‘Winnie’ Could Be Hudson’s Next Oscar Nod!

Jennifer Hudson looks set to bag herself another Oscar nom, as she begins filming for her most challenging role yet.

 The songstress-turned-actress will star as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in the forthcoming biopic ‘Winnie‘, and will be seen along side Terrence Howard who stars as the famous Nelson Mandela (both pictured above).

This project has been penned to film throughout this summer in Johannesburg, in the Transkei and Robben Island, where Mandela spent 18 of the 27 years in prison for fighting the apartheid. With Darrell Roodt helming from this adapted screenplay from Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob‘s book “Winnie Mandela: A Life”, this story recounts the love story between Winnie and Nelson Mandela and will also include her early life and her dramas of recent years.

Roodt explains his vision:

“It’s not a rose-tinted picture by any stretch of the imagination. However, we contextualise that so you understand where that comes from.

“This is a woman who is just extraordinary beyond all measure and it’s high time that a great film is made about a great South African and a great human being who’s done so much for not only South Africa but the world. I shouldn’t say this, but I think Winnie’s going to love the movie.”


Hudson said she didn’t know much about Madikizela-Mandela before accepting the role, but added she made sure that she read up on the person, on South Africa and on the Mandelas.

She said:

“It’s not small shoes to fill, it’s a big deal. And it’s something that I’m extremely excited about.”

Producers hope to have ‘Winnie‘ completed in time for the Berlin Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival in 2011.