Hollywood actress Jennifer Hudson is to play Nelson Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie, in a film about her life, reports say.

好莱坞女演员詹妮弗·哈德森将要在一部电影中扮演纳尔逊·曼德拉的前妻Winnie，该剧主要讲述Winnie的生平事迹。

Ms Madikizela-Mandela is still known as the "mother of the nation"

Variety magazine reported Hudson was thrilled about the role and has described Ms Madikizela-Mandela as a "powerful and extraordinary woman".

Ms Madikizela-Mandela played a vital role in freeing her husband after 27 years in jail but has since been linked to a murder and convicted of fraud.

South African film-maker Darrell Roodt will direct the film.

His work also includes world-renowned（有名的，有声誉的） films Cry, The Beloved Country and Sarafina.

Hudson is the second international actor set to play a South African icon¹ in recent months.

Hollywood is also preparing to release Invictus, a Clint Eastwood film about Mr Mandela in which US actor Morgan Freeman will play South Africa's first black president.

Nelson Mandela and Ms Madikizela-Mandela were divorced in 1996 just four years after his release from Robben Island.

Her role in the release of her ex-husband is celebrated² by many South Africans and she is still known as the "mother of the nation" but she is no stranger to controversy（争议，争论）.

She was implicated³ in（牵连） the kidnap（绑架，拐骗） and murder of young activist⁴ Stompie Seipei, who was believed to be an informer for the apartheid（种族隔离） government - although she has always denied the charges.

She was convicted of theft and fraud in 2003.