Jennifer Hudson turns an iconic Hollywood role into a Halloween showstopper

Jennifer Hudson didn’t just dress up for Halloween — she staged a full-scale musical tribute.

During her holiday special, the Oscar- and Grammy-winning performer stepped onstage as Sister Mary Clarence, the lead character played by Whoopi Goldberg in the Sister Act films. For Hudson, this wasn’t just costume play — it was a childhood dream she has openly talked about since her early teens. Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was one of the films that shaped her idea of what live vocal performance could be, long before she ever sang in front of millions.

Re-creating the cinema moment — live

Hudson entered in a classic nun’s habit before peeling it away to reveal a sequined performance robe that sparkled like the Vegas-style outfit featured in the sequel. The stage answered in kind — stained-glass window projections, vibrant lighting, and an energized choir dressed in red robes helped turn the studio into something that looked part chapel, part concert hall, part Halloween fantasia.

From there she launched into a medley: “I Will Follow Him,” “My God (My Guy),” “Oh Happy Day,” and a “Joyful, Joyful” finale woven with elements of Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done for Me Lately.”

Her vocal control and improvisation brought the moment into the present — not just imitation, but interpretation.

A nostalgic tribute with modern flair

Part of the thrill was the audience response: people danced, clapped, and responded as if part of a live choir experience themselves. Hudson treated the material with reverence, but also with the big-room confidence she has earned in her own career.

And then came the visual exclamation point: the finale lifted Hudson into the air on wires, confetti sweeping across the stage as she held the last notes.

A Halloween performance that doubled as a thank-you

For all the spectacle, the moment also felt personal. Hudson has said often that the original movies made her realize that stage performance could be joyful, unifying, and full of possibility.

This Halloween, she returned that feeling to the audience — honoring the films that inspired her, and showing exactly why she has become one of the most celebrated vocalists of her generation.