Jennifer Hudson opens up about her ‘divine’ relationship with Common, her return to music, and how her son inspires her.
Nolan Strong • Oct 7, 2026 @ 5:02 PM
Jennifer Hudson is in a new era of her life, and she’s embracing every moment.
The EGOT-winning actor and musician sat down with TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones to discuss her Emmy-nominated talk show, her relationship with rapper Common, and how her 17-year-old son inspired her to return to the recording studio.
Hudson described her relationship with Common as “divine.”
She explained how meaningful it is to connect with someone on multiple levels and have genuine support.
Delivering news to inboxes since 1999. We break it. They take it. Get it first, straight from AllHipHop.
“To have somebody who you can relate to on so many different levels and then to be able to have some support. I’m like, can you please come and do a song at Madison Square Garden, you know what I mean? And for him to come out and perform and and to do one of my favorite songs, which is ‘Glory,’ and he blessed us with that,” Hudson said.
Hudson emphasized that she’s not interested in following traditional relationship expectations.
“I think that’s a stigma that’s placed on women automatically like we just want to be married. I’ve never been that girl. There’s some freedom in that too. You can love just for the sake of loving, not for what’s next,” she said.
For Hudson, love and creativity are about genuine connection, not societal pressure or predetermined outcomes.
Her son has become a major creative influence in her life. Hudson revealed that she’s been inspired by how freely her son approaches music, which has motivated her to return to the studio.
“I’m always thinking of music. I always say a room without music has no personality. And my son is extremely musical. I’m extremely musical. And I’m inspired by them,” Hudson explained.
Hudson’s talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show, is in its fifth season and remains a source of joy for her.
She described the experience as simply “fun,” noting that she’s found her groove and gets to be herself every day.
The show features a signature tunnel that guests walk through, which has become a fan favorite.
Hudson joked about the tunnel’s popularity, saying that if anyone wants to do a somersault down it, the internet will be watching and ready to celebrate.
