People.com Entertainment Movies 'Respect' Director Says Jennifer Hudson Had Movie Crew 'Crying' When She Sang as Aretha Franklin "She would sing and sing and sing and sing on those days. It was astounding," Respect director Liesl Tommy says of Jennifer Hudson By Nigel Smith Nigel Smith Nigel Smith is Senior News Editor, Movies at PEOPLE. He is an Entertainment Editor and Writer with more than 10 years of experience in the online and print industries as a journalist, storyteller, proofreader and manager. In 2017 Smith joined the PEOPLE editorial team in New York as News Editor, Movies. He has written feature stories and reviews including interviews with Ryan Reynolds, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Hudson and Russell Crowe. Prior, he served as News Editor at the Wrap in Los Angeles, and Entertainment Editor at the Guardian, also in LA, where he covered the red carpet at major awards shows including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Governors Awards, Grammy Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. He also attended and reported on major film festivals at Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Telluride, SXSW and Tribeca. Smith has appeared as an expert commentator on numerous morning and entertainment shows including Good Morning America, Today, NBC News, BBC News, Access Hollywood, NY1, PeopleTV and more. A native of Toronto, Canada, Smith graduated from Syracuse University in New York State with Master of Arts degree in Arts Journalism (Film). He is married and lives in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 6, 2021 04:19 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Liesl Tommy, director of the new Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, can recall the moment when she knew she had the perfect Queen of Soul in Jennifer Hudson. It was the first time the Oscar winner sang live in character in front of the film's crew. "There were grown, hardened grips crying," Tommy recalls of Hudson's tear-jerking rendition of a Franklin classic. "I think that's part of why people worked so hard [on the film]. They understood how much she was giving, how hard Jennifer was working. She would sing and sing and sing and sing on those days. It was astounding." Respect follows Franklin's rise from child gospel singer to global R&B and pop superstar, with Hudson, 39, channeling the spirit of the icon, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2018 at age 76. Hudson tells PEOPLE she steered clear of mere "imitation" in embodying the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. PEOPLE Celebrates Aretha Franklin in a New Special Edition Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin with director Liesl Tommy. Quantrell D. Colbert Jennifer Hudson Pays Tribute to Aretha Franklin 2 Years After the Music Icon's Death "Even when I do a tribute, I like the people [I'm honoring] to be able to see themselves how we see them," she explains. "They never really get to see themselves. So it's like, 'How can I help you get to see how we see you?'" Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Tommy, a Tony-nominated stage director who makes her feature film debut with Respect, describes the moment when Hudson nailed Franklin's physical presence on-set: "We were doing a rehearsal, and she just dropped into a physical movement. We had been watching Aretha videos, and we were all like, 'Oh my God, that's it. That's it! That's Aretha right there.'" Hudson, who turns 40 on Sept. 12, one month after the film's Aug. 13 debut, is already generating Oscar buzz for her performance. Potential accolades aside, the mother of one says she already feels "grateful and blessed," adding, "I'm the happiest I've ever been." For more on Respect and Hudson, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE. PEOPLE Aretha is available now wherever magazines are sold.