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Jennifer Hudson Gets Some Image Love
2009-01-09
Los Angeles (E! Online) - Professionally, at least, things in Jennifer Hudson's world are looking up. The mourning entertainer's Oscar may be getting some company, as the singer-actress today scored seven individual nominations for the 40th NAACP Image Awards. Hudson took home nods in both recording and motion picture categories, as did her direct competition—and onetime costars—Beyoncé Knowles, who bagged six nods, and Alicia Keys, who earned four. (Get the complete list of nominees.) Rounding out the big-name nominees, and potentially making respective bee-lines for the podium next month, are Will Smith, America Ferrera, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Don Cheadle and Diddy. While the majority of Hudson's nominations came courtesy of her powerhouse vocals, one of her nods is for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in The Secret Life of Bees. She's pitted against Keys and Knowles in the oddly music-heavy category, nominated for their roles in The Secret Life of Bees and Cadillac Records, respectively. The trio face off again in the categories of Outstanding Female Artist, which also pits them against Carey and Rihanna; Outstanding Music Video, for which Beyoncé scored nods for both "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies"; and Outstanding Song, in which "Single Ladies," Hudson's "Spotlight," and Keys' "Superwoman" are among the titles vying for the award. Meanwhile, Hudson faces equally formidable competition from Leona Lewis and Estelle, among others, as Outstanding New Artist. On the musical male side, Foxx goes up against heavyweights Chris Brown, Common, John Legend and will.i.am in a star-studded category. And while Kanye West may not be pleased with his exclusion from the big award, his 808 & Heartbreaks did make the cut for Outstanding Album. On the film side, The Secret Life of Bees leads the way with eight overall nods, followed closely by Cadillac Records with seven. Hudson and Keys' Bees cast mates Dakota Fanning and Latifah have been pitted against each other as Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. They vie against Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys' Alfre Woodard, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns' Angela Bassett and Seven Pounds' Rosario Dawson. Dawson's leading man Will Smith leads the Outstanding Actor category, and is up against Traitor's Cheadle and Miracle at St. Anna's Derek Luke, among others. As for television, Tyler Perry's House of Payne and A Raisin in the Sun led the way with six nominations, followed by Ugly Betty with five and Grey's Anatomy, The Game and Everybody Hates Chris rounding out the top contenders with four apiece. Scrubs' Donald Faison leads the pack of Outstanding Comedy Actors, while Ugly Betty's Ferrera heads up the Outstanding Comedy Actresses. On the supporting side, The New Adventures of Old Christine's Blair Underwood, Psych's Dulé Hill and 30 Rock's Tracy Morgan have a battle of the wits, as do Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams and The New Adventures of Old Christine's Wanda Sykes. Both Underwood and Williams doubled their nominating pleasure, with the former scoring an Outstanding Drama actor nod for In Treatment, and the latter for her TV Movie work in Flirting With Forty. Underwood vies against House's Omar Epps, Law & Order's Anthony Anderson and The Unit's Dennis Haysbert. Meanwhile, Combs, Sean Patrick Thomas, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan all scored acting nods for their work in A Raisin in the Sun. In the daytime race, The View has been pitted against The Tyra Banks Show for Outstanding Talk Series, while American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Project Runway, Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is and Run's House 5 are all up for Outstanding Reality Series. Al Gore has already been announced as one of the two winners of this year's Chairman Award. The awards themselves will be handed out Feb. 12 in Los Angeles by show hosts Halle Berry and Tyler Perry. ··· THEY SAID WHAT? Get today's most commented stories now at www.eonline.com
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