Purple Reign: 6 Breathtaking Photos of Jennifer Hudson
Actress and singer Jennifer Hudson is making her Broadway debut in a revival of
The Color Purple—so we asked her to model that regal shade in a dramatic New York City theater. "Purple is absolutely my favorite color," she says. "My closet is purple, my dressing room is purple and I even love a purple lipstick!" Here the star shows just how scene-stealing the shade can be.
By Clarissa Cruz and Megan Deem
Photos: Ruven Afanador
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Plum Role
As much as Hudson loves purple, she had to be persuaded to add the shade to her mostly black wardrobe. "My fiancé said, 'You're a girl; you need a favorite color!'" she says with a laugh. "Purple lets me wear color without being too bright." Here, teetering on top of upper-mezzanine seats, Hudson gamely conceals her fear. "If there's a place for me to [meet an untimely end]," she joked, "what better place than a theater?"
Dress, Marc Bouwer, $4,880. Earrings, Carolee. Bracelets (from left
), Jarin K and Alexis Bittar.
Beauty Highlight
The secret to perfect finger waves—revealed!
"This is a very retro look, reminiscent of 1920s flapper style," says Hudson's hairstylist Cesar Ramirez.
To achieve it, he began by applying Mizani Foam Wrap Fast Drying Foam mousse to Hudson's wet hair, followed by a layer of extra-hold gel (try L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Lock It Clean Style Gel). "The Foam Wrap allows you to mold the hair, while the gel gives additional staying power."
Using his fingers and a fine-tooth comb, Ramirez formed and smoothed each ridge, clipping it into place. Next, he let Hudson's hair dry for a couple of hours while she had her makeup done.
Once her hair had set, Ramirez removed the clips and misted her entire head with shine spray (we like Pantene Pro-V Color Care CC Shine Spray) for an ultrabrilliant finish.
"How do I take care of my voice? Plenty of rest, and I drink lots of warm water with lemon and honey." —Jennifer Hudson
From the
December 2015 issue of
O, The Oprah Magazine
