Jennifer Hudson

When Jennifer Hudson sings ‘Memory’ in Cats (2019), the digital fur briefly stops being the most noticeable thing on screen. As Grizabella, she gives the song a concentration that much of the film lacks, letting us hear the hurt beneath the force of her voice. We were moved because she made us care about the character when we had been distracted by the effects. Tom Hooper’s muddled staging and the restless cutting leave a poor musical, and her performance cannot repair those failings. Her achievement is to make the song feel like something Grizabella needs to say, even when the surrounding film gives us so little reason to listen.

Her screen debut as Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006) brought widespread recognition and established the demanding musical number as a particular strength. Supporting film parts, television work and animation followed, including the voice of Young Nana in Sing (2016). Playing Aretha Franklin in Respect (2021) gave her a lead role requiring close attention to vocal style and physical presence. There is a limitation in that film’s conventional, flattering treatment of its subject, which restricts how much dramatic depth the performance can find. These substantial musical roles make more persuasive use of her than casting which asks an audience to be pleased merely that she is present.

Cal Brunker’s PAW Patrol film (2026), in which she voices Lilian Ledes, illustrates the less promising alternative. Our objection is not to Hudson doing a film for preschoolers, but to thin writing that seems to count recognisable names as entertainment in themselves. There is care in the treatment of Rex and some dinosaur diversion, yet little for Hudson’s presence to improve without a funny situation to work with. For her next musical, we would want the scenes between the songs to give her something equally demanding to do.