivo is currently sitting on the "EGO" part of that acronym. She’s got the Emmy, the Grammy, and the Tony—all, funnily enough, stemming from that same production of The Color Purple.
- Emmy: Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance on The Today Show.
- Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album for The Color Purple.
- Tony: Best Actress in a Musical (2016).
The only thing she’s missing is the Oscar. She came close with Harriet (getting nods for both acting and original song), and with the 2024 and 2025 release of the Wicked films, the "EGOT watch" for Cynthia has reached a fever pitch. By the time we hit early 2026, many industry experts are betting she finally clinches that gold statue for her portrayal of Elphaba.
Why Their 2024 Reunion Actually Mattered
When Cynthia stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show in November 2024, it wasn't just a standard press junket stop for Wicked. It was the first time they had performed together in nearly a decade.
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They sang "What About Love?" from The Color Purple.
It’s a quiet, intimate song, which is a total contrast to the "who can belt louder" contest people expect from them. The chemistry was still there. But what really stood out was the conversation. Cynthia talked about the "long journey" and the self-doubt she felt coming to New York for the first time. Jennifer, acting as the ultimate hype-woman, reminded the audience that Cynthia "earned her way here."
It felt like a passing of the torch, or maybe more like two queens finally sitting on equal thrones.
Technical Mastery vs. Raw Power
If you’re a vocal nerd, comparing Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo is like comparing a Ferrari to a Tesla. Both are high-performance, but the mechanics are different.
Jennifer is the queen of the "church belt." Her voice is rooted in gospel tradition—thick, rich, and capable of moving air in a way that feels like a physical force. When she hits a note, it’s grounded.
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Cynthia, on the other hand, is a technical marvel. Her control over her head voice and her ability to navigate complex riffs with surgical precision is almost alien. She has this "synesthesia" (as she mentioned to Jennifer Lawrence in a viral 2025 interview) where she sees colors when she hears music. This shows up in her phrasing; it’s incredibly intentional.
What’s Next for This Power Duo?
While there aren't confirmed reports of a joint album or a movie together (we can dream, right?), their influence on each other's careers is permanent. Jennifer Hudson is currently prepping for a massive 2026 North American tour with Josh Groban, while Cynthia is transitioning into a new phase of her career, including a highly anticipated solo Dracula project in the West End.
Basically, they’ve proven that the "Color Purple" sisterhood is real. They didn't just share a dressing room; they shared a launchpad.
How to follow their journey in 2026:
- Watch the Awards: Keep a close eye on the 2026 Oscar nominations to see if Cynthia finally completes her EGOT.
- Check Local Listings: The Jennifer Hudson Show remains the best place to catch these two in candid, "unfiltered" moments when they support each other’s projects.
- Listen to the Soundtracks: Compare the Wicked: For Good (2025) vocals with the 2015 Color Purple cast recording to hear how Cynthia’s voice has matured alongside Jennifer’s influence.
The real takeaway here is that there was never a "battle" for the spotlight. Jennifer Hudson used her light to help the world see Cynthia Erivo, and now both are shining bright enough to lead the industry on their own terms.