Jennifer Hudson has spoken out about being nominated for four Grammy Awards.

The actress is up for Album Of The Year, Best R&B Song, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Performance.

And she says she feels privileged to have been recognised.

‘It's been a childhood dream of mine to release an album,’ she said in a statement.

‘So to receive four Grammy nominations is truly a blessing. I'm extremely honoured and humbled by the nominations.’

Jennifer, 27, was devastated by the murders of her mum Darnell, brother Jason and seven-year-old nephew Julian King last month.

Her estranged brother-in-law William Balfour has been arrested in connection with the killings.

The Grammy Awards take place in the US in February.

IVideo News Network Entertainment Video: Hudson speaks out on Grammy Nominations

Photo and Source

Jealous killer William Balfour

Jennifer Hudson's brother-in-law allegedly killed the actress' mother, brother and nephew in a jealous rage.

William Balfour - who was officially charged with murdering Darnell Donerson Hudson, Jason Hudson and seven-year-old Julian King on Tuesday (02.12.08) - is said to have been overcome with envy after seeing Julia, Jennifer's sister, receive a birthday present from her new boyfriend.

Prosecutor LuAnn Snow told a Chicago court yesterday (03.12.08) that William had arrived unannounced to Julia's workplace in early October to confront her about rumours she was seeing another man.

Speaking after the hearing, Snow added: "He told her at the time that her family would suffer if she saw other men."

However, Julia did not take Balfour's intimidation seriously as he "had not followed through on any of those threats" before.

Snow also claimed Balfour had stolen the gun from Jason Hudson in the summer, and then used it to shoot him.

Reading from a legal document, Snow told the court: "Defendant then entered the home at gunpoint. He shot Darnell Donerson several times while she was in the living room area. He then went into Jason Hudson's bedroom, where he was in bed, and shot him two times in the head.

Defendant shot Julian King in the head while the seven-year-old was laying behind the front seat of the white SUV (sports utility vehicle)."Balfour's attorney Joshua Kutnick maintains his client is innocent of the three charges of first-degree murder and one of home invasion, despite police insisting they have physical evidence linking him to the crime.Balfour, who was denied bail yesterday, is next scheduled to appear in court on December 30.

Source

Jennifer Hudson kisses her mum goodbye at funeral

Actress struggles with her emotions at wake in Chicago

Jennifer Hudson attended an emotional funeral service on Monday to pay her last respects to her murdered family.

The actress, 27, was left devastated when the bodies of her mum Darnell, 57, brother Jason, 29, and nephew Julian King, 7, were discovered last month.

They had all suffered gunshot wounds.

During the 3-hour ceremony at the Apostolic Church Of God, Jennifer spent a moment by each of the coffins.

Looking down at her mum's body, she gently kissed her goodbye, reports the Chicago Tribune.

After the service, in which American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino sang, a horse-drawn carriage led the mourners to the cemetery.

Jennifer’s brother-in-law William Balfour remains in police custody.

Source

Jennifer Hudson in hiding

Jennifer Hudson has reportedly gone into hiding.

The Oscar-winning actress - who has been left devastated by the fatal shootings of her mother, brother and nephew - is so worried about her own safety she is refusing to leave the undisclosed hotel where she is being protected by bodyguards.

US blogger Liz Crokin alleges: "I can't disclose where Jennifer is staying - I can just tell you it's a hotel. She has bodyguards and the hotel she's staying at has a great security team. She only left to go to the medical examiner's office on Sunday night (26.10.08)."

Jennifer's brother-in-law William Balfour, the estranged husband of her sister Julia, has been named by police as the "person of interest" in the case, while other sources admit he is the chief suspect.

The 27-year-old is being held by police on charges of parole violation, and is also being questioned regarding the triple homicide.

Meanwhile, police found a handgun in an abandoned Chicago car park yesterday (29.10.08), which they believe was used in all three shootings.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, officers discovered the weapon less than a block away from where they found the body of Jennifer's seven-year-old son Julian King in the back of a white SUV (sports utility vehicle).

Source

Jennifer Hudson's sister's grief

Jennifer Hudson's sister Julia has opened her heart following the fatal shooting of her seven-year-old son on Friday (24.10.08).

Julia - whose mother Darnell Donerson, 57, and brother Jason Hudson, 29, were also shot dead at their Chicago home - thanked people for paying tribute to Julian King on her MySpace blog.

She wrote: "Thank you for all your loving support. I know some of you have your opinions and you are entitled to that, like why is she logging onto MySpace at a time like this. Let me tell you why - I was hoping it would be a way to maybe help me get my son, my baby, the one I carried under my heart for eight-and-a-half months, the son it took me 21 hours of labour to bring here, the son I grew to know and love for just a few months over seven years - that's why.

"And now for those of you who actually cared, thank you for all your words of encouragement, thank you for your prayers. His little soul is at ease, I take comfort in knowing that Julian is with my mother and my brother and most of all, the Lord. Now he is my angel - he is protecting me."

An autopsy confirmed yesterday (28.10.08) Julian had died of "multiple gunshot wounds", and his death was ruled a homicide by Chicago County's medical examiner's office.

It has since been reported Julian died of two shots to the head.

Julia's estranged 27-year-old husband William Balfour, who served seven years in prison for attempted murder and carjacking in 1999, is currently in custody being questioned about the triple-murder.

After reportedly refusing to cooperate with police, William - who is not Julian's father - is now being held for a parole violation but has yet to be charged with a crime.

William's alibi for the day of the murders is said to have been contradicted by his girlfriend.

Source

Jennifer Hudson's nephew identified

Jennifer Hudson's nephew was found dead in "the rear seat" of a car yesterday (27.10.08).

Julian King - the seven-year-old son of Jennifer's sister Julia - was discovered in the back of a white Chevrolet Suburban SUV (sports utility vehicle) in Chicago's West Side District early yesterday morning, Superintendent Jody Weis of the Chicago Police Department confirmed.

It has been reported Julian had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Jennifer had offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of her nephew - who had been missing since Friday (24.10.08), the same day her mother Darnell Donerson, 57, and brother Jason Hudson, 29, were shot dead at their Chicago home - and issued an appeal for help in locating his whereabouts.

Jennifer officially identified the body along with other members of the Hudson family on Monday afternoon.

Mourners later organised an "impromptu" vigil outside the actress' family house in Chicago, and left teddy bears and flowers as a tribute to the deceased.

Jennifer's brother-in-law William Balfour - her sister Julia's estranged husband - is currently in custody being questioned about the triple-murder.

At the time of writing, police had confirmed 27-year-old William, who served seven years in prison for attempted murder and carjacking in 1999, was being questioned in relation to the killings.

After reportedly refusing to cooperate with police, William - who is not the boy's father - is now being held for a parole violation but has yet to be charged with a crime.

William's alibi for the day of the murders is said to have been contradicted by his girlfriend.

However, Superintendent Weis said he was "pretty optimistic" about finding the killer, adding: "Often there's lots of evidence left at a crime scene so I'm very confident that our forensic technicians will go through both areas with a fine-toothed comb, and I suspect there will be some evidence that will link us to the killer."

Referring to William's connection to the case, Weis said: "We are following any lead that we can get right now. He's a person of interest, but that's not to say that there's not other individuals that may turn up. Right now we are just following the facts we have and we are following the evidence we have."

Source

Boy's body 'believed to be' Jennifer Hudson's missing nephew

Dead child discovered in a white SUV

The body of a child found in a white Chevy Suburban this morning is 'believed to be' that of Jennifer Hudson's nephew.
FBI Deputy Director John Pistole has told reporters the FBI is working with the Chicago Police Department to confirm the identity of Julian King, reports CNN.

An Amber Alert to find the 7-year-old was issued on Friday - after his grandmother and uncle were found murdered at their home.

Jennifer, who has offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of the little boy, will be hoping desperately that the child is not her 4ft 11in nephew who was wearing a striped brown polo shirt and khaki pants when he disappeared.

On Saturday, her sister Julia made a tearful plea to whoever was holding Julian.

'My greatest fear has already happened, my greatest hope is for having my child. I just want my son,' Julia said. 'That's all I have to say. Just let my baby go.'

Julia's estranged husband (Julian's stepdad), William Balfour, is in police custody.

Source

Jennifer Hudson: Mother and brother have been killed

The mother and brother of Jennifer Hudson have been killed.

Shots were heard in the vicinity of a house owned by the family in Chicago yesterday and 2 bodies - a man and a woman - were discovered by a relative.

The identities of the deceased have now been confirmed as Darnell, 57, and son Jason.

'We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother Darnell Donerson and her brother Jason Hudson,' rep Lisa Kasteler tells People.

'No further comment will be made and the family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.'

Police have cordoned off the house and a large crowd has gathered outside, reports myfoxchicago.com.

'We are handling a double-homicide,' Chicago police spokesman Officer John Mirabelli confirms. 'Those [two] victims sustained fatal gunshot wounds.'

A 27-year-old man has been taken into custody and is being questioned by authorities, reports the Associated Press.

Jennifer, 27, starred in Sex And The City: The Movie as Carrie's Bradshaw's personal assistant and won an Oscar for her role in Dreamgirls.

She is currently in Los Angeles where she's been preparing to shoot a music video to promote her new album.

Photo and Source

Lepaparazzi News Update: Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson
BEImages

Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson took the stage at the Kodak Theater, breathlessly thanking God twice for her DreamGirls win and saying her grandmother was her inspiration.

"If my grandmother was here this evening to see me now… she was my biggest inspiration for everything because she was a singer and she had the passion for it, but she never had the chance," said Hudson, 25, breaking into tears. "And that was the thing that pushed me forward to continue."

Thankfully Hudson took off that hideous tinfoil caplet before accepting her award. Not only was her jacket a fashion "don't," it also covered up her curvaceous body.

Hudson was one of several voluptuous women who stole the show from the string of skinny sirens who usually rule Hollywood's most glamorous soiree.

Little Children star Kate Winslet, 31, clad in a figure-hugging mint green Valentino gown, acknowledged that she's a "record-breaker," winning more Oscar nominations for her generation than any of her pint-sized contemporaries.

"It's amazing. This kind of stuff isn't supposed to happen to someone like me who comes from a small town and was told I was only going to get parts for fat girls," she said.

Devil Wears Prada nominee Meryl Streep can be equally proud to throw her Oscar weight around. The 57-year-old actress has been nominated 14 times.

"And I'm a size 14, so it all matches," she said.

Then there was Hudson who put on 20-plus pounds for her role as Effie. Hudson said she slimmed down for the red carpet the old fashioned way: hard, hard work.

"I worked with my trainer, LaFonza Alston in Chicago through the summer," she told Ryan Seacrest during a red carpet interview. "I'd get up at 4 in the morning, go running for an hour and then go back to the gym at one o'clock."

Hudson dropped 25 pounds by eating salads, grilled chicken and nuts – and by making sure her food portions were no bigger than her hand.

"You've got to work for it," she says. "And I'm a firm believer: If it's not worth working hard for, it's not worth working at all."
[Source]