‘The Jeffersons’ remake got off to a rousing start Wednesday night, when Jennifer Hudson opened the show with a performance of classic theme song “Movin’ on Up.”
The Oscar and Grammy winner wasn’t previously announced as part of the star-studded lineup on ABC’s Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons.’
Viewers were let in on the secret, when host Jimmy Kimmel introduced Hudson and she strutted on stage, sang and danced around the set.
.@IAMJHUD brought the house down! #TheJeffersons #LiveInFrontOfAStudioAudience pic.twitter.com/6Bxz8cJYjQ
— ABC (@ABCNetwork) May 23, 2019
The live episode of The Jeffersons starred Jamie Foxx and Wanda Skyes as George and Louise Jefferson. It aired right after a live performance of All in the Family.
The primetime special included one episode of each show, with original scripts from the hit 1970s series.
At the start of All in the Family, Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei wowed fans with a performance of that show’s theme song, “Those Were the Days.”
Read More: Marla Gibbs Makes Surprise Appearance on ABC’s ‘The Jeffersons’ Remake
Foxx and Tomei, who played Edith Bunker, drew rave reviews from fans on Twitter, who complimented their acting, singing and comedic timing. At one point, Foxx flubbed his lines, but quickly turned the snafu into a funny moment and kept going.
Norman Lear, who created both iconic sitcoms, co-hosted and executive produced along with Kimmel.
