Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia Barrino recall being on “American Idol” together 20 years ago

Since then, they've both appeared in "The Color Purple" on Broadway with Barrino starring in the new film adaptation.

Season 3 of American Idol remains, perhaps, its best season because not only did the winner, Fantasia Barrino Taylor, become a Grammy-winning star, but seventh-place finisher Jennifer Hudson went on to EGOT.

Now the host of her own show (like season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson), Hudson invited Barrino and the cast of The Color Purple to discuss the new film adaptation of Alice Walker's beloved classic and reminisce about her Idol days with Barrino in an episode that airs Friday, Dec. 15.

"Fantasia, do you realize it's been 20 years since we were on American Idol?" Hudson asks the Golden Globe nominee in a preview from the interview, bringing up a photo of the two young sangers during the season finale.

"You remember the day they tried to put us all in the bottom three?" Barrino begins, referring to herself, Hudson, and LaToya London, who up to that point had all been highly praised by the judges. Hudson would ultimately be eliminated. "That day we all had a look on our face like, 'Really?'"

Having had the last laugh, the actress and talk show host then asks Barrino what she remembers from their time on the reality show.

"Working hard," she responds. "We worked very, very hard. I also remember building great relationships and being around great gifts. So iron sharpens iron. Being around you guys, making a family, and being up every morning, away from our families, but being steady going because it was something that we all wanted. Now look."

"Can you believe it?" Hudson adds.

After Idol, Barrino replaced LaChanze as Celie in the original Broadway production of The Color Purple, while Hudson starred as Shug Avery in the 2015 revival opposite Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks. Deepening the Idol season 3 connection to The Color Purple, London also appeared in the musical's national tour, as Celie's sister Nettie, in 2007 and again in 2010.

Hudson also acknowledged her "full-circle" moment with Oprah Winfrey, who had interviewed her and the cast of Dreamgirls (remember when Beyoncé did interviews?) in 2007 on her now-defunct talk show.

"And now look at you!" Oprah says in her best Oprah voice.

Mama O, as Hudson calls her, and the cast of The Color Purple have been making the rounds, heavily promoting the film, which premieres on Christmas Day. Previously, Barrino, Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, and director Blitz Bazawule visited The View, where they led the audience in a standing ovation for Whoopi Goldberg, who made her film debut in the 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg.

"We wouldn't be here without you," Brooks told Goldberg.

Like Hudson, Goldberg also has an EGOT, and like Goldberg, Barrino makes her film debut playing Celie, proving that American Idol season 3 was some truly karmically magical, Oprah-cal television. And if you need any more proof, look no further than Fantasia's still stunning rendition of "Summertime."

Watch The Jennifer Hudson Show on Dec. 15 to see her full interview with the cast of The Color Purple and executive producer Oprah Winfrey.

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Related content:

• Fantasia Barrino and Paula Abdul have American Idol reunion at premiere of The Color Purple

• How Fantasia injected new life into The Color Purple: 'I got to do it one more time'

• Oprah Winfrey says there was pressure to cast Beyoncé or Rihanna in The Color Purple
  

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