American actor Ernie Hudson is hands down an accomplished fixture in the entertainment industry. Altogether, the star is best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters franchise. Before he got into acting, the star joined the United States Marine Corps right after he finished high school. However, he was discharged early because of asthma.
At that point, he took several steps toward building an acting career. Some of his earliest roles came in the movies Penitentiary II and Underground Aces. He also had guest roles on popular TV shows like The Dukes of Hazzard and The A-Team. With that in mind, here are a few interesting facts about the star.
1. Ernie Hudson Played Football
Back during his college days, Hudson was quite into football. While he attended Western Michigan University, he played as a defensive lineman for their team, The Broncos. Once he was done with college, he had a brief stint as a semi-professional football for the Tri-City Apollos. However, his football career was cut short due to a knee injury.
2. He’s Worth $6 Million
Hudson is no rookie in the industry, and he has appeared in countless films and TV shows since he started acting in 1973. Even more, he’s often commended for his versatility and dependability when it involves his onscreen roles. As a result, the star has millions of social media followers, which has undoubtedly earned him a sizable fortune. More precisely, his net worth is currently $6 million.
3. The Actor Has Beaten Cancer Twice
Ernie Hudson has had his fair share of challenges in his life. But one thing is for sure, he’s come out on top. The star opened up about his battle with cancer and how he overcame, not once, but twice. Hudson was lucky to detect it in its early stages.
The first time he was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 1998. Then in 2011, he had rectal cancer. However, he braved the fight and came out healthy on the other end. He’s grateful to his wife, Linda Kingsberg, for standing by him.
4. He Wasn’t Well Compensated For His Role In Ghostbusters
It’s no secret that Ghostbusters was very well-received. In fact, it earned $282.2 million when it was first released in theaters. This makes it the highest-grossing comedy ever. Despite all this success (and more) Hudson was not well compensated for the part he played.
The star has been vocal that his costars were paid much more than him. While he was thrilled to be slumming it with Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver, he stated that the movie demanded more than he was offered. He said the situation would have been different if his agent had his best interest at heart.
5. Ernie Hudson Has Appeared In Over 200 Films & TV Shows
As someone who started his career in 1973, it makes sense that the star has been in over 200 productions in his day. In any crowd, that’s an incredible number. Some of his early films include Two of a Kind, The Human Tornado, and Going Berserk. He started working on the Ghostbusters film series in 1984 and was eventually featured in its installments.
More recently, the star began working on the HBO series Oz in 1997 and remained there through 2003. Hudson also appeared in a handful of popular programs such as Desperate Housewives, Law & Order, Grace and Frankie, and Franklin & Bash. Bottom line, the star has been around for some time, and he has the extensive filmography to prove it.
6. The Actor Has Been Married Twice
Marriages come and go in Hollywood, and that’s also the case with Ernie Hudson. The star has been married twice now, the first time was in 1963. He tied the knot with Jeannie Moore when she was 16, and he was 18. Together, they had two sons: Ernie Hudson Jr. and Rahaman Hudson.
Unfortunately, in 1976, that marriage went down the drain, and Hudson moved to California with his sons. Nine years down the line, the star got married again. This time to former flight attendant Linda Kingsberg, the couple have two sons together.
7. He Received Formal Training for Acting
Hudson was so bent on having an onscreen career that he received formal training for acting. To hone his acting and writing abilities, he registered at Wayne State University. He later registered at Yale School of Drama, where he ultimately received his degree. Needless to say, he built an impressive career with all the skills he’d garnered during that time.