In this exclusive interview, the acting veteran told IESB how he discovered his love for acting, and what keeps him interested in the craft, over 40 years later.

IESB: Why did you initially want to become an actor, and what made you decide to make a career out of it?

Ernie: As a kid, I would do church plays and plays in school, but I really didn't even consider acting as a possible career. I'm from the Midwest, from a very poor town in Michigan, called Benton Harbor, where the unemployment is really bad. I never knew anybody who was an actor. Hollywood was some far, far away place, so it was not something that I entertained.

I moved to Detroit and, by then, I had married and had a kid. I married really young and my son was born when I was 19, so we were trying to make things work. I tried a variety of jobs and, even though I was confident at most things, I never felt like I was really good at them. There was always that feeling that they were going to find out that I was not really as good as they thought I was, and I didn't like feeling like that. It wasn't until I got to college and took an acting class, and then did a play on stage, that I really felt at home. I felt like, "Wow, I can do this, and I'm good at it." And, I didn't have that sinking feeling that somebody was going to discover and fire me, at any time. I felt like I belonged.

IESB: Do you think it was beneficial for you that you didn't discover it until you were a little older?

Ernie: If I had wanted to be an actor as a kid, and naturally went into it that way, it would have been more difficult because then I would always be entertaining the idea that I could do something else. But, by the time I really discovered acting, it was like, "This is it for me. I don't know anything else that I would really feel comfortable at." I like to think there's some other things I could do, but it would always be a compromise.

I also understood the peaks and valleys of acting. There are times when you're working, and there are a lot of times when you're not, but it's never not a part of you. So, if somebody says, "I'm going to give up acting and go do something else," I go, "How do you give up who you are?" I don't relate to it that way. It's what I do, and I'll probably do it until I die. Sometimes you do it and you get paid a lot of money, and sometimes you do it and you don't get paid at all, but you have to do it because that's what you do. But, I realize that not everybody feels that way.

IESB: Then, what did it feel like to discover acting was your calling?

Ernie: Acting, for me, was this enormous discovery and relief that there was a place that I fit. And, actors and people in the arts are a strange band of gypsies. Actors are usually the ones who were kicked out of the family, or the family never understood. It's these people who have the need to do this. I feel like that's my family. It's who I am, and it's what I do.

I wish acting was something like music because, if I was a singer, I could just take my guitar and sing at the local coffee shop and create my own venue. But, with acting, you really need someone to hire you. It's being a storyteller, but you're part of a story, so we really need producers, directors and the venue to tell it in.

IESB: Coming from where you did, with no family members in the business to look to for guidance, could you ever have imagined that you'd still have such a successful acting career, so many years later?

Ernie: When it's something that you come into and go, "Woah, this is it," I knew that I would be doing it. What I didn't know was that I'd be doing it in Hollywood and, sometimes, getting paid good money. I knew that, one way or the other, I would figure out a way to make a living and feed my family, so there was never really a doubt about that.

I got married really young and I had an argument with my then-wife. I got angry, jumped in the car and was just driving around to keep from going home. I drove down the street and there was this marquee out front, and these people were lined up. It didn't look like a movie theater, so I wasn't sure what they were doing. I was curious, so I parked the car and got out, and they said that it was a play, and I had never really seen a professional play. So, I got in line and went in and saw this play, that I don't even remember the name of. The curtain came up and it blew me away. It was amazing. I remember sitting there thinking, "Oh, my God!" It was just too big to even ask for. To be able to do that would just be incredible. So, my wish, when I finally got into college and really started acting, was just, "Let me make a living. Let me figure out a way to do this." Now, I realize that, when you say those prayers and ask for those things, you should ask for the money as well. But, I knew that, one way or the other, I would always find a way to act somewhere. It might have been community theater or wherever, but I knew that I would always be an actor.

IESB: Was it difficult to support a family while struggling to establish yourself as an actor?

Ernie: I had the responsibility of my family, which is probably why I've been able to sustain doing this for as long as I have. My oldest son was born when I was really a kid myself. I have four sons now, and the youngest, who's 20, is in college now. But, I've always had the responsibility of someone else. When my first marriage ended, the kids were really small and they came with me, so not only did I have to sustain as an actor, but I had to make sure that my kids didn't really suffer for anything. It was very important to me that I do it through acting. I couldn't do it part-time. I believe that, if I truly commit to something, then it automatically commits to me.

One way or the other, I knew we'd get by, if I really went to the altar of this thing, and we always have. Once I committed to acting, that's been it for me. It's been 40-plus years, and I've always found a way to sustain myself. There were some years that were better than other years, but I haven't had to be a waiter, or go and do something else. I think that, because I had the responsibility of my kids, it forced me to step up.

The downside is that, if I had dealt with things in a more deliberate way, and played it to be a star, it would have been different. But, because I had my children, I just wanted to work. If I got a job and it paid the rent for that month and provided enough money for school clothes, I took the job and didn't really think about it. I also realized that, even though I wanted a lot of the leading parts, it was the character stuff that would continue my career. It was about whatever it took to mold myself into the character, as opposed to saying, "No, this is who I am," and then make the character fit me. That's what I had to step up to. And, I think it made me a certain kind of actor.

IESB: But, isn't it better to have a long, steady career, then a successful one that doesn't last?

Ernie: I have a few friends who went on to make huge amounts of money, but I also realize that they were very deliberate about certain things, and I didn't feel like I had the luxury of doing that. Maybe if I had been single, and then I could sacrifice and not work for a year, to wait for that right role, things would have been different. But, when you're looking at a 7-year-old kid and he wants a bicycle, you take the job because that's what dads do. That's been my approach. It was me and my two sons, and I had to be home, every night. I didn't have somebody that I could just turn them over to. But, I think it was the best thing that probably ever happened to me, just as a person.

IESB: How did you get involved with Heroes?

Ernie: I had never really been a huge fan of the show, only in the sense that I've never really watched the show. I think I've seen parts of it. I thought it was interesting and it reminded me, in some ways, of The X-Men. My wife and my youngest son are fans of the show, and I thought the idea of the whole thing with people getting powers was interesting. So, they called, but they're never really clear on these series, about what exactly you'll be doing, other than saying, "We'd like you to come and be on the show." I said, "Wow, yeah. I wonder what my power is going to be, or who I get to work with."

IESB: What was the appeal of that project and character then, if they let you know so little?

Ernie: I didn't even see a script for Heroes, so I didn't know what I was going to do, except that I would be a detective. I did it because it was Heroes, so I knew it had to be fun. At this stage of my career, probably the most important thing for me now is to have fun and do characters that I either haven't done or that are a little different take. I want to enjoy what I do.

When you've been acting for a long time, the biggest trap that you can fall into is to give in to disappointment. Whether we say it or not, we all want to be the big, multi-millionaire guy making $20 million. And then, when life goes the way it goes and you get that disappointment, anger comes. I've seen so many friends leave the business really disappointed and angry, or who do something that they hate. To be on a series that you don't like, and not like the part that you're playing, but you feel you have to be there, would be a nightmare for me. So, I just really make sure that I'm going to enjoy whatever it is that I'm doing, or I don't do it.

Desperate Housewives was the same thing. I was like, "I wonder which lady I'm going to get to sleep with?," but it was none of that, which was disappointing. People ask me, "Are you going to do more Desperate Housewives episodes?," and I say, "Not really, but I don't really want to." There's a character that is the lone, invisible guy, and it's very important to me that I don't become that guy. He's the lone guy because you don't know anything about him, except that he's a certain type. I don't want to be that guy who's in the story, but he doesn't have a relationship and you don't know who he is. For me now, unless the character is somehow connected, then I'd rather not do the role. There's a humanity that's very important to me, that's a part of whatever I do because it's a part of all of us. I want to be able to show that, on some level, and not lose that.

IESB: Do you enjoy doing roles that are more physical, instead of just being more of an observer?

Ernie: Yeah. Heroes was a physical role, and he's very active and there, but I wanted to find a way to get into him. These things happen to him, and then you go, "What is he going to do? How does this affect everything else going on with him?" He's a guy who is very determined and driven. He's an interesting man, who I would actually like to know more about. I filled in the backstory for myself, but I don't know if my story matches what their story for him is. I started out acting, but writing was something I did, and a lot of times writers don't fill in the spaces because they're trying to move a story along.

IESB: Will you return to the show at all?

Ernie: I agreed to do three episodes, so I've done three. Whether they'll do something else with the character, I'm not really clear. Even with me being on the show, I have to call up and say, "Guys, I'm shooting tomorrow. I need to know what I'm doing." But, Desperate Housewives was the same way.

A number of shows are really secretive about their plots. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I've already done what they asked me to do. I'm available and it would be fun, but unless it's something that really is interesting, I'd rather not do it.

IESB: How was the experience of working with this cast?

Ernie: My character is connected to Sylar (Zachary Quinto), or who we think is Sylar, but may not be Sylar. He's involved with that whole carnival thing. We'll see what happens. It could go beyond that, but so far it hasn't happened. Zach was great, and a lot of fun to work with.

IESB: There's been talk , in the past, about problems with the actors being able to keep things straight because they would film as many as three episodes at once, and they've since scaled a lot of that back due to the budget. What was your experience on the show like?

Ernie: It's a great crew. A lot of times, you get on a show and nobody is happy and the show is really uncertain, but I didn't get that. It was a very committed crew and everybody was very there. And, they really make you welcome and make you a part of it. When Tim Kring came to me and welcomed me to the show, he said, "We're gonna have a lot of fun," so I assumed that meant the possibilities were still out there. It was a great show. I've done a lot of different episodes on various shows, but I would say this was probably the most enjoyable.

IESB: What can you say about Smokin' Aces 2: Blowback? Who do you play in that?

Ernie: I was doing a play on Broadway, and you only have one day off, which is Monday, because you have eight shows a week. The part that they had originally wanted me to play, I couldn't do. I was up for the movie and they didn't respond, so I went to New York to do this play. But, they said, "No, we really want you," so I'm this guy who is the head of everything. He comes in and puts things in perspective.

I haven't seen it, but it was a good script. Everybody was very, very cool. I went in for one day and tried to get as much stuff done as we could. A lot was riding on the character being able to pull all the pieces together, which can sometimes be a bit of a problem. But, hopefully, it's a good movie. I didn't go up and work on it for three months, so I don't really know. The first one was great. The problem is that sometimes they'll do a great movie, like the first one, which I totally enjoyed, and then the second one [doesn't live up to that]. I always assume that, if you're making a sequel, that means you made money, so now you really have money to make a great movie, as opposed to doing it on a lesser budget. The first one was a really strong, star-driven piece, and this one is more story-driven, without the name actors. I'll have to wait and see how it ends up.

IESB: When you hear all the rumors about the possibility of a Ghostbusters 3 for all these years, is that something you hope will eventually happen, or have you just become indifferent about it because you've been waiting for so long?

Ernie: We did the first Ghostbusters, and that was really trying for me, in a lot of ways. I worked really hard on the movie for four months, and then the movie came out and was very successful, but work didn't necessarily come for me, as a result of it. And then, it took five years to get the second one ready, and that was a challenge, too. Now, it's been 20 years since the second one.

I knew Bill Murray really loved the franchise, but he was the hold-out. The discussion with him has always been that he really wants to do something exceptional. We tapped into something that was really creative and different with the first one, so you want to be able to bring that challenge to it. The whole economic thing becomes an excuse to do nothing, so the tendency with studios is, "Okay, let's just do something." And then, because we have the audience out there, even if we do something bad, by the time they realize it's bad, we'll have made the money. But, I know that's not what Bill Murray wants to do, and that's certainly not something I want to do.

It's a real catch-22 because you really would love to do another one, since the fans have been asking for it, but you also want to be able to stand by the work that you do. I'm really happy to have been a part of the movie. A lot of actors work for years and never find [something that special]. Ghostbusters is nice to have in my filmography. Wherever I go, people have seen the movie and love it, so that's really nice.

IESB: So, you'd be happy to return for another film, if they get a script together?

Ernie: I would love to do the movie, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that I'd love to get paid. So, when Bill Murray says, "I only want to do it if it's something really extraordinary that we can really commit to," it's a little bit different than my thing. I'm saying that I only want to do the movie for that reason, unless they pay me a lot of money. I'm probably more conscious of that. But, the fans are there. Wherever I go, people are always asking about it. I think the studio wants to do it, but hopefully the script will be really good.

Harold Ramis is taking the lead in it, from what I've been reading. I hear about it like the fans do. I saw Harold at the opening of his film Year One in New York, so I know that he's been putting together a script that everyone will be happy with. I talked to Bill recently, and I know that Danny [Aykroyd] has been wanting to do it since the day we finished the second one. We're all up for it. It just has to be something we can be proud of and stand by. I'd love for it to happen. I think it would be very, very cool. But, it really needs to be something that makes sense. I don't want to just do a cameo. If we're going to do it, I want to be involved.

IESB: Did you enjoy returning to the character for the recent video game?

Ernie: I really was very happy with the game because the characters were very much there. My character was totally involved. It was a lot of fun to do the voice-over, and having all the guys back to do it was really cool. So, I'm hoping the movie happens, but I have not heard from Ivan Reitman or the studio, or anybody who signs checks. Until that happens, it's still just speculation. They also came out with a whole new series of toys. Wherever I travel, or when I was doing the play, people show up with the toys for me to sign.

IESB: There have been a lot of remakes happening lately, and one that has been talked about for a few years now is The Crow. How do you feel about something like that happening? Do you think that remaking that film honors the legacy of Brandon Lee, or do you think it's disrespectful to remake a film where something so tragic happened?

Ernie: We made the movie and it was a difficult movie. I don't know why, but there was just something about the shoot that was very difficult. We were shooting at night, in North Carolina, which should be a hot place, but it wasn't. It was the winter and it would really get cold at night. It was a hard shoot, and Brandon worked really, really hard on it. I'd known Brandon for some time, before we started to film, and I really liked him a lot. And then, when the accident happened, I didn't even want to go back and finish it. But, I talked to a couple of people and they were saying that we owed it to Brandon because he did work so hard on it, and the studio and producers came to me and said that they just wanted to finish it for Brandon. They even asked us not to take credit where we had contractually agreed to, so that they could put our credits after the movie, and we all said okay. It was all for Brandon that we got it out.

I'm really proud of the movie, and I'm really happy that Brandon got a chance to play a role that really shows what his talent was and what his potential was, but I thought we were done with it. And then, they came back with The Crow 2, and then The Crow 3 and 4. I know they felt there was money there, but I was very, very disappointed. They even tried a television series.

IESB: So, you wouldn't want any part of it, if they asked you to be involved?

Ernie: For me, the film was in honor of Brandon, and I have no interest in revisiting that. It's hard to say to a producer or studio that they shouldn't do this or that, so I just say that I have no interest in seeing that re-done. I think the first film stands on its own. I just don't see why you would want to do that. They do all these remakes, and they say it's because there's a built-in audience and they're going to make all this money, but they don't all make a lot of money, so maybe a little creativity and trying something new would be nice.

If they want to do it, more power to them. I don't think it should be done, and I don't have any interest in doing it or seeing it. There are other ways to make money. If they're so out of ideas that they want to just keep remaking things, then more power to them. I don't put anybody down for what they feel they need to do, but it's not something that I feel I need to do or see. I've never seen any of the other stuff. I know they've been out there, but I have no desire to see them.

There was something really tragic, special and powerful about that first film. I've seen the movie with my kids, and I think Brandon's performance just stands on its own. But, if they've made up their minds to do it, nothing I say will make a difference. If they came to me about doing it, I wouldn't do it. But then, in all honesty, if they came to me and offered me some huge amount of money, than I probably would do it. If you see me doing it, just know that I got paid a lot of money. But, I think they should just let it be.

IESB: Looking at just some of your more recent television appearances on shows such as Desperate Housewives, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Psych, you can see how you reach a very wide and varied fan base with your work. Are you ever surprised by who comes up to you and recognizes you for something that you've done?

Ernie: No. I couldn't afford to just do one thing or one genre, so as a result, I do have a wide fan base. The people who love The Hand that Rocks the Cradle are a little different from the people who love The Crow and are a little different from the people who love The Basketball Diaries. There are old people and young people. The fan base is very wide, and I'm thankful for that.

It's not anything that was planned. I had to take work that was there. But, I'm proud of that. When I was doing the play in New York, the theater was right near Times Square and, on the walk to the theater, all different types of people would come up to me along the way. I saw a guy recently who loved Leviathan. Now, with the way they play things on TV, people see stuff that they wouldn't have seen otherwise. I was in Florence, Italy and some people came up to me who had seen Penitentiary 2, which is not a movie that I'm particularly proud of, but it is what it is. I do the work, and I don't apologize for anything. But, it was a whole group and they were going on and on about how it was their favorite movie. That's nice. I like that, and I appreciate that people do share that. For the most part, people are very, very kind to me and very nice.

IESB: Is there anything that you'd still like to do, in your career, that you haven't gotten the chance to do yet?

Ernie: I'm seen as an upscale, blue collar guy. I'm the guy that graduated from college, but went to night school. I'm the head of the CIA, who started on foot patrol. For me, being an average guy is fascinating. Some people see the average guy as not particularly interesting, and they want to be the extraordinary guy. But, a story about a guy and his family, and coming to terms with things, and life and relationship stuff, is the stuff that really interests me. A guy who comes in and is dynamic [isn't as interesting].

With a lot of the stuff I've done, I wouldn't say I'm the hero, but I'm the guy who comes in and saves the day. In The Cowboy Way, when the guys would get in trouble, I'd ride in on a horse, do something and then disappear again. I'm trying to find those stories where I can get to be normal, but a lot of it has to do with perception. I don't know what people see me as, but I assume when people see me, because of my size or the tone of my voice, they see something [different than I do]. I always see myself as a Tom Hanks guy, who's the guy-next-door, and then I realize that most people didn't grow up with a guy like me next door. But, I've always seen myself that way. Once an actor locks into his own image, it's very hard to break out of that. I don't have any image that I love so much that I try to protect it.

IESB: Are you hoping to develop any of your own writing material?

Ernie: I want to. It's about stories, and I've spent most of my life looking for those ways to express what I do, or hoping that somebody would bring it to me. I was hoping that somebody in Hollywood would have a light go off and go, "Hey, why don't we get Ernie Hudson?" And then, you realize that maybe you need to tell those stories.

I would love to see some of my ideas. When I work on a film, I'm helping someone else realize his vision, but I also have a vision and a perspective that I'd love to see. That's what I'm doing now. Whether anything will ever get produced, we'll see, but that's what I'm doing, until they do the third Ghostbusters.

With actors, we have a lot of downtime, and most of that time is spent trying to find work., but I'm trying now to turn my attention to the writing and developing, and being passionate about my own stories. So, until the phone rings and there's something interesting to do, that's where I'll be.

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