Jennifer Hudson got emotional during an episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show after her 16-year-old son, David Daniel Otunga Jr., surprised her on set with a homemade cake based on a longtime family recipe tied to her late mother.
The segment, which aired on Thursday, May 7, started with Hudson sitting on stage before producers brought her son out unexpectedly. Carrying flowers and a pound cake, David walked toward his mother, who immediately stood up and hugged him. “Y’all got me again!” Hudson said through tears after realizing the surprise had been planned behind the scenes.
According to Entertainment Weekly, David then explained that the cake was made using Hudson’s mother’s recipe. “This is your mom’s special recipe, so I made it for Mother’s Day,” he told her. “I know it’s special to you. I love you.”
Hudson later told the audience that the pound cake has been part of family celebrations for years. “My mother always made this pound cake — our family tradition,” she said. “So for Mother’s Day, birthdays, all special occasions, he always makes it for me.”
Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, was shot to death on October 24, 2008. Donerson, along with Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew Julian and older sister Julia, was killed by Julia’s estranged husband, William Balfour.
The moment also offered another look at Hudson’s relationship with her son, whom she shares with ex David Otunga. Otunga spent more than a decade with WWE as both an in-ring performer and commentator after graduating from Harvard Law School and working at a major law firm.
Hudson and Otunga welcomed their son in 2009 and ended their engagement in 2017 after nearly a decade together.
Hudson has recently spoken more openly about parenting a teenager and preparing her son for adulthood. Earlier this year, she discussed teaching him financial literacy through a partnership with Credit One Bank, saying she wants him to understand credit and money management before leaving home.
