Jennifer Hudson Says Having a Child Saved Her Life After Family Was Killed in 2008

Singer and actress Jennifer Hudson has seen more than her share of success during her career, however she's also undergone shocking tragedy and loss. In 2008, Hudson's mother, her brother and her nephew were shot and killed by her sister's estranged husband.

While she has rarely opened up about the murders, the 34-year-old got candid about the events in an interview with Glamour magazine while discussing her role in the upcoming Spike Lee film Chiraq.

WATCH: Jennifer Hudson Readies for Her Broadway Debut in ‘The Color Purple’

In the film, Hudson plays a woman in Chicago whose daughter was killed by a stray bullet -- a pain that Hudson says she can relate to intimately.

"It's frustrating as hell to me to have somebody who ain't lost nothing try to talk to me about it," Hudson explained. "I want to say, 'Don't even bother, because you know nothing.' But you never know how much you can get through until you're going through it."

According to Hudson, she found her way through the pain with the help of her baby boy, who she gave birth to one year after the shootings.

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"I went from being an aunt, having a mom, and being a child to not having a mom, becoming a mom, and raising my own child," Hudson said, adding that her son David, who is now 6 years old, helped immensely in dealing with her loss.

"I tell David all the time, 'You saved my life,'" Hudson shared.

Currently Hudson is gearing up for her Broadway debut in The Color Purple, which kicks off Dec. 3 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York City. Check out the video below for a look at her role in the celebrated play.

Jennifer Hudson Gears Up For Long-Awaited Broadway Debut

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