Acting · Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA · Born December 17, 1945
Earnest Lee Hudson (born December 17, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters franchise. Hudson has also acted in the films Leviathan (1989), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Crow (1994), Airheads (1994), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Congo (1995), Miss Congeniality (2000), and The Ron Clark Story (2006). His most prominent role on television was Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz (1997–2003). Hudson has also appeared in the television shows St. Elsewhere (1984), The Last Precinct (1986), 10-8: Officers on Duty (2003–2004), Desperate Housewives (2006–2007), The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013), Law & Order (2009–2010), the voice of Agent Bill Fowler in Transformers: Prime (2010–2013), Franklin & Bash (2012–2014), Grace and Frankie (2015–2020), and L.A.'s Finest (2019–2020). From 2022 to 2024, Hudson appeared as Herbert "Magic" Williams on the NBC drama Quantum Leap.
MovieToy Story 5
2026
as Combat Carl (voice)
TVBoston Blue
2025
as Rev. Edwin Peters
MovieJohn Candy: I Like Me
2025
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
MovieFEEL
2025
as Sitter 10
TVAngry Birds Mystery Island
2024
as Marlon (voice)
MovieGhostbusters: Frozen Empire
2024
as Winston Zeddemore
MovieThe Retirement Plan
2023
as Joseph
MoviePrisoner's Daughter
2023
as Hank
MovieDarrin's Dance Grooves: The Untold Darrin Henson Story
2023
as Self (voiceover)
MovieChampions
2023
as Coach Phil Peretti
TVQuantum Leap
2022
as Herbert 'Magic' Williams
TVSherri
2022
as Self - Guest
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self
MovieIn Search of Tomorrow
2022
as Self - Interviewee
MovieBeebo Saves Christmas
2021
as Santa Claus (voice)
MovieGhostbusters: Afterlife
2021
as Winston Zeddemore
TVStar Wars: The Bad Batch
2021
as Grini Millegi (voice)
MovieRedemption Day
2021
as Ed Paxton
TVHome Movie: The Princess Bride
2020
as Prince Humperdinck
TVReunited Apart
2020
as Self
MovieCleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters
2020
as Self
MovieAdventure Force 5
2019
as Dr. Lawrence Abel
TVThe Movies That Made Us
2019
as Winston Zeddemore (archive footage)
TVThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
TVInfinity Train
2019
as Atticus (voice)
TVCity on a Hill
2019
as Franklin Ward
TVL.A.'s Finest
2019
as Joseph Vaughn
TVThe Masked Singer
2019
as Self - Special Guest
TVCarl Weber's The Family Business
2018
as L.C. Duncan
MovieNappily Ever After
2018
as Richard Jones
MovieHigh & Outside: A Baseball Noir
2018
as Sanzone
TVSteve
2017
as Self
TVAPB
2017
as Ned Conrad
MovieHeaven Sent
2016
as Donatello
MovieInfinity Train
2016
as Atticus (voice)
TVGraves
2016
as Jacob Mann
TVMacGyver
2016
as Milton Bozer
TVLethal Weapon
2016
as Hank Peterson
MovieSpaceman
2016
as Joe
MovieGhostbusters
2016
as Uncle Bill
MovieGhostheads
2016
as Self
MovieGod's Not Dead 2
2016
as Judge Stennis
MovieBatman: Bad Blood
2016
as Lucius Fox (voice)
TVAngie Tribeca
2016
as Pete Tribeca
MovieThe Man in the Silo
2016
as Marcus Wells
TVBallers
2015
as Mr. Hagerty
TVGrace and Frankie
2015
as Jacob
MovieGallows Road
2015
as Bob Collins
MovieHorror Icon: Inside Michael's Mask with Tony Moran
2015
as Self
MovieMerry Ex-Mas
2014
as Pastor Ed
MovieYou're Not You
2014
as John
MovieTouched
2014
as Dr. Beck
TVScorpion
2014
as Brooks
MovieTo Hell and Back
2014
as Joe
MovieThe Grim Sleeper
2014
as Detective Gerry Claymar
MovieShowing Up
2014
as Self
TVLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self - Guest
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
MovieThe Last Song
2014
as Guest
MovieDear Secret Santa
2013
as Pastor Avery
MovieDoonby
2013
as Leroy Jackson
TVThe Millers
2013
as Walter
TVIronside
2013
as Bludso
MovieTurning Point
2013
as Joe Johnson
MovieCall Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
as Percy
MovieBattledogs
2013
as Max Stevens
TVThe Last Leg
2013
as Self
MovieAmbush at Dark Canyon
2012
as Cyrus Parker
TVArrow
2012
as Roy Stewart
MovieDeer Crossing
2012
as Captain Bailey
TVGuys with Kids
2012
as The Judge
MovieBeverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!
2012
as Pedro (voice)
MovieThe Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy
2012
as Ivan Stumpwater
TVScandal
2012
as Commander Randolph Boles
TVComic Book Men
2012
as Self
TVKey & Peele
2012
as Dad
TVOnce Upon a Time
2011
as King Poseidon
TVHart of Dixie
2011
as Ernie Hayes
MovieUnderground Entertainment: The Movie
2011
as Ernie
TVFranklin & Bash
2011
as Judge Lawrence Perry
MovieDeep Blue Breath
2011
as Lord Vater (voice)
MovieGame of Death
2011
as Clarence
MovieBeverly Hills Chihuahua 2
2011
as Pedro
TVTransformers: Prime
2010
as Agent William Fowler (voice)
TVBlue Bloods
2010
as Darryl Ward
MovieStasis
2010
as Stranger
TVRizzoli & Isles
2010
as Admiral Frost
TVHot in Cleveland
2010
as Ernie Hudson
MovieMachete Joe
2010
as Sheriff Taylor
MovieSmokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
2010
as Anthony Vejar
TVWhite Collar
2009
as Mr. Jeffries
TVCelebrity Ghost Stories
2009
as Self
TVModern Family
2009
as Miles
TVMeteor
2009
as Gen. Brasser
MoviePastor Brown
2009
as Deacon Harold Todd
MovieDragonball Evolution
2009
as Master Mutaito
MovieFatal Secrets
2009
as Detective Carter
MovieLonely Street
2009
as Captain Morgan
TVChildrens Hospital
2008
as Hubert McGraw
TVThe Secret Life of the American Teenager
2008
as Dr. Ken Fields
MovieFinal Approach
2008
as Agent Lorenzo Dawson
TVPrivate Practice
2007
as Captain Frank
MovieAll Hat
2007
as Jackson Jones
MovieNobel Son
2007
as Bill Canega
TVTorchwood
2006
as Stuart Owens
TVHeroes
2006
as Captain Lubbock
MovieThe Ron Clark Story
2006
as Principal Turner
TVPsych
2006
as William Guster
MovieSnoop Dogg's Hood of Horror
2006
as Roscoe
MovieMarilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
2006
as Blake Rische
Halfway Decent
2005
as Tom
TVCriminal Minds
2005
as Lt. Al Garner
TVHow I Met Your Mother
2005
as Ernie Hudson
TVBones
2005
as David Barron
MovieFighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story
2005
as Perry Beasley
TVGrey's Anatomy
2005
as Brad McDougall
MovieMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
2005
as Harry McDonald
TVRobot Chicken
2005
as Detective Ernie / Judge Hudson Jr. / Justin's Dad (voice)
MovieLackawanna Blues
2005
as Dick Barrymore
MovieConfessions of an Action Star
2005
as Self / Commander
TVDesperate Housewives
2004
as Detective Ridley
MovieClifford's Really Big Movie
2004
as P.T. (voice)
TVCold Case
2003
as Moses Jones
TV10-8: Officers on Duty
2003
as Senior Deputy John Henry Barnes
TVLas Vegas
2003
as Bob Casey
MovieAnne B. Real
2003
as Principal
TVWithout a Trace
2002
as Manny Aybar
TVEverwood
2002
as Bill Hoover
MovieA Town Without Christmas
2001
as Ted
TVCrossing Jordan
2001
as Colonel Wirth
MovieWalking Shadow
2001
as Hawk
MovieMiss Congeniality
2000
as Harry McDonald
MoviePaper Bullets
2000
as Detective Ron Mills
MovieEverything's Jake
2000
as Jake
MovieThe Watcher
2000
as FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Ibby
MovieRed Letters
2000
as Detective Glen Teal
MovieNowhere to Land
2000
as Danny Gorlin
MovieA Stranger in the Kingdom
1999
as Rev. Walter Andrews
MovieShark Attack
1999
as Lawrence Rhodes
MovieInterceptors
1999
as Major
MovieHijack
1999
as Senator Douglas Wilson
MovieMichael Jordan: An American Hero
1999
MovieStealth Fighter
1999
as President Westwood
MovieOctober 22
1998
as Arthur
MovieButter
1998
as Curtis '8-Ball' Harris
MovieBest of the Best 4: Without Warning
1998
as Detective Gresko
MovieMr. Magoo
1997
as Agent CIA Gus Anders
MovieClover
1997
as Gaten Hill
TVThe View
1997
as Self
TVStargate SG-1
1997
as Pernaux
MovieFakin' Da Funk
1997
as Joe Lee
TVOz
1997
as Leo Glynn
MovieLevitation
1997
as Downbeat
MovieOperation Delta Force
1997
as Major Tipton
MovieThe Cherokee Kid
1996
as Nat Love aka Deadwood Dick
MovieJust Your Luck
1996
as Willie
TVSuperman: The Animated Series
1996
as Professor Felix (voice)
TVArli$$
1996
as Warden Leo Glynn
MovieFor Which He Stands
1996
as DEA Agent Baxter
MovieTornado!
1996
as Dr. Joe Branson
MovieThe Substitute
1996
as Claude Rolle
MovieCongo
1995
as Captain Monroe Kelly
MovieThe Basketball Diaries
1995
as Reggie
MovieSpeechless
1994
as Ventura
TVTouched by an Angel
1994
as Norm McCloud
TVER
1994
as James Gallant
MovieAirheads
1994
as Sergeant O'Malley
MovieThe Cowboy Way
1994
as Officer Sam 'Mad Dog' Shaw
MovieThe Crow
1994
as Albrecht
MovieNo Escape
1994
as Hawkins
MovieSugar Hill
1994
as Lolly Jonas
TVWild Palms
1993
as Tommy Lazlo
TVThe Ben Stiller Show
1992
TVAngel Street
1992
as Thurman Nickens
TVBatman: The Animated Series
1992
as Security Guard (voice)
MovieThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle
1992
as Solomon
TVBroken Badges
1990
as Toby Baker
TVCop Rock
1990
as Cmdr. Warren Osborne
TVLaw & Order
1990
as Frank Gibson
TVTwin Peaks
1990
as Colonel Davis
TVThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
1989
as Ernie Hudson
MovieGhostbusters II
1989
as Winston Zeddemore
TVTales from the Crypt
1989
as Zambini
MovieCollision Course
1989
as Shortcut
MovieLeviathan
1989
as Justin Jones
MovieTrapper County War
1989
as Jefferson Carter
MovieThe Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission
1988
as Joe Hamilton
MovieThe Wrong Guys
1988
as Dawson
MovieWeeds
1987
as Bagdad
TVFull House
1987
as Reggie "The Sandman" Martin
TVThe Last Precinct
1986
as Sergeant Lane
MovieThe Last Precinct
1986
as Night Train
MovieLove on the Run
1985
as Lamar
TVThe Insiders
1985
as Brewster
TVThe Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
1985
as Cyborg (voice)
MovieCalifornia Girls
1985
as Ernie
MovieOn the Scene with the Ghostbusters
1984
MovieJoy of Sex
1984
as Mr. Porter
MovieGhostbusters
1984
as Winston Zeddemore
MovieTwo of a Kind
1983
as Det. Skaggs
MovieWomen of San Quentin
1983
as Charles Wilson
MovieGoing Berserk
1983
as Muhammed Jerome Willy
TVWebster
1983
MovieSpacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
1983
as Washington
TVThe A-Team
1983
as Cal Freeman
TVThe New Odd Couple
1982
as Moses Brown
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Jerry Close
MoviePenitentiary II
1982
as Half Dead
MovieCrazy Times
1981
as Harold 'Jazzman' Malloy
MovieA Matter of Life and Death
1981
as Mr. Harrison
TVFlamingo Road
1981
MovieUnderground Aces
1981
as African General
MovieThe Jazz Singer
1980
as Heckler
TVBosom Buddies
1980
MovieThe Octagon
1980
as Quinine
MovieWhite Mama
1980
as Counsellor
MovieThe $5.20 an Hour Dream
1980
as Homer Burden
MovieSkag
1980
TVDetective School
1979
MovieThe Main Event
1979
as Killer
MovieJoni
1979
as Earl
Highcliffe Manor
1979
as Smythe
TVRoots: The Next Generations
1979
as Muslim at Door
TVThe White Shadow
1978
as Johnson
TVDiff'rent Strokes
1978
TVTaxi
1978
as Terry Carver
Last of the Good Guys
1978
as El Coliph
TVFantasy Island
1978
as Jamu
MovieMad Bull
1977
as Black Bart
TVThe Incredible Hulk
1977
as Lee
MovieMan from Atlantis IV: The Disappearances
1977
as Minion
MovieThe Human Tornado
1976
as Bo
MovieLeadbelly
1976
as Archie
TVLittle House on the Prairie
1974
as William Thomas
TVSuper Friends
1973
as Cyborg (voice)
MovieOswald: Down The Rabbit Hole
as Oswald Jebediah Coleman
MovieMr. Beebee
as Wayne Proctor
Deepest, Darkest
Famous
Sisters in Italy
Hal
Beautiful People
as Jack
