Hudson's backup career was as tattoo artist

LOS ANGELES — As an Oscar and Grammy winner, Jennifer Hudson has a superstar career in the worlds of film and music – but she told Ellen DeGeneres on Thursday on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that she had a fallback during her high school days.

“My second choice was to be a tattoo artist because I also draw,” she said, adding that she doesn’t have any herself.

But before making it big on “American Idol,” the singer-actress was working at Burger King.

“When I was 17 years old, I worked at Burger King and I found that I was making more money singing one show,” she said. “$75 at the time. I thought it was a lot of money so I decided, ‘I’m quitting this Burger King,’ I’m going to make my living using my talents and gifts.”

When she’s not working, she said she and fiance David Otunga act like big kids.

“We like to ride bikes,” she said. “One thing I like to do is I put my dog in her little basket and put her on my back and then we ride the bike to the dog park.”