Sometimes daytime TV surprises you. Not with shocking twists or scandalous reveals, but with genuine human connection. That’s exactly what happened Wednesday on The Jennifer Hudson Show when Cynthia Erivo joined her old friend and Color Purple co-star, Jennifer Hudson, for a trip down memory lane. And let me tell you, there wasn’t a dry eye on set — or on my couch, frankly.
A decade after their Broadway run, the pair reminisced about their time in The Color Purple, a period that clearly holds immense significance for both of them. Erivo, now a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner, became visibly emotional as she recalled her journey from a small London production to the bright lights of Broadway.
But it wasn’t all misty-eyed nostalgia. The two shared a particularly funny anecdote about the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, attending one of their performances. Hudson, with a mischievous glint, admitted to keeping Franklin’s presence a secret from Erivo until the very last minute. The reason? To prevent her friend from succumbing to a full-blown pre-show panic attack.
Erivo also recounted her initial reaction to the offer of a Broadway role after the London run of The Color Purple. She thought the producers were pulling her leg, a classic “too good to be true” scenario. It wasn’t until she found herself on a plane to New York that the reality truly sunk in. It’s a story many aspiring artists can relate to, that moment of “wait, is this actually happening?”
The Jennifer Hudson Show airs weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings.
