Ghostbusters is one of the most iconic film series of all time. Dominating cinema in the 80s, the series integrated itself into the very bones of popular culture at the time and has stuck around ever since. Now that a new era has begun for the movies, with Paul Rudd’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire releasing soon, one cannot help but look back at the original movies in nostalgia.
Ernie Hudson, who played the role of Winston Zeddemore, recently spoke out about his experience working in the franchise. It would seem that the actor had a horrible experience working on the films, something he was alone in. He revealed that the studio continuously tried to sideline him from the rest of the cast.
Ernie Hudson Was Sidelined In Ghostbusters
Recently, Ernie Hudson gave an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where he talked about his experience working on the Ghostbusters franchise. He exposed the behind-the-scenes situation to not be as fantastical as many have thought for decades.
The actor revealed that when it came to the cast, he had some of the greatest times ever. Everyone got along and cared about each other. When it came to the studio that was making the film, however, the story was different.
“I was the guy who was brought in, and so finding my place in the middle of that — and they were all welcoming and inclusive,” the actor recalled of joining the cast. “The studio wasn’t, and the studio continued not to be. So it made it very, very difficult because I was a part of it, but then I very selectively was pushed aside.”
It would seem that Hudson had a very difficult time with the studio, as at every turn, they would try to not include him in the main cast of the movies. Winston Zeddemore was one of the four Ghostbusters, the protagonists of the movie.
Despite this, the promotional material of the movies, the posters, and the cover of the movie, often only had three of them, with Hudson being sidelined. While this did not create a rift between the cast, the actor would have certainly grown spiteful toward the unfairness of the bureaucracy.
Ghostbusters’ 30th-Anniversary Turned Ernie Hudson’s Humiliation Into A Spectacle
Ernie Hudson revealed that the treatment that he faced at the hands of the studio did not change in the years after, as at the thirty-year anniversary of the movie, he was still treated in the same manner. The actor revealed that the posters for the promotion of the reunion had only three of the characters yet again.
“It took a long time. I went to the 30th-anniversary release of the movie and all the posters are three guys,” he continued. “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.”
However, he is glad that the fans believe there to be four Ghostbusters and not three. He even spoke on this subject with The Guardian. There have been many who believe the reason for this behavior to be racism and many who believe the role almost went to Eddie Murphy.
“If I go to the racial side of it and blame that, it takes all my power away, because if I blame racism there’s nothing I can learn from it, and the message to my sons becomes really blurred.” He went on, “So what I have to do is say, maybe there are other reasons. But yeah, had I been as big a star as Eddie Murphy, I don’t think the part would have been cut.”
Hudson is against bringing racism into the conversation as he believes that it takes his power away from them. He even added that had the role been played by Murphy, he does not think Zeddemore would have been cut out.
