Jennifer Hudson is currently starring on Broadway in The Color Purple, but this winter she's bringing her acting and vocal talents to NBC's production of Hairspray Live! Hudson will play Motormouth Maybelle in the show executive-produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron from NBC's Smash.
Joining Hudson will be Harvey Fierstein, who is not only writing the screenplay but is also reviving his Tony Award-winning performance as Edna Turnblad.
"We are beyond thrilled with this incredibly talented duo of stars for Hairspray Live!," said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. "Harvey Fierstein created the role of Edna Turnblad on Broadway in an indelible Tony-winning performance that demanded to be memorialized on film, and we're happy he wanted to step into her shoes one last, unforgettable time. We're also so grateful that the incomparable Jennifer Hudson will play Motormouth Maybelle and we know her rendition of 'I Know Where I've Been' will literally stop the show."
Hairspray Live! will air Dec. 7 on NBC.