Jennifer Hudson and Common's Relationship Timeline: From Rumors to Romance
"If I'm going to get married, it's to her," Common said of J.Hud.
Updated July 15 2024, 1:23 p.m. ET
After years of a slow-burn romance, Jennifer Hudson and Common officially confirmed their relationship in January 2024 ... which seemed to be a pretty open secret from fans' perspective.
After all, their love story dates back to 2014 and the speculation has been brewing since around 2022. Now that the pair are finally official, let's take a look back to where it all began.
Common and Jennifer Hudson attended a Stand Up to Cancer event in 2014.
The two stars attended the 2014 Stand up to Cancer event and even had matching T-shirts. It didn't seem that suspicious at the time and it certainly wasn't clear if there was anything going on between them.
However, as the years passed, they continued being seen together at major events, including 2015's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, XQ Super School Live event, and March for Our Lives.
These consistent displays didn't raise too many flags for fans even after they seemed to be on a date at the NBA All-Star Game in 2020. It wasn't until 2022 that things got a bit flirty in the open.
In August 2022, the pair sparked dating rumors.
Jennifer and Common got to graduate from friends to co-stars after a May 2022 announcement indicated that they would be working on Breathe together. The premise of the story is what started igniting the idea that there could just be some real chemistry between them.
They played across each other as husband and life. It's not clear if they had a relationship going into the movie already, but by August 2022 speculation poured in as they were seen together in Chicago and Philadelphia together.
They were quick to shut down the rumors.
Much to fans' dismay, Jennifer and Common denied that they were dating. According to Jennifer, their sightings were nothing more than lunch breaks from work. "People create their narratives of it and it's like, OK, you know how you feel," she said, according to People. "We shot a film together and he played my husband. We gotta eat in between those moments."
However, they continued to be seen getting a bite together. In fact, in 2023, they were spotted at a known date night restaurant, Nobu in Malibu. Surely it could have been co-workers, but it definitely reignited the rumors.
In August 2023, Jennifer continued to fend off rumors.
She wouldn't really give too many clear responses, but she did make a note that she found him attractive. According to People, Jennifer said: "Rumors say a lot of things, but he’s a beautiful man, I will give you that. That's for certain."
Shortly after, though, they were spotted attending a ton of major events together again. This time far more consistently, including MJ: The Musical, a Chicago Bulls game, and more.
Common finally confirmed their relationship in January 2024.
Finally, they gave the fans the confirmation they wanted. In a cheeky manner, Common confirmed their romance. He was a guest on Jennifer's show and, when she asked about his relationship status, he vaguely admitted he was seeing someone with a clear tease.
“We had a little fun,” Common said on on Today with Hoda & Jenna. “I felt like, why not just be loving and honest with who I am and who we are. And it felt good, it was fun, we had a good time.”
Common hinted at wedding bells being in his and Jennifer Hudson's future in July 2024.
Common and Jennifer's romantic relationship turned professional in July 2024. After confirming they were an item, the lovebirds entered the studio to record a song for Common's album, The Auditorium Vol. 1. The song, "A GOD (There Is)," features Jennifer in a way Common said her fans have never heard from the EGOT winner before.
"I loved it, because when I played it to musician friends, they were like, ‘Who is that singing?’” he says. “I’m like, ‘That’s Jennifer!’ It doesn’t sound like things you’ve heard from her before. I love that we could utilize her gifts in a new space. She brought it, man.”
While promoting his album, Common sat down with The Breakfast Club and discussed his collaboration with Jennifer. He also gushed about the relationship and said it was the most "healthy and beautiful relationship" he had been in out of all his exes. When host Charlamagne Tha God incessantly asked him if he was ready to marry his romantic and creative partner, Common hinted at Jennifer being "the one" after sharing how they connected from being from the same city, Chicago, and spiritually aligned.
"If I'm going to get married, it's to her," he declared.
