Jennifer Hudson Opens Up About Family Murders

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 29th 2010 10:47AM

After Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and young nephew were murdered in Chicago in October 2008, the singer-actress kept quiet. Now, with VH1's 'Behind the Music: Jennifer Hudson' last night, the Oscar-winning 'Dreamgirls' star and former 'American Idol' contestant is finally speaking out about the tragedy.

"For almost two weeks straight ... [I was] inside one room with just family and friends coming in and out," she says in the episode. "I prayed when I'd get up in the morning and prayed before I laid down at night."

Hudson's mother, Darnell, 57, and her brother, Jason, 29, were discovered inside Hudson's childhood home in Chicago. Her 7-year-old nephew, Julian, was found later in an SUV. All were the victims of multiple gunshot wounds. In the special, she speaks about them and her loving upbringing.

"It's all a blur, it was surreal. It was like I was outside of myself. I feel like I've lived about three or four different lives."

Speaking about her mother, Hudson says Darnell would sing The Temptations to her and her siblings. "She had so much patience."

Hudson is now a mother herself -- she has an 11-month-old son, David, with her fiance, WWE wrestler David Otunga. Her child has helped her overcome the pain, and he reminds her of both her nephew and her mother. "In so many ways, I channel her because she was such a great mom."

She says baby David "makes me feel like the most special person on earth. I want him to get the same love and the same upbringing my mother gave us."

One of Hudson's first major public appearances after the murders came at the 2009 Grammys, where she performed an emotional rendition of 'You Pulled Me Through.' "I was definitely thinking of my family when I was singing that song," she says. "I could hear my brother in my head, like, 'Jennifer, you need to kill this, you need to get up and do it.' I knew he would be disappointed if I didn't do it justice."

In her acceptance speech after winning Best R&B album, Hudson thanked "my family in heaven, and those who are here today."

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Comments

(16)

Tuesday 29 June

By Lulu

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Moving piece. But Hudson is an Oscar-winning actress, not merely one who has been nominated.

By Michel

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The first paragraph refers to her as "Oscar-Winning"......

By Rocko

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Yes terrible, but no one ever talks about "why" the family was popped. This gang wasn't exactly the Brady Bunch. This was no accidental shooting.

By egerdfvdedr

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many ways, I channel her because she was such a great mom."

She says baby David "makes me feel like the most special person on earth. I want him to get the same love and the same upbringing my mother gave us."

One of Hudson's first major public appearances after the murders came at the 2009 Grammys, where she performed an emotional rendition of 'You Pulled Me Through.' "I was definitely thinking of my family when I was singing that song," she

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By Denise504

PRAYERS everlasting to Jennifer and the entire Hudson family..

By Lori

Jennifer's mother must have been one amazing mother, she taught her to be strong, to be a survivor, to live for the day. I can't even imagine what it would take to pull through such a horrific loss.

By Anonymous

Unfortunately it would not have mattered where they lived, whether a nicer area or not. The person responsible for the murders is the estranged husband of Hudson's sister. It was not a random crime. It has nothing to do with Mrs. Hudson's fame as you say, or not caring enough about her family to move them to a better place. Unless you know the family personally, you should not judge the ones left to pick up the pieces.

By Laurie

What happened to her family wasn't remotely Jennifer Hudson's fault and it's insensitive and cruel to suggest otherwise. Her mother didn't want to move. How exactly should Jennifer have "made" her do it? Also, if Jennifer hadn't already pursued "fame and glory," how could she have afforded to move her family to another part of the country? And, of course, how is fleeing any way to solve a neighborhood's problems?

Her family has given Jennifer Hudson the strength to endure what no one should have to. She has nothing but my admiration.

By norma

It had notjing to do with where they lived it was the sisters boyfriend who killed them.

By Babygirl

Actually it was her sisters' ex-husband and the child's father.

By Janeyre

True, remember the Menedez brother's? They lived with their parents in Beverly Hills... They killed their parents in Beverly Hills... Location, location, location... It wasn't random... Norma, only a dimwit, won't get it... Thank you for being intelligent...

By Bonbon

She is great, she was so fantastic in Dreamgirls she really showed that Beyonce up!

By Justice

Jennifer, God bless you and your family. God always keeps his children close. I pray for you that he will always give you the Power to sing your face off. " Their's a place in heaven prepared for me and you". God bless .

By Kimberly

I know that David Sr. is currently a wrestler, but he's also a Harvard educated attorney. I really think that should have been mentioned in the article. Give credit where credit is due. The man is intelligent, and I think that should be acknowledged.

Janeyre ur a fool if u can read what i said it does NOT matter where u live BEVERLY HILLS BERVERLY HILLS or where ever a**H***

By Reena

Norma, Janeyre was agreeing with you...she mentioned Beverly Hills because that's supposedly a nice, rich neighborhood and murder still happened there.

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