Jennifer Hudson Turned Down ‘Precious’ Role

It's no secret that Jennifer Hudson has been battling with her weight ever since she won Best Supporting Actress at the 2007 Academy Awards for 'Dreamgirls.' The actress reveals in her new book 'I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down' that she turned down the title role in 'Precious' because she didn't want to play a fat girl.

"I had done that with Effie [in 'Dreamgirls'], and as much as I was moved by this film, I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight," she writes in the book, according to the Village Voice. The role eventually went to newcomer Gabourey Sidibe and the Lee Daniels film became a critical hit, nabbing several Oscar nominations.

J.Hud instead accepted a co-starring role in 'Sex and the City' opposite Sara Jessica Parker. We think she made the right choice. But who knows? Had she played Precious, Hudson would have probably won another Oscar. However, on the flip side, she also could have been typecast in Hollywood to play fat girl roles.

Thankfully, Hudson's acting career is still blossoming. The 30-year-old songbird recently starred in 'Winnie,' the biopic on Winnie Mandela, and will appear next in the Farrelly Brothers comedy 'The Three Stooges' (watch the trailer).

Hudson's book 'I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down' will hit bookshelves in January 2012.