Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson and rising singer Rita Ora are slated to appear as guest stars this season on the smash hit TV series "Empire."

According to E! Online, both stars are expected to play themselves and were even almost joined on the show by Iggy Azalea before early talks apparently fizzled.

The Fox network aired drama series created by Lee Daniels stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson and chronicles the life and times of a family that owns a hip hop record label.

E! reports the show appears to be growing in popularity each week, with ratings now averaging more than 10 million viewers each episode. The show also has a 4.1 rating within the coveted 18-49 year-old demographic.

Until recently, the son of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, Quincy, was also rumoredly set to appear on the show before a dispute between his father and show creators over his proposed contract reached an impasse.

The 33-year-old Hudson has also starred in such productions as "Dream Girls," Sex in The City," "The Secret Life of Bees," and "Winnie Mandela." A 2008 Grammy Award winner, Hudson has also recorded such hits as "Spotlight, "Where You At," "If This Isn't Love" and "Giving Myself."

The 24-year-old British-born Ora is set to star as Christian Grey in the upcoming film "Fifty Shades of Grey." She also previously starred in a guest appearance role on "90210." Ora also emerged as one of the U.K.'s top selling artist in 2012, registering three consecutive singles in the top position. Ora also collaborated with Azalea in 2014 to produce the hit single "Black Widow."

"Empire's" list of other first-season guest stars include Gladys Knight, Courtney Love, Snoop Dogg, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Judd Nelson.

The show airs Wednesdays on the Fox Network at 9 p.m.

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