Feb. 26, 2007 | 04:30 PM EST

Who Says Simon Can't Play Nice?

Who Says Simon Can't Play Nice? | Jennifer Hudson Photo by: Hahn-Khayat-Douliery / ABACA; GREG ALLEN / REX
Simon Cowell definitely wasn't in Jennifer Hudson's camp when she was on American Idol. But Hudson got quite a surprise from the cranky judge when E!'s Ryan Seacrest played her a special taped message for her during her stop on the Oscars red carpet. "I have a feeling you are going to win tonight. What you have done is literally extraordinary. None of us would have called it – apart from me," Cowell said. "I think you're going to win, and guess what? You deserve it. Love you. Lots of love." Cowell stopped short of apologizing and groveling, but Hudson was definitely pleased by his statement. Though she didn't seem all that convinced: "Is he alright?"

Of course, Simon was right on the money just a couple of hours later when the shocked Dreamgirls star became an Oscar winner.

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