Jennifer Hudson has opened up about her final call with Aretha Franklin.
The ‘Dreamgirls’ actress plays the Queen of Soul in ‘Respect’, a new musical biopic based on the music icon’s life and career.
Aretha passed away on August 8 2018 – eight days after Jennifer enjoyed her last-ever phonecall with the legendary singer.
“The last time I heard her voice was August 8,” she told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere for the movie. “It’s odd that here we are again, on August 8, three years later.
“Right after we spoke, they told me she was no longer competent enough to speak but she sang to me on our call and we talked about my son and his cooking.
“She loves to cook and so does he. I sent her a video of him cooking. I truly miss hearing from her.”
Although the pair became close in Aretha’s later years, Jennifer admits she still can’t quite fathom why she was handpicked for the role.
“I’m so mad at myself for not asking her that question,” she told Variety. “It’s within the scene when Aretha’s mother comes to her; it felt so true to my own life. And in the moment I was like, ‘I don’t think I would’ve been able to tell the story without my own life experience and triumphs’.
“I feel, like, she saw far more than what I saw. In that moment, I said, ‘This is what it was; this is why’.
“It was things that I discovered throughout the film that at least I told myself, ‘This must be the reason’.”
‘Respect’ hits cinemas August 13.
