Jennifer Hudson is headed to the White House, The Washington Post revealed Monday afternoon.

The new mom — who gave birth to her first child a baby boy named David Daniel Jr. last August — will sing for President and Mrs. Obama and their guests at a state dinner in Washington Tuesday night. The Oscar and Grammy-winning star performed the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in 2008, when then-Senator Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president.

The American Idol star, who won an Oscar for her role in the 2006 box office hit Dreamgirls, will play the South African personality in the movie, which will begin shooting in South Africa in May next year, .

Winnie — directed by veteran South African filmmaker Darrell J. Roodt — will be shot on location in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Robben Island – where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years before becoming the country’s president.

Jennifer is in her first months of motherhood and the “Spotlight” star is opening up about her most precious moments with David Jr — who arrived Aug. 10.

“I love being nurturing and caring because I love to see other people happy,” Jennifer tells PEOPLE. “Who better to devote my time to than my own child?”

Check out the most interesting excerpts from J-Hud’s interview:

How hard was it keeping your pregnancy under wraps?“David and I were the only people who knew for a long time. I would forget I was pregnant, it was so easy. I didn’t have any morning sickness, no cravings either. I just thought, ‘Oh, well, we’ll wait until it’ll tell on itself.’ I didn’t show until I was seven months so that made it easy right there.”

Your son was delivered via C-section, what was your recovery like?
“Everybody told me how much it was going to hurt afterwards but I think I have a different tolerance for pain than others. By that night after I had the baby, I’m like, ‘Look, I can’t sit in this bed anymore. I’ve got to get up!’ I’ve been up and about since he was born. To me, the pain is no different than when you work out a muscle you’ve never worked out before and it’s sore.”

Would Jennifer like her son to become an entertainer like his Mom & Dad? “We’ll definitely encourage education. His father is an education fanatic so we definitely want him to get an education and go to school….My mom always said, ‘Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you as long as you’re happy.’ So I will do the same.”

Julia Hudson — whose 7-year-old son Julian was shot and killed last year — is expecting her second child, Star Magazine reports in its Sept. 21 issue, on newsstands now.

“She’s about four months along,” a family snitch tattles to the tab. “When Julia found out, she called Jennifer right away.”

The sisters have strengthened their bond since losing their mother, Darnell Donnerson, brother Jason Hudson, and Julian in a triple homicide on Chicago’s South Side nearly a year ago. Julia’s estranged husband, William Balfour, is in an Illinois prison awaiting trial in connection with the murders.

“They’re closer than ever,” says the insider. And Jennifer and Julia can’t wait to begin swapping tips on coping with motherhood.

“They know they can never replace Julian, but this new baby has brought the family a lot of joy.”

Weighing in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces, Little David is the first child for Jennifer and her wrestler fiance, David Sr., who once appeared on the VH1 reality series I Love New York 2.

A heavily-pregnant Jennifer Hudson performed “Will You Be There” with the MJ Show Company dancers and the Andrae Crouch singers at the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

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]]> http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-performs-at-michael-jackson-public-memorial/feed/ 0 http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-performance-michael-jackson-memorial/ http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-performance-michael-jackson-memorial/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:57:38 +0000 Castina http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/?p=12983

UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO!
The Jackson family has chosen American Idol alumni Jennifer Hudson to perform a solo at the King of Pop’s memorial service, sources tell CNN. The service will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The network is also reporting that the event will be produced by Ken Ehrlich, who has previously produced the Grammy Awards. The director of the Jackson memorial will be Kenny Ortega, who was set to co-direct the singer’s O2 shows in London later this month.

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]]> http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-performance-michael-jackson-memorial/feed/ 0 http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-fiance-david-otunga-wrestling-video/ http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/jennifer-hudson-fiance-david-otunga-wrestling-video/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:10:22 +0000 Castina http://hiphop.popcrunch.com/?p=12577

David Otunga, the future hubby and “baby daddy” of Oscar and Grammy-winning star Jennifer Hudson, made his wrestling debut with the Florida Championship Wrestling Organization on Wednesday night.

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Anika Noni Rose, Jennifer Hudson’s co-star in the 2006 smash Dreamgirls, is weighing in on the Oscar-winning actress’ rumored pregnancy.

“She will be a great, amazing and loving mom,” the star of Disney The Princess & The Frog told PEOPLE Tuesday. “Having seen her with babies myself, that baby of hers is going to have a good time and be much loved,” she says. “She loves babies and now that she going to be a mother herself, this experience is going to be fun and rewarding for her. She will have no problems taking on the responsibilities.”

Last week, a childhood friend of Jennifer’s confirmed the singer/actress is approximately 7 months with her first child with fiancé David Otunga.

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