She quickly stole our hearts in her debut acting role as Effie White in ‘Dreamgirls’ and now the new mother is back to work and poised to grace the big screen once again. In the upcoming biopic ‘Winnie’, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will portray Winnie Mandela, the former wife of South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela.

About the opportunity to be a part of some of South Africa’s greatest history, Hudson said, “Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honored to be the actress asked to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told.”


The script for the film is based on Anne Marie du Preez Bezdrob’s biography ‘Winnie Mandela: A Life’ and will be directed by Darrell J. Roodt. Production is scheduled to begin in May in the South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Transkei and Robben Island).