Jennifer Hudson is taking her talents to Broadway in the revival of "The Color Purple."
According to Variety, the Oscar and Grammy winner will play the role of Shug Avery, a nightclub singer who's having an affair with Celie's husband and eventually becomes Celie's lover. The revival is expected to start in the fall with Oprah Winfrey attached as producer.
The former talk show host also produced the original Broadway show. Joining Winfrey will be Scott Sanders and Roy Furman. According to the New York Post, Hudson has been looking for the right role to make her Broadway debut for the past several years.
Sources told the newspaper that Winfrey personally called the 33-year-old R&B singer and asked her to be a part of the production. The Broadway musical for "The Color Purple" initially debuted in 2005 and ran until 2008. In 2007, "American Idol" alum LaToya London played Nettie. Former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams also starred as Shug.
In 2008, "American Idol" season three winner Fantasia Barrino was picked to play Celie. There's also a film version of "The Color Purple," which is based off Alice Walker's novel with the same name. In the movie Margaret Avery played Shug, Whoopi Goldberg played Celie and Danny Glover played her husband. Winfrey was also in the film as Sophia, Celie's stepson's wife.
Hudson won an Oscar for her role as Effie White in the 2006 film musical "Dreamgirls," which also starred Beyonce and Jamie Foxx.
