From "Idol" Reject To Oscar Winner?

If you think that fairy tales don't come true, then you have never heard of Jennifer Hudson.

After her controversial elimination from season three of "American Idol," she has proven Simon Cowell and America wrong.

She beat out 182 other actresses for the star-making role of Effie White in the hit musical "Dreamgirls." It's already landed her Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild nominations and made her the one to beat at this year's Oscars.

But that role almost wasn't hers. She auditioned three times and she was told she didn't get it.

"They kept going back and forth," Hudson told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm. "One minute it was like, 'She's the best we've seen,' to going to a different direction to 'You are not being considered any more.' Two or three times before they had me to come out and do a full screen test."

Effie White is a true diva and Hudson said she drew inspiration from different people she knows. She looked to her older sister Julia's flirtatiousness as one aspect of Effie's personality.

"I pulled from different people that reminded me of her, like my sister to an extent, especially in the scene when Dina and Effie are sitting at a table in the club and Curtis walks up and she's flirting — that's Julia all day long," she said.

I addition to flexing her vocal muscles with the role, Hudson had the opportunity to work with two of her favorite performers, Beyoncé and Jamie Foxx.

"I can't believe it," Hudson said. "Beyoncé has been one of my biggest role models and, being at home, I remember being in a concert in Chicago with Destiny's Child. It wasn't too long ago. Maybe about three years ago."

Hudson also idolizes Whitney Houston, who told her that she was "the one."

"She went on to compliment me and she saw my screen test. I don't know if she has seen the film. But she was so nice," Hudson said. "That was one of the highlights for me so far. The biggest."