Jennifer Hudson Hit in the Face by a Ball While Sitting Courtside at Knicks Game

Mar. 15, 2025

Jennifer Hudson.Photo:Todd Williamson/NBC/NBC via Getty

Todd Williamson/NBC/NBC via Getty

Jennifer Hudsonhad the “spotlight” on her when an accident at the New York Knicks game interrupted her date night.The EGOT winner, 43, was sitting courtside with her partnerCommon, 52, when the Knicks’ Miles McBride lost control of the basketball in an intense game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, March 4.Cameras captured the moment during the live broadcast at Madison Square Garden, and the footage was shared onsocial media.“Protect Jennifer Hudson!” an eagle-eyed sports commentator said, interrupting his colleague who was recapping the latest play.His words were heard over footage of McBride, 24, retrieving the ball while also checking on the “If This Isn’t Love” singer.The chaotic clip showed both Common and the NBA player doing their best to comfort Hudson while she fixed the glasses that had been knocked from her face and were hanging onto her ears.In a different angle, her frames appeared to be bent as she seemed flustered.“Oh no, not the glasses,” the second commentator said. “Those look real expensive, too.”Jennifer Hudson and Common on March 4.The Hapa Blonde/GC Images“Common is making sure everybody’s okay,” the first commentator said of the “Testify” rapper, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn.TNT then showed a replay of the incident to confirm that Common actually did “protect Jennifer Hudson.”“Let me see what Common did. Did he protect her? No, no he didn’t,” the second commentator joked as his co-host said the actor “tried.”The couple, who went public withtheir relationshipin January 2024,sparked dating rumorsback in 2022, when they worked together on their filmBreathe.Jennifer Hudson and Common on Jan. 10.Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via GettyOver the years, they’ve made multiple courtside appearances together.The talk show host appeared on a November 2024 episode ofLate Night with Seth Meyersto talk about a collaboration the couple did for her holiday album.“I mean, we’re both very musical,” Hudson told hostSeth Meyersof one of the many things she and her man had in common.“Two Chicagoans, and I was like, ‘Where’s the poetry and the storytelling in the holiday albums?’ And who better to do it than him? To do, like, spoken-word poetry for the holidays? And so that’s where the song came from,” she added of the song “Almost Christmas.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.But the “No One Gonna Love You” singer didn’t stop there.She also revealed, “He’s a bit bossywhen it comes to being Common."“Common and Rashid are two different people musically, but he’s a musical genius, so it’s an honor to be able to work from him, work for him, work with him, and on his album and my album,” the Academy Award winner added.

Jennifer Hudsonhad the “spotlight” on her when an accident at the New York Knicks game interrupted her date night.

The EGOT winner, 43, was sitting courtside with her partnerCommon, 52, when the Knicks’ Miles McBride lost control of the basketball in an intense game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, March 4.

Cameras captured the moment during the live broadcast at Madison Square Garden, and the footage was shared onsocial media.

“Protect Jennifer Hudson!” an eagle-eyed sports commentator said, interrupting his colleague who was recapping the latest play.

His words were heard over footage of McBride, 24, retrieving the ball while also checking on the “If This Isn’t Love” singer.

The chaotic clip showed both Common and the NBA player doing their best to comfort Hudson while she fixed the glasses that had been knocked from her face and were hanging onto her ears.

In a different angle, her frames appeared to be bent as she seemed flustered.

“Oh no, not the glasses,” the second commentator said. “Those look real expensive, too.”

Jennifer Hudson and Common on March 4.The Hapa Blonde/GC Images

The Hapa Blonde/GC Images

“Common is making sure everybody’s okay,” the first commentator said of the “Testify” rapper, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn.

TNT then showed a replay of the incident to confirm that Common actually did “protect Jennifer Hudson.”

“Let me see what Common did. Did he protect her? No, no he didn’t,” the second commentator joked as his co-host said the actor “tried.”

The couple, who went public withtheir relationshipin January 2024,sparked dating rumorsback in 2022, when they worked together on their filmBreathe.

Jennifer Hudson and Common on Jan. 10.Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty

Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty

Over the years, they’ve made multiple courtside appearances together.

The talk show host appeared on a November 2024 episode ofLate Night with Seth Meyersto talk about a collaboration the couple did for her holiday album.

“I mean, we’re both very musical,” Hudson told hostSeth Meyersof one of the many things she and her man had in common.

“Two Chicagoans, and I was like, ‘Where’s the poetry and the storytelling in the holiday albums?’ And who better to do it than him? To do, like, spoken-word poetry for the holidays? And so that’s where the song came from,” she added of the song “Almost Christmas."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

But the “No One Gonna Love You” singer didn’t stop there.

She also revealed, “He’s a bit bossywhen it comes to being Common."

“Common and Rashid are two different people musically, but he’s a musical genius, so it’s an honor to be able to work from him, work for him, work with him, and on his album and my album," the Academy Award winner added.

source: people.com