Jennifer Hudson: 'Mariah Carey is a great American Idol judge'

Jennifer Hudson has praised the addition of Mariah Carey to American Idol's judging panel.

The singer-actress got her start on American Idol's third season, before going on to win an Academy Award for her performance in Dreamgirls.



Speaking to Live with Kelly & Michael, Hudson said that it was smart for Idol's producers to hire a singer as skilled as Carey to be a judge.

"I'm happy she's there because she's a singer, so she knows what to expect, how to judge, even the position that the kids are in when they're auditioning," Hudson explained.

She went on to admit that she does get nostalgic for American Idol's original judging panel, which comprised Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.



"It's taken a bit to get used to the new judges," she noted. "I come from American Idol, so I'm used to seeing Simon, Paula and Randy.

"So now it's new faces, and to me, [Cowell, Abdul and Jackson] represented the show. It's kind of awkward for me to see it with new judges."

She added: "It's always been a phenomenon. I'm proud to have come from American Idol, so I just say, go out on top."

American Idol airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays on Fox.