Grammy and Oscar-winning JENNIFER HUDSON declined the critically acclaimed 2009 role of “Precious” because she didn’t want to gain any weight.

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Which turned out to be very good news for Gabourey Sidibe, wasn’t it?

Jennifer, who’d just won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Effie in “Dreamgirls” was given the opportunity to turn out another award-winning performance as the 300-lb. illiterate and obese 16-year-old single mother living in a dysfunctional and abusive home.

But Hudson, who said she’d had to gain weight for her role in “Dreamgirls,” was working her way through all that now eliminated 80 lbs. with Weight Watchers, and didn’t fancy going through the physical strain of having to balloon to 300 lbs. just for the chance to win another naked golden man.

“I had done that with Effie… and as much as I was moved by this film,”

Hudson wrote in her book “I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.”

“I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight.”

Good thing director Lee Daniels found an already 300-lb. actress in the person of New York college student, Gabourey Sidibe (who cut class to audition), for the role.

And the rest is, as we all say, is Oscar-nominated history…

Photos By PR Photos

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