Jennifer Hudson to Join Smash Cast

An exciting announcement for the small screen was announced last Friday – Jennifer Hudson is joining the cast of NBC’s new Broadway drama Smash. This series is a showcase for some of the best musical talent in the business.

Hudson is contracted to guest star in multiple episodes of Smash, including the season premiere. Her character is “Veronica Moore, a Tony Award-winning Broadway star who impacts the lives of Karen (played by fellow American Idol alum Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (played by Megan Hilty).”

The chairman of NBC Entertainment, Robert Greenblatt, said, “We're thrilled to have Jennifer Hudson coming to Smash. This series is a showcase for some of the best musical talent in the business, and that's a fitting description for Jennifer Hudson. Her character will represent someone who reached their Broadway dream but also paid a price for it.”

The show’s executive producer Steven Spielberg said about Hudson joining the case, “First Dreamgirls, now Smash. I have no doubt Jennifer will continue to deliver even more inspiration to the audience responsible for giving us a second season on NBC. It's wonderful to be reunited with her at DreamWorks Television and NBC."

Hudson isn’t the only star to make a Smash guest appearance; other famous faces seen on the show include actress Uma Thurman and singer Nick Jonas (of the Jonas Brothers). Multiple actors and actresses from the first season are reportedly leaving the show, however, including Jamie Cepero (Ellis), Raza Jaffery (Dev), Will Chase (Michael) and Brian D'Arcy (Frank).

A new Smash face on season two is Tony-nominated Jeremy Jordanis, who will play a Brooklyn-born singer plagued by self-destructive behavior.

If Hudson nails her role on the show, she may earn the all-around superstar recognition of an EGOT, which stands of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. She is already halfway there, having scored an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls and earned a Grammy for her self-titled album in 2008. For the record, she has also won a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Filming for season two of Smash begins this summer in and around New York City. The series will air on NBC during the middle of the season.