Jennifer Hudson Posts Birthday Tribute to Common amid Romance Rumors: 'One of the Brightest Lights'

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Jennifer Hudson has a sweet birthday message for Common.

On Monday, the American Idol alumna, 41, marked the actor and rapper's 51st birthday with a photo of them posing together where his arm appeared to be around her.

She wrote of her fellow Chicago native, "Team Jhud pls help me wish one of the brightest lights, a Chicago and hip hop legend, the one and only @common a very happy birthday on today !"

In his Instagram Story, Common showed appreciation for Hudson's shoutout and reposted the picture, adding, "Thank You!"

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Hudson's post comes amid rumors that she and Common are dating.

The superstars were photographed leaving Nobu restaurant in Malibu last month, shortly after dating rumors surfaced again at the top of the year.

In a photo taken outside of the restaurant, the multi-hyphenates can be seen walking alongside each other. Common walks to the left of Hudson as he holds a black jacket in his hand and wears a white hoodie and tan pants, while she wears a pink-and-purple cozy outfit with sunglasses on her head.

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The two star alongside each other in Breathe, an action-thriller from Stefon Bristol that also stars Milla Jovovich, Sam Worthington and Quvenzhané Wallis. The film, announced in May 2022, features Common and Hudson playing husband and wife, as the earth is uninhabitable due to a lack of oxygen. Living underground, Hudson's character Maya and her daughter Zora, played by Wallis, must use an oxygen suit to survive, as a new couple joins their underground bunker, per Variety.

After dating rumors surfaced when Common and Hudson were reportedly spotted together in Philadelphia and Chicago in 2022, the Respect actress clarified their outings to Entertainment Tonight in September.

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"People create their narratives of it and it's like, okay, you know, how you feel," she said when asked about the rumors. "We shot a film together and he played my husband. We gotta eat in between those moments."

Before the EGOT winner, Common dated comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish. The began seeing each other in August 2020 before they split in November 2021.

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A source told PEOPLE at the time, "They are never in the same city together and both of them are just too busy for a serious relationship."