She’s been through an ordeal most of us are lucky enough to never even imagine. After losing three family members to senseless violence, including her seven-year-old nephew – all of whom she was asked to identify by police – Jennifer Hudson has spent the last six weeks virtually in hiding- not only from the press, but from the killer or killers who may have still been at large. With her former brother-in-law now in custody for the muders, the Oscar winner has emerged and is focusing her energy on her work.

JENNIFER HUDSON is a gutsy young lady.

The Oscar-winning singer/actress is going back to work – just SIX weeks after she was forced to identify the bodies of her murdered mother, brother and nephew.

Jennifer will be in Los Angeles next week to begin shooting a video for her next single, If It Isn’t Love, a spokesperson for her label J Records has confirmed.

Jennifer was previously forced to cancel filming to jet back to her hometown of Chicago after the bodies of her mother, DARNELL HUDSON DONERSON, and brother, JASON, were discovered shot to death on October 24 at the family home.

The gunshot-ravaged body of her seven-year-old nephew JULIAN KING was found three days later in a nearby vehicle.

The star’s estranged brother-in-law WILLIAM BALFOUR has been charged with all three murders.

[From The Sun]

Sometimes throwing yourself into your work or another activity can be helpful after a major tragedy. But I’m sure Jennifer has been getting some pressure from her record company, with whom she is contractually obligated to promote her CD, which was released just before the murders. I do hope she finds some comfort in performing – and I also hope that the media is respectful of what she’s been through. Hopefully she won’t have to do the whole talk show circuit thing and answer intrusive questions about it. Can’t you just see Kelly Ripa or those hags from The View asking her about the shootings? If it were me, I don’t think I’d be ready to talk about what happened. And the worst part is, this whole thing is far from over- Jennifer will have to relive this whole nightmare when and if William Balfour goes to trial. We are rooting for Jennifer and hope her CD does well. It’s probably little solace to her now.

Jennifer is shown at the premiere of her movie, “The Secret Life of Bees.” It was the last event she attended before her mother, brother and nephew were slain. Photo credit: WENN.