In 1984, the world met the Ghostbusters. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, three parapsychologists, were down on their luck. Joined by Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) and armed with unique gadgets and witty banter, they became an overnight sensation. While the movie was a huge hit, another story was unfolding behind the scenes.
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Bill Murray, known for his comedic genius and dedication to his craft, has always been a vocal advocate for his fellow actors. But even his unwavering support couldn’t shield Ernie Hudson from the harsh realities of Hollywood in the late 1980s.
Ernie Hudson Said Columbia Pictures Pushed Him Aside In Ghostbusters
Ernie Hudson played Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters and is the skeptical everyman who grounds the team, offering technical expertise and practicality. Despite initial doubt, he becomes a full-fledged Ghostbuster, remaining a key part of the franchise through films and even the animated series.
In an older interview on SiriusXM, Hudson talked about how he was “selectively pushed aside” by Columbia Pictures, the creators of the movie. For instance, Zeddemore was intended to be a part of the Ghostbusters team from the very beginning, but it was changed after Hudson was cast for the role.
“The studio wasn’t [inclusive], and the studio continued not to be,” Hudson said. “So it made it very, very difficult because I was a part of it but then I very selectively was pushed aside… The original script, Winston was in the very beginning of the movie. By the time we got ready to shoot the movie, Winston came in halfway through the movie. All those things… It definitely felt deliberate.”
“When the posters came out, I’m not on the poster. It took a long time. I went to the 30th anniversary release of the movie and all the posters are three guys. Now I know the fans see it differently, and I’m so thankful for the fans because the fans basically identified with Winston — especially young, I don’t want to say minority kids, but a lot of kids.”
Hudson believes that Columbia Pictures made deliberate changes to the script after he was cast for the role of Zeddemore. Despite playing a crucial role, Hudson was excluded from the movie poster. He said, “Had Eddie Murphy played the role that I played it would have he definitely would have been on the posters“.
Bill Murray Was A Huge Support For Ernie Hudson During Ghostbusters
While Bill Murray held the starring role in Ghostbusters, Ernie Hudson credits him with being a champion behind the scenes as well. In fact, Hudson says Murray insisted on Hudson being treated well, even refusing the role himself if Hudson wasn’t included.
“No matter what people say about Billy (Murray) From day one, he said, I have your back and he is the only one that said I won’t do it unless Ernie Hudson is in it.
Despite the support of Murray, Hudson did not have it very easy from Columbia Pictures. While he became a mainstay in Ghostbusters, the actor could not audition at Columbia for a long time. The studio wanted to send the message that while the movie was successful, Hudson wasn’t a part of it.
“What bothered me early on is Columbia that produced the movie, in addition to I felt not including me, they didn’t hire me anymore. I couldn’t audition at Columbia for a long time, and I think the message went out the movie was successful but he’s not really a part of it.”
Ghostbusters can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
