Exclusive: Jennifer Hudson’s Pocketbook-Swinging Sex and the City Interview

The world-at-large is waiting with Cosmo-baited breath for the release of the Sex and the City movie in two weeks (May 30th)! Ready for some Carrie Bradshaw fashion roadkill??? Some Samantha spunk-talk? Miranda scowling and Charlotte baby-obsessing? Well, yes. You are. But you also need to get extra-ready because you're gonna see a glowing and sassy Oscar-winner onscreen when Jennifer Hudson appears as Louise, a sweet NYC newbie who snags a job as Carrie's handbag-obsessed assistant. It's a cute turn, and Hudson brings some youth and fresh air to the ensemble — and she looks fab.

And no she doesn't sing in the film. But you can hear her croon the closing tune of the film, "All Dressed in Love" — which is a very retro-disco glam/upbeat anthem all about fashion, passion and a chunky groovin' beat. Bless!!!

Here's a Q&A we nabbed with J-Hud at the recent Sex and the City junket in NYC. She's hot! And tall. And outspoken. And how many Oscar winners do you really get to dish with about fashion, boys and pre-nups, okayyyy? But let's her tell it.

 

Congrats on the Sex and the City movie. Were you a fan of the show?

My sister was always a huge fan, but I have to say I had never watched it before. But once I started watching all the DVDs I couldn't stop! I still carry it around with me everywhere I go. Really, I do!

Do you have a fave fashion moment in the film?

I like that big old flower Sarah Jessica has on in the beginning; that's wild. Basically I wish I had Sarah's entire wardrobe.

What attracted to you to your role?

What I liked most is that it didn't require singing; I could just act. And it wasn't too big of a role; you don't want to try something huge for the first time out after Dreamgirls. It seemed like a perfect fit for me.

Do you have a tight set of female friends like Carrie and the gals?

I don't have a lot of female friends, but doing the movie makes me want some. All my friends are male!

Which character are you like the most?

Charlotte. She's a pretty wholesome, traditional girl — and I'm pretty traditional myself. But I see aspects of the others in me, too. Miranda is strong and independent, and I feel like I'm like that.

What was your relationship with fashion like before the movie, and how did working with Pat Field change that?

This movie took it a whole new level, and made it all so much more interesting and fun. Pat makes you want to experiment with it, and it makes it okay for you to have your own style. And my style is real far out; I go crazy. When I go home, my sister and my brother are like — 'What do you got ON?' And I'm like, 'They're rocking their own styles on Sex and the City — why can't I?'

Is there a lot of you in your character, Louise?

One thing is the purses. I love, love, love purses — just like Louise. There were times when Sarah Jessica would get my own bags mixed up with Louise's bags. She'd be like, 'Wow, Louise has hot bags!' And I'd be like, 'Nuh-uh, this is my bag.'

What's not like me about her is that I'm not organized, and I could never be anybody's assistant. And in no way would I be able to organize anybody's computer. But I do love gadgets — I'm a gadget freak. I'm addicted to my cell phone and my Sidekick.

What's next for you movie-wise?

The Secret Life of Bees is coming out on October 17th. I just finished that film, and hopefully I'll do something for the soundtrack of that.

How does it feel to be doing all of this?

It's like the greatest blessing. It's still a dream. Every day I wake up and I go, 'Is this real?' It's crazy. There's nothing that I think about or want, that don't happen. And that's weird, almost. Nobody gets everything that they want, so I'm like, 'What is the catch to this?' Going from being a 'Dreamgirl' to a 'Sex and the City' girl ... And then to be in The Secret Life of Bees where I'm standing there with Alicia Keys and Queen Latifah, it's like — 'what is going on?'

Did you get coaxed you into singing on the set at all?

All the time. Even on The Secret Life of Bees set, too. I'm like, 'What am I, a jukebox or something?' They'd be like, 'Sing!' And I'm like, 'Alicia is sitting here—have her sing!' But I ended up having Sarah Jessica sing; she sings all the time, and I love it. And yes, they got me to sing "And I'm Telling You" on the set one day.

Do you get star struck at all? And who would you love to work with?

Sometimes, I do. It depends. When I met Whitney Houston, I couldn't even move. I was stuck in the chair, and they were like, 'Get up, she’s talking to you!'

Who I'd like to work with?

Hmmm... Prince. I know that is so far off, but write that down: 'Prince! Jennifer Hudson wants to work with you!'

And what's up for you musically right now?

My single is coming out sometime this month; it's called "Spotlight." It's starting to get airplay on the radio. But my full album comes out September 30th.

What's your album going to sound like?

It's a bit of everything. I've done a lot of songs, but we have to narrow it down. But the first single "Spotlight" – it's clubby and very gay. I was like, 'Oh, I know exactly what they are going for here!' We're going to have to have some voguing in the video or something... I could totally hear the techno gay mix of "Spotlight" the first time I heard it. And I could totally see everybody in the clubs just voguing.

But the album is totally not what you'd expect from me; it's different. I even have a song called "Sassy" — because I'm sassy. The music reflects me, who I am, where I've been and where I'm going. I worked with Pharrell and Ne-Yo — who did "Spotlight." And I worked with Diane Warren and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis ...  And Timbaland, and I did song called "Pocketbook," which almost ended up in the Sex and the City film — since my character Louise loves bags so much. The song goes, 'Don't make me hit you with my pocketbook!' And Sarah was always like, 'Play ‘Pocketbook!’'

What music are you into personally right now?

My singer right at the moment is Leona Lewis. I love her, I think I’m obsessed. I haven't met her yet, so I might get star-struck with her if I do.

Do you have real-life mentors, like Carrie is for you in the movie?

If I did, it would probably be with a male. [Vogue editor] Andre Leon Talley is like that for me. And Sarah is, really. But yeah, Andre Leon Talley. He's very real. I love him.

What's your take on marriage? Are you eager? In a hurry? Or not so much?

I definitely want to get married, that's one of my goals. But I ain't in no hurry, though. I'm gonna need some pre-nups on the table, because you're not getting my money! Nooo! I'm so serious. I'll tell them all that ... But I do want to get married — eventually.

What's on your iPod, if you have one?

If I have one??? I have a million iPods — I have every single one. Actually, Usher's song "Love in the Club," that's my song. I just recently saw him and told him I loved him, and he looked at me like I was crazy.

Are you a party girl, do you go out?

I don't. All I do is work. I don't really party. The only time I want to go to events is just to walk on the red carpet and take my pictures. I'm serious! But I love working. I love what I do. Because it's not like even work to me ...

 

Comments

[Jetta]

I enjoyed the interview. I'm proud of my Chi-Town Sister!!!!