Ernie Hudson, star of Ghostbusters, trains to feel good. Being attractive is only a bonus.
Being a major player in the Ghostbusters franchise from its inception in 1984, the actor was somewhat taken aback when his appearance at the premiere of the most recent sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, went viral online. Specifically, his massive biceps and his virile appearance, which gave the impression that he was a younger, newer cast member rather than an old guard member.
Given that this is the sixth Ghostbuster, it’s a little odd. He tells Men’s Health, “Those same arms have been there all the time for well over 50 years that I’ve been doing this.”
You’ve probably seen the pictures by now: Hudson walking the red carpet in jeans and a fitted black tee-shirt, biceps on show, looking buffer than many people expected at the age of 78.
“I was actually a little embarrassed with the T-shirt, but my jacket had a smudge on it,” he explains. “I wasn’t flexing or anything, I didn’t really think about it. But it’s nice to be noticed. It’s flattering in a lot of ways. But when the age thing comes up, it’s like, ‘oh we’re surprised you’re still alive!’ It would be nice if they said I was sexy and then say I’m 78.”
The actor, who has starred in a variety of films, including Miss Congeniality, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Quantum Leap, and Oz, doesn’t seem to care much about preconceived notions or assumptions about what it means to be a man of a particular age. He has witnessed far too many people set boundaries for themselves and age too soon as a result of that mindset.
His words, “Their discipline changes,” “They believe they don’t have to shoulder as much responsibility or that they can say whatever they want and act like a jerk. They do less because they believe they need to do less physical labor. You have no purpose, and you wind up kind of devaluing yourself. However, I don’t think your age has anything to do with it. I may not be able to accomplish as much in the future since we are all growing older and our bodies aren’t made to endure, but there’s no need to hasten that process or use it as a justification for being careless or lazy.”
Hudson claims there are no absolutes in his life, despite the fact that you may think he is quite rigid and rigorous about his diet and level of fitness. He grew raised in an extremely pious society and would fast for days at a time while only drinking water. He no longer does that, but he has discovered that intermittent fasting fits very well with his natural eating patterns; he usually avoids eating anything before midday or after seven o’clock in the evening.
“We all have a little voice inside that reminds us who we are…maybe not so much as a voice as what I call a common sense factor,” he continues. “We may seek solutions, study literature, attend seminars, and seek advice from others. However, we know what to do if we are truly honest with ourselves. You should drink water, you know. You should consume fruits and veggies, you know. You are aware that eating fast food every day is bad.
In addition, he hasn’t had any alcohol in years due to an event that occurred when he was 19 and he woke up intoxicated. “I started throwing up because of the overpowering stench from the others who had been throwing up in that cell. I was unable to drink for years after that because the stench made me sick every time I visited. I wonder myself if I really need this. When I use marijuana, I become a bit paranoid—in fact, I get a lot paranoid—so I don’t experience any of that.