Ahead of the August 13 premiere of Aretha Franklin‘s long-awaited big screen biopic, ‘Respect,’ its leading star Jennifer Hudson left no promotional stone unturned in its support.
And while fans and critics alike have already given the film two thumbs up in the weeks since its arrival at theaters, Hudson shows no signs of slowing down on the promotional trail- an aggressive campaign many industry analysts are saying will guarantee the Academy Award winner another nod (this time in the Best Actress category).
Her latest jaunt comes courtesy of the hourlong concert at the historic Apollo theater sponsored by American Airlines and Mastercard (September 1). Re-teaming with the latter after the ‘Striver’s Initiative’ in support of Black women-owned businesses, look inside to see J. Hud get to business by cranking out live renditions of some of Franklin’s greatest hits including ‘Amazing Grace,’ ‘Think,’ ‘Ain’t No Way,’ and more for Black women entrepreneurs and select Mastercard cardholders.
Click here to see the trailer to ‘Respect.’
Her legacy is going to be just a Cover/tribute artist and nothing else. Just what Aretha was trying not to be, according to the film. The irony.
I think she’s accepted that at tjis because she been riding the Aretha train like it’s her last chance to sing. This is her “I Am. . .Aretha” era if you will❗
The era has just begun. The movie ain’t been out a month. They have to campaign. It’s in support of a black legend on film.
She supposed to let the Queens movie flop to work on what? Another album you will never buy?
There was so much money put in the whole with this concert, 🤦🏾♂️❗Jennifer voice doesn’t sound good against Aretha songs. And she made it more embarrassing sings a song from “Dreamgirls”, 🤦🏾♂️. Jennifer hasn’t been able to sell out a park side set at her own family Reunion, I would feel like trash to know these ppl cane to here me sing an hour of a dead woman’s music but won’t pay to see mine.
i guess she’ll keep doing cover songs…
She is an actress she is not Aretha Franklin..
And Whitney was no Mariah 💋
Whitney is far better than Mariah. I agree
Y’all scared Mariah ,1991 and Mary. 1992 they both release their albums one year apart Whitney was already in legendary status before these b****** came out.
We need a Donna summer tribute concert next Kelly Rowland and her dancers Michelle, Latoya, LaTavia & Farrah atr the best candidates for the show. They can all do it without Beyoncé, just saying….
Cute! But Kelly’s voice isn’t strong enough to cover one of Donna’s songs much less an entire show.
It’s kind of sad. I do think she’s talented, maybe not as an actress, and when she’s not screaming but there’s some talent there, but she never found her sound. Her albums are all generic/mediocre. All the heat she had that first week about an Oscar nomination has all but dissipated. The movie is a flop and the soundtrack is a flop, 2 things I suspect Ms. Aretha anticipated which is why she held off from “hand-picking” Jennifer for years. I’m not sure if Respect flopping will tarnish Aretha’s legacy but it sure won’t be the the golden exclamation point like it should have been. I’m not sure where Jennifer can go from here forward. Her best producer was Ne-Yo who actually knows how to write for her voice but she hasn’t worked with him in a decade. Her best bet is probably going back to Broadway but if she thinks she automatically deserves a Tony nomination for every time she steps on a stage, she probably won’t be invited back. Maybe she can go back to the Voice? Probably not in America but in Europe? She seems to be slightly more popular over seas. Slightly. Respect deserved a new comer who can both act and sing, and a better script and better direction but I think that’s on Aretha and her secrecy regarding her life which is the wrong foot to start on with a bio pic. Again, sad.
Uh…she’s STILL on mostly everyone’s predictions list for an Oscar nod. If critics agree on anything, it’s that Jennifer totally embodied Aretha in the film and her performance is beyond awards worthy. They only had issues with the film itself.
Not on any I’ve seen since the Venice Film Festival this weekend but if she can hold out to get a nomination through the fall with both a flop movie and soundtrack, more power to her.