(CeleBuzz) - Today, Jennifer Hudson is an Oscar-winning actress, a successful solo artist and a sought after product ambassador. But in 2004, she was just a young Chicago girl looking for her big break on the third season of FOX’s American Idol.

For the last few seasons, Idol’s viewership has steadily declined. And while it’s still the most viewed singing competition on TV, the actress believes the show is past its prime. “Everything has its time,” she told Celebuzz at Hennessy VS’ event for her film, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete in Los Angeles. “I think it should just allow itself to go out on top...and gracefully.”

Hudson, 31, ultimately placed seventh on her season, but she still holds the show in high regard. “American Idol changed the face of television,” she says. “So, not everyone can say that. And, it’s always been a phenomenon. I’m proud to have come from American Idol, so I just say, go out on top.”