Jennifer Hudson has claimed she has ‘27 brothers and sisters’ because of her estranged father
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, whose family life was once marked by a horrendous tragedy, has revealed a wild personal secret.
Jennifer Hudson has revealed a wild secret about her family, saying she believes she has “27 siblings”.
The Hollywood star said she learned during her teenage years that the father she’d grown up without had many other children.
Hudson stunned journalist Michele Norris on Wednesday’s episode of her podcast, Your Mama’s Kitchen, with the revelation.
“Apparently,” Hudson explained, “he had 27 children.”
The Oscar winner, who was raised by her grandmother, isn’t upset about it though, and hopes one day to celebrate a holiday with them all together.
“It was my dream to have all of us at this grand Thanksgiving or Christmas table, and we all sit and eat together — that was my goal at 16,” she said.
It’s a goal that remains unmet.
“When my grandma on his side passed, my siblings over there were like, ‘Y’all got a sister that can really sing, you should meet her, and eventually we all came together.’”
Hudson said she had so far managed to meet six or seven of the siblings she didn’t know when she was growing up.
Despite her major success in Hollywood, Hudson has led a tragic life.
On October 24, 2008, the talk show host’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found shot to death in their family home in Chicago, Illinois. Her seven-year-old nephew, Julian King, was found dead days later in the back of a white 1994 Chevrolet Suburban that belonged to Hudson’s mother.
In 2012, William Balfour was sentenced to three consecutive life terms with no opportunity for parole, plus 120 years for aggravated kidnapping and home invasion for the crimes against the Hudson family.
He was motivated by jealousy of his estranged wife Julia Hudson, Jennifer’s sister and Julian’s mum, to whom he had been married since 2006. Julia shared Julian with his dad Gregory King.