Jennifer Hudson of Dreamgirls is the covergirl of Giant Magazine's February/March 2007 issue, in which is an extensive interview with Scott Poulson-Bryant, who discovered that the actress is just a regular girl who dared to dream big. "Chatting with Jennifer Hudson is like chilling with a girl from around the way who not only made good, but also seems to have stayed good in the process," writes Poulson-Bryant. "She's funny and straightforward and blunt and real." Following are select passages from the interview on the subjects of beauty, Beyonce, filming, and romance.
Beauty: "When I go to Hollywood stuff, I'm the biggest girl there. And I could care less. I still feel sexy and pretty whoever I'm standing next to because when I'm out in the real world, I'm the size of the average woman. And there is nothing wrong with us. There's something wrong when you're just skin and bones. It's not cute. I love my size, period.... You gotta be comfortable in your own skin! I'm comfortable in mine. I don't have a problem with it at all. I work with a trainer these days--to tone, not to lose. This jelly ain't going nowhere."
Feud with Beyonce: "I'm too busy trying to enjoy my blessings to be dwelling in mess. It's not about that. It's supposed to be about enjoying it. But then again, when something is good, people are always gonna try to find something wrong with it and try to throw a monkey wrench in there somewhere. We support each other as much as we did on day one. I mean, come on! That's Beyonce! We'd rather see people focus their attention on our work."
Filming Dreamgirls and I'm Telling you: "I think that was the most exposing scene, you know? And it was hard because I'm a newcomer, and everybody wants to come and watch the scene being done, so that was a little nerve-racking--like do they really need to have all of these people in the room? And I'm the only person on this stage, other than Jamie. Just being able to match the emotion, when it was needed from the different angles, being able to hold on to it--it was a long process, and it was the last week. Everybody else was wrapped, and I was the very last to wrap. It took about three, four days to shoot."
Love Life: "My boyfriend is my childhood sweetheart. We've been together since 1999! It's crazy. I'm the dreamer and he supports my dreams - always has. He's happy to be my rock and let me fly. I think it makes more sense to date someone outside of showbiz. He is stationary, stable, a home base. I'm on planes, here and there and always on the go. It'd be a whole different story if he was moving around, too. Instead I have a patient, understanding man who's there for me when I get home. He's home to me."