Dreamgirls' Oscars Strategy Hits a Sour Note

With the Academy Awards season nearing full swing, there is already some controversy surrounding the campaign being waged by the yet-to-be-released Dreamgirls — namely, Paramount/DreamWorks' decision to position Beyoncé Knowles for a lead-actress nod, and relegate Jennifer Hudson, touted as the heart and soul of the pic, to supporting. "It's ridiculous," awards-show guru Tom O'Neill (TheEnvelope.com) tells the New York Daily News. "Dreamgirls is [Hudson's] movie. She owns it." Does the Idol alumna herself feel spurned? "Jennifer doesn’t see it as an issue," a friend tells the News. "She can win as supporting actress, where she has the strongest chance."