Jennifer Hudson is the entertainment industry’s youngest ever EGOT winner, but she still has a hard time fully realizing it. In a clip of her upcoming interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings set to air Friday (Sept. 9), the multi-award winner reflected on securing the coveted accolade and how she celebrates the achievement in her day-to-day life.
Hudson gave an honest response about what being an EGOT winner means, and remembered the initial shock she felt when she learned of her new status at the Tony Awards in June for co-producing A Strange Loop, which won best musical at the ceremony.
“You know, I’m still processing it. To be able to know fully what that means, the company that I’m in … because it came as a surprise. I did not fully see it coming,” the 40-year-old explained. “I went to celebrate the cast for getting 11 nominations because I don’t feel like I’ve been present.”
She added, “And then when they said ‘Strange Loop,’ best musical, I was cheering for them and once we got on the stage, everybody started chanting ‘EGOT! EGOT!’ And I was like … ‘Wait, what?’ It blows me away. I call myself 17 because 17th EGOT. I’m the 17th.”
The Broadway star and recording artist also shared that she honors her achievement with a ring that reads EGO and a separate charm that says 17.
Hudson also shared photos to her Twitter and Instagram pages of her posing with her Emmy, Oscar, Grammy and Tony awards leading up to her birthday. Counting down til my birthday !” she wrote on Wednesday (Sept. 7). “In a few days I will be 41 but then again I will always be 17! #EGOT #17.”
Watch Hudson talk about her EGOT status in a clip of her CBS Mornings interview below.
Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) tells @GayleKing what it means to her to be the youngest female EGOT winner in history: “I’m still processing it…it came as a surprise.”
Watch our full conversation tomorrow on #CBSMornings. pic.twitter.com/R9mjzuCsZp
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 8, 2022
Counting down til my birthday ! In a few days I will be 41 but then again I will always be 17! #EGOT #17 pic.twitter.com/ULJsbA69su
— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) September 7, 2022
