Jennifer Hudson May Make Her Broadway Debut in The Color Purple

Oscar- and Grammy-winning performer Jennifer Hudson could be making her Broadway debut in a revival of the musical adaptation of The Color Purple, according to the New York Post. The production would be a transfer of the current Menier Chocolate Factory staging in London. Oprah Winfrey, who also produced the show's 2005 Broadway premiere, would reportedly be backing this production.

The Color Purple, adapted from the novel of the same name by Alice Walker, features a book by Marsha Norman with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. It tells the story of a woman named Celie (the role Hudson has reportedly been tapped for) as she navigates her life in rural Georgia in the early 1900s. The original Broadway production opened with LaChanze, who won a Tony for her performance in the leading role. Fantasia Barrino, among other actresses, also took on the part.

Jennifer Hudson first became a household name in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol. She went on to make her film debut portraying Effie White in the 2006 musical movie Dreamgirls, for which she earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Hudson also won a Grammy Award for her self-titled debut album, released in 2008.