Jennifer Hudson Tells Taye Diggs She Auditioned for ‘Rent’: ‘I Was So Bad’
Music October 12, 2022
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Jennifer Hudson is opening up about where her acting dreams took her before “Dreamgirls.”
On “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (original air date October 12, 2022), Taye Diggs — who portrayed the character of Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III in the 1996 original Broadway production of “Rent” — discussed the iconic play’s 25th anniversary.
During their chat, Jennifer said she went out for the 2005 film adaptation — where Taye reprised his role — and was “so bad” in her first Hollywood audition.
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Despite this, the event turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it taught Jennifer how to navigate future auditions.
“When people don’t invest, that’s not a good sign,” she said. “But if they give you feedback...”
“Everything there’s a lesson,” Taye commented.
Fortunately, the next role that JHud auditioned for was Effie White in 2006’s “Dreamgirls,” the movie for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
Taye also told Jennifer that he originally didn’t want to audition for the Broadway production of “Rent.”
“I moved to New York [and] my agents were telling me to focus on film and television,” he said. “My agent said go [to the audition]. I got called back [and] I booked it.”
At the time, Taye admitted that he and his castmates “had no idea” how the musical — about a group of impoverished young artists in Lower Manhattan’s East Village — would turn out. However, he said, he knew there were “talented and good people” involved.
“Rent” ended up becoming a massive success, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1996.
“When it hit, we all felt special,” Taye said. “Now, [‘Rent’ is] something different; [it] is historical.”
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Check your local listings.