You know him best from Ghostbusters but actor Ernie Hudson has gone on to do many more projects in his lengthy career. His new film Gallows Road, is a Christian-themed movie that deals with the aftermath of a hate crime. It premieres at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, Texas this weekend. Hudson is the victim of the crime and he turns away from God after his loss.
“It deals with a lot of themes. It also deals with substance abuse and the impact of what happens when one family owns the entire community. It’s a powerful movie and it addresses some of the issues going on in this country,” Hudson says. “It’s a story of forgiveness and we all have our own idea about what that’s about. It’s about letting go and moving on and you can’t really do that until you recognize the oneness in everybody.”
Hudson plays a man trying to open a store in a small community and his efforts are met with virulent racism. His character must figure out how to reconcile his pain and loss with the concept of grace, no easy task. Hudson recently played Job in a TV One movie To Hell and Back so it seems as though he has no problem embracing positive themes in his work.
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“I think money was the [motivation],” Hudson says of his initial career choices. ” Not a whole lot has been offered. This is America and while it’s gotten more diverse in a lot of ways, it’s not a whole lot of jobs out there. A lot of the African-American parts are not played by African-Americans. It was about let me get a job and take care of my family. Now it’s gotta be something important to me and there’s got to be a reason to do it.”
Hudson, who grew up in a small town in Michigan, said he knew he wanted to be an actor from a young age, but though his dream was unreachable.
“It wasn’t until I got to college and discovered theater that I knew that was where I wanted to work and make my living and that’s when the dream came alive.”
And yes, while he’s done other things, he’s still well known as Winston in Ghostbusters.
“I don’t think I can be on the street every given day out shopping or having coffee whatever, when someone won’t call out ‘Who you gonna call’ or ‘That’s a big Twinkie.’ I just kind of act like I’ve never heard it before,” he laughs.
Hudson will be starring with Whoopi Goldberg on a new pilot, Delores and Frankie, where he plays Goldberg’s love interest.
“I’m finally at the age where I can play a love interest,” he says. “I’ve got all the grandmas now. I’m the love interest for the grandmas, but I’ll take it.”
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