Yesterday we saw a few photos of Academy Award and Grammy Award-winning actress/singer Jennifer Hudson on the set of her new music video If This Isn’t Love … her return to professional life after stepping away from her career to grieve the tragic loss of three members of her family. Last night, J. Hud arrived in Tampa, FL (with pooch in hand) ahead of her performance at the SuperBowl there on Sunday. Here are a couple pics of Jennifer and her little friend as they made their way thru the airport:

As you know, Jennifer Hudson has been asked to perform the National Anthem at the start of the game Sunday so I’m sure she wants to be in town to get some practice in. SuperBowls always come with hugh parties and lots of social events in the days leading up to the game … mebbe J. Hud is planning to let her hair down and party with some friends. I really hope she has an amazing weekend in Tampa, she really deserves it. I can’t wait to hear her belt out the Star Spangled Banner come Sunday.

[Photo credit: INFdaily]

Jennifer Hudson, who has been staying out of the public eye in the weeks since members of her immediate family were slain in Chicago, IL, is slowly resuming work in order to try and move on from the tragic loss of her mother, brother and nephew. It has been reported that J. Hud will be singing the national anthem at this Sunday’s Superbowl in Florida but she’s already gotten some other word taken care of, as well. Jennifer has already filmed scenes for her next music video for her new single If This Isn’t Love … here she is on set:

As you may or may not already know, J. Hud’s self-titled debut album received four Grammy nominations including one for Best R&B Album. I understand that this new music video will debut the week of February 9. After the jump, check out a couple other photos of Jennifer on the set of her music video …

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In the wake of the tragic loss of her mother, brother and young nephew, Jennifer Hudson appears ready to begin to move forward with her life. J. Hud posted a new message on her official My Space profile thanking all of her fans for their love and support as she dealt with the loss of her family members. Additionally, she has authorized Gap to move forward with the Xmas ad campaign she is featured in despite the tragedy that has just been heaped upon her. Here is J. Hud’s new Gap ad and the full text of her message to fans:

Thank You All

I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers during
this difficult time. My sister and I take great comfort and strength from your
love and concern. jhud

And, about her Gap ad: Jennifer Hudson continues to mourn her family tragedy. Still, the Gap has just launched its new holiday ad campaign, which features a cheery photo of Hudson smiling and wearing a bright red sweater. While the timing may seem inappropriate, a rep for the clothing-store giant assures us that Hudson has given her blessing to use the image. Hudson was given the option to back out, according to Gap spokesperson Olive Doyne. “She said she wanted to be a part of it and that we should move forward,” Doyne says. Hudson was photographed for the ad by Michael Thompson back in July in New York City. The ad, which includes the tagline “Shine Your Own Star,” can be seen in magazines and newspapers and on billboards in New York and Los Angeles.

While I am sure that Jennifer and the entire Hudson family are far from totally healed from their loss, I am very happy to hear that she appears to be doing a little bit better considering … I just love J. Hud and I am so sorry for her loss. I hope that she continues to heal, especially thru the coming holiday season. Again, while I cannot imagine what she is going thru, I hope that the love and support of her fans will continue to be of solace to her as she needs it.

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A very sad update to the tragedy that has hit Jennifer Hudson’s family … the body of her 7-year old nephew, Julian King, who has been missing since last Friday (when the bodies of Hudson’s mother and brother were found fatally shot in their Chicago, IL home) has been identified. This makes him the third person in Hudson’s family to have been killed in this horrible incident:

The body found inside an SUV Monday morning has been confirmed to be Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew, a top FBI official said. The medical examiner positively identified the body found in the Chevrolet Suburban as Julian King, Monday afternoon. Earlier Monday Deputy Chief Cmdr. Wayne Gulliford said police had responding to “a call about a suspicious auto” in the west side of Chicago at approximately 7 a.m. when they found the body inside a parked white Chevy Suburban, which had a license plate matching the description in the child’s Amber Alert. He had no details on the body, pending the medical examiner’s report. Julian has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were found dead in their home Friday.

What else can be said? My deepest heartfelt condolences and prayers of support go out to the entire Hudson family. This is a devastating tragedy without explanation. So incredibly sad.

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Jennifer Hudson’s 7-year old nephew Julian King has still not been found after he went missing last Friday, the day that Hudson’s mother and brother were found fatally shot in their Chicago home. Over the weekend, Jennifer Hudson updated her official My Space profile with a reward offer and plea to everyone to help find her nephew:

Two days after her mother and brother were fatally shot at home in Chicago, Jennifer Hudson and her family have offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of her missing 7-year-old nephew Julian, gone since Friday. “Jennifer and her family appreciate the enormous amount of love, support and prayers they have received while she and her family try to cope with this tragedy and continue the search for Julian,” said a statement from Hudson’s rep Lisa Kasteler. It also offered a reward and asked the public to give any available information to the Chicago police. “We ask that all inquiries be directed to the Chicago Police Department, Area 1 Detective Division at 312/747-8380.” As investigators continued looking for forensic evidence at the south side home of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, the FBI confirmed to PEOPLE that they are also assisting with the investigation. “I can confirm that we have been asked to provide assistance to the Chicago police department to assist in the search for 7-year-old Julian King,” said Ross Rice, special agent and spokesman for the Chicago office of FBI … After her sister Julia’s impassioned plea for the return of her son at a press conference on Saturday, Hudson took to her MySpace Celebrity page to thank fans for the outpouring of support on Sunday. “Thank you all for your prayers and your calls,” she wrote on the Web site. “Please keep praying for our family and that we get Julian King back home safely. If anyone has any information about his whereabouts please contact the authorities immediately. Here is a picture of Julian and what he was last seen wearing. Once again thank you all for being there for us through this tough time.”

There is very upsetting, sad news today, tho. CNN is reporting that police have found the body of a child in a SUV in Chicago but they have not confirmed it is the body of Julian King:

The Cook County medical examiner’s office is investigating reports on Monday of a child’s body found in an SUV in Chicago, a spokesperson for the office told CNN. The Chicago Tribune — citing the medical examiner’s office — reported that the body of a boy was found Monday morning in a white SUV connected with Julian King, the missing nephew of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson. Police issued an Amber Alert for Julian, 7, who has been missing since Hudson’s mother and brother were found dead in their home Friday They also asked people to look out for a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban with Illinois license plate X584859.

I am hoping against hope that Julian is still out there and that he will be returned home to his family. The Hudson family has already lost so much, it’s unfathomable that they may suffer more tragic grief. Let’s keep the family in our thoughts and prayers and hold out for a miracle.

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Very tragic news to report today. Late yesterday it was reported that Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were killed in their Chicago, IL home over a reported domestic abuse incident. Darnell Donerson and Jason Hudson were, according to Chicago police, the victims of a fatal shooting. Additionally, Hudson’s 7-year old nephew Julian King has gone missing and Chicago police have issued an Amber Alert for the boy:

From the Amber Alert: Missing Person Circumstance Text : The Chicago Police Department have a confirmed child abduction that occurred at 7019 S Yale, Chicago, IL. Julian King is a male black, 7 years old, 4 feet 11 inches, 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a brown polo shirt with stripes and khaki pants. Suspect vehicle is a white 1994 Chevrolet Suburban, Illinois registration, X584859. Anyone with information should call 9-1-1 and advise they have an Amber Alert report. This concludes this Amber Alert issued by the Illinois State Police.
Missing Person Last Seen Date : 2008-10-24
Missing Person Last Seen Time : 00:00:00

License Plate
License Plate Text : X584859
License Plate State : IL

From USA Today: Authorities investigating the shooting deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were searching for the missing 7-year-old nephew of the Oscar-winning actress. A suspect in the deaths was in custody Friday night, but young Julian King had not been seen since the bodies of Darnell Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were found Friday afternoon. A family member entering Donerson’s South Side home Friday afternoon found the woman shot on the living room floor. Officers later found Hudson shot in the bedroom, police said. At least one of the victims suffered defensive wounds, said authorities who described the shooting as domestic violence. William Balfour, a man suspected in the deaths, was arrested Friday but had not been charged, law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

I cannot even fully comprehend this sort of tragedy touching a person’s life. All I can say is that my thoughts and prayers go out to Jennifer Hudson and her family and I hope that her nephew will be found and returned home soon. I’m sure you all will join me in sending our thoughts and condolences to her family. This is just really, very sad news.

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Jennifer Hudson, who is currently in NYC doing promo work for her just released new album Jennifer Hudson, was snapped proudly showing off her new engagement ring (you may recall that J. Hud recently announced her engagement to reality TV personality David Otunga, better known as Punk on the VH1 competitive reality show I Love New York) around town so I thought it would be nice to feature it right here on the blog as well. I can’t help but notice how big the diamond stone is and she does seem pretty happy with it … I’m just curious how much a ring like that costs and who actually paid for it:

Now, I understand that Mr. Otunga is a lawyer in Chicago, IL and I know that lawyers make a lot of money … but how lucrative a lawyer can he be to be able to afford a rock of this magnitude? And if he really is this successful a lawyer, what the hell was he doing on reality TV in the first place? Y’all may recall that Britney Spears was the one who paid for her own engagement ring back when she wed Kevin Federline … mebbe that’s the same thing that’s going on here. And, for the record, I see nothing wrong with it. Jennifer Hudson really deserves to enjoy herself and her money, I think it’d be great if she did end up paying for her own engagement bling. What I’m really curious about is why J. Hud and Punk have never (to my knowledge) been photographed together. It seems odd to me that the couple would choose to never be seen together in public and yet, they are headed to the altar together. The whole scenario seems very strange to me … I’m not sure if I totally buy it all just yet. Doesn’t everything about the relationship between Jennifer Hudson and David Otunga seem really shady to all y’all?

[Photo credit: Splash News]