Answer: Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson is the former American Idol contestant who has won both an Oscar and a Grammy. She finished seventh on season three of American Idol in 2004 and later earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls in 2007. She also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for her work on the Dreamgirls Broadway cast recording. Her career trajectory from reality TV contestant to EGOT-caliber award winner is one of the most notable in modern entertainment.
Hudson's Grammy win came in 2009 for the Dreamgirls Original Broadway Cast Recording, where she performed the showstopper "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." She has since released multiple studio albums and continued to perform on Broadway and in film. Her combined Oscar and Grammy wins place her among a small group of American Idol alumni to achieve major industry recognition across both music and film.
American Idol Season 3 and Breakthrough
Jennifer Hudson auditioned for American Idol season 3 in 2004, performing "Imagine" by John Lennon and earning praise from judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson. She was eliminated in seventh place during the Top 7 round, a result that shocked viewers and judges alike. Despite not winning the competition, her powerful vocal performance during the show launched her public profile and led directly to her casting in Dreamgirls.
Her American Idol appearance gave her access to industry connections and exposure that helped her secure the role of Effie White in the 2006 film Dreamgirls, directed by Bill Condon and produced by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. The film, based on the Broadway musical, earned Hudson the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 79th Academy Awards ceremony in 2007. The role also earned her a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Grammy Win and Continued Recognition
Jennifer Hudson won her Grammy Award at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009 for Best Musical Theater Album as part of the Dreamgirls Original Broadway Cast Recording. The album featured performances by the full Broadway cast, including Hudson's signature number "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." The win marked a major milestone in her music career and demonstrated her ability to transition between film and stage.
Hudson has continued to build her career across music, film, and television. She has released studio albums including "Jennifer Hudson" (2008), "I Remember Me" (2011), and "JHUD" (2014), and she has returned to Broadway in productions such as "Cats" and "The Color Purple." Her work has been recognized by multiple industry organizations, and she remains one of the most prominent American Idol alumni in entertainment history. For more details on her career milestones, see the Forbes profile on Jennifer Hudson and the Grammy Awards database.