Ghostbusters will turn 40 next year. While this brought joy to fans of the franchise, Ernie Hudson, one of the original Ghostbusters, had mixed feelings. Via IndieWire, Hudson recently appeared in Howard Stern's final show and noted that Winston Zedemaar was not included in the film's theatrical release. But that is just one of the reasons why he was left out of the film's marketing campaign.
"The studio wasn't [inclusive] and the studio still isn't," Hudson said. "So it was very, very difficult because I was a part of it, but then I was very selectively put out."
"I wasn't on the poster when they came out," recalls Hudson. "It took a long time. I was at the 30th anniversary release of the film and all the posters were three people [Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykride]. Now I know the fans see it differently and I'm so grateful for that . fans, because most fans identify with Winston – especially the younger, I wouldn't say minority kids, but a lot of kids."
However, the bigger issue for Hudson was that Winston's role in the film was significantly reduced from the original script prior to release.
"In the original script, Winston was at the start of the film," recalls Hudson. “When we were ready to shoot the film, Winston appeared in the middle of the film. All of this… It seems to be done on purpose.”
"I'm still not trying to get offended," Hudson continued. “Something bad, if you are an African American in this country, something bad happens to you, you can always blame black people. You don't want to go there. This is the last thing I want to do. I can't say anything bad about anyone, but it's hard. It took me 10 years to get over it, enjoy the film and accept it. It's really hard to come to terms with Ghostbusters ."
Hudson reprises his role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife , where Winston is reimagined as a successful businessman who takes responsibility for keeping the team's legacy alive. During an interview with Stern, Hudson suggested he was still in talks to return for his next film.
"We are still in talks about the new film, which will start shooting in March," Hudson said. "I'm telling you, guys, there's a place... I'm not a superstructure. So if I'm going to do it, it has to make sense."
Without further ado, the sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife hits theaters on December 20.
What do you think of Ernie Hudson's comments? Let us know in the comments below!
Recommended Reading: Tobin's Ghost Guide: The Official Ghostbusters Edition
We are members of the Amazon Services LLC affiliate program. This affiliate advertising program also allows you to earn commissions by placing links on Amazon.com and affiliate sites.