Ernie Hudson Says the Late Harold Ramis Is the 'Reason You Have Ghostbusters': ‘Everybody Trusted Harold’

There was a lot of magic on the set in 1984 Ghostbustersbut star Ernie Hudson thinks one person is responsible for much of it: Harold Ramis.

Speaking at Galaxy Con Columbus on Dec. 17 — which also happened to be Hudson’s 79th birthday — the actor, who played Winston Zeddemore in the film, reflected on why he thought Ramis was the secret sauce.

“I think you have a reason Ghostbusters is because of Harold Ramis,” he said. He praised director Ivan Reitman and his “absolutely brilliant” co-star Bill Murray, but explained: “Harold was a guy everyone respected enough to look beyond their own stuff.”

From left: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis in ‘Ghostbusters’ in 1984.

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy of Everett

When there were disagreements on set, Hudson said Ramis was “always the voice of reason.” He continued, “You know, he said something, everyone trusted Harold, so whenever things happened and people scattered, Harold was the one who brought everything back to the table.”

Ernie Hudson says ‘Ghostbusters’ is ‘hardest movie’ he’s ever made: ‘Hard to come to terms with’

Ramis, who died in 2014 aged 69, played Egon Spengler in both Ghostbusters and in the 1989s Ghostbusters II. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Dan Aykroyd, who played Ray Stantz.

“I think what I learned from Harold and what I’ve carried with me through my career is just how you carry yourself, how you deal with people,” Hudson reflected. It wasn’t just about keeping calm, he said, but about how to “hold on” and “live another day.”

“I’ve been doing this for 60 years — acting at some level, theater or whatever — but how do you sustain a career with people who aren’t necessarily balanced, who are probably tall, and I don’t know, because they’re just weird,” he said. “But how can I keep my sanity? How do I stop myself from going deep? I think Harold was the most perfect example of that you can find.”

From left: Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson in ‘Ghostbusters’ in 1984.

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy of Everett

Ghostbusters also starring Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, Rick Moranis as Louis Tully, Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz and William Atherton as Walter Peck.

Hudson reprized his role as Winston in Ghostbusters II as well as in 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire from 2024. Murray and Aykroyd also returned for the new films, and Potts and Weaver also had cameos. Hudson and some of the cast also appeared in 2016 Ghostbustersreboot exclusively for women.

They were all at the premiere of the film in 1984 Ghostbusters, Even Dolly Parton! Check out the Epic Throwback photos

When the 2024 installment was released, Hudson went viral thanks to his fit look on the red carpet, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. “It’s nice to be noticed. It’s been a bit of a surprise in the last few days,” he told PEOPLE in March.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I’ve always tried to be healthy,” he said. “My career was not focused on my physicality. The most important thing for me is just trying to maintain my health, just common sense things.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education