![Jennifer Hudson’s Son, David, Turns 15](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-2097725769-1200x900.jpg)
We haven’t seen much of Jennifer Hudson’s son in the spotlight over the years outside of some red-carpet appearances, but the singer now has a 15-year-old. The talk show host shared a rare photo of her teenager on Instagram, asking fans to wish him a happy 15th birthday.
“Team Jhud, can yall help wish my kid @d.o.j10 a very happy blest 15th birthday!” she began her caption. “I can not believe that I got a 15 year old ! God is good ! Happy Birthday , my baby!!!!” she wrote in the caption. The image shared was one of Hudson standing beside her son who is now taller than her. In the picture, David was also rocking a voluminous afro.
He was born in 2009, and Hudson had him with her ex-fiancé, former WWE star David Otunga. They split in 2017 after 10 years together.
In 2023, the actress was the cover star of the September issue of Real Simple. She opened up about motherhood in addition to dating as a single mom.
“My son goes to a predominantly white school, and he has giant hair and a whole afro,” she told the magazine. “He loves to walk in there with the big old ’fro and the pick in his hair. And I’m like, ‘Do you realize the statement you’re making? Know that just wearing your hair like that is a statement alone.’”
The singer also discussed her fears about raising a Black son in America. “Being a mom of a Black son, you have to make him conscious of and aware of certain things — who he is within the world,” she said. “And there’s so many layers he has to learn! But he’s at an age where he can fully understand it. And he’s so evolved beyond what I could ever imagine.”
The talk show host seems excellent at protecting her son and raising him outside the limelight. During the interview, she said it took her some time to feel comfortable dating because she was cautious about who she had around him.
“It took a long time to date. Because obviously, my focus has been on my child. It’s always about the energy of who you’re bringing into your circle. I’m very funny and sensitive about those things,” she said at the time.
Hudson has found someone she trusts to be around David since she’s openly dating rapper Common. The Chicago natives were first sighted together in 2022 but didn’t confirm their romance until earlier this year. The last man the singer publicly dated was Otunga.