‘Ghostbusters’ star Ernie Hudson says he only pocketed $370 out of his first $10K Hollywood paycheck

Ernie Hudson is an American actor fondly known for his role in the “Ghostbusters” franchise as Winston Zeddemore. As per IMDb, over $297 million was made globally for the first “Ghostbusters” film, and over $215 million for “Ghostbusters II”. Also, the Hudson-starring “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” made $204 million.

Forty (40) years after “Ghostbusters,” Hudson has revealed a troubling trend in Hollywood regarding the pay black actors and actresses receive. For instance, Viola Davis was the only Black woman to make Forbes’ list of 2020’s top 10 highest-paid actresses.

According to the American Association of University Women’s “Black Women and the Pay Gap” research, Black women earned 64% of non-Hispanic White men’s wages in 2021. The survey also found larger salary discrepancies for Latinas and Native women due to racism and sexism.

While the pay gap in Hollywood disproportionately hits women, black male actors are not spared. And Hudson’s experience is evident. He told The Root in an interview that he was underpaid before his box office successes. According to him, he earned only $370 out of his first $10,000 Hollywood paycheck.

“[My] first big check was $10,000 for one day’s work,” Hudson shared in the interview. “I was behind on rent and I told my landlord that I was waiting for the check to come.”

He continued: “The check came and it went to my agent, my manager, then to my business manager,” he recalled. “And then, paid my publicist, and I got 370 bucks out of the $10,000 check. I didn’t do a whole lot with it. It wasn’t even enough to pay the rent.”

Hudson was asked in the same interview if he would mind a computerized replica of his likeness in 40 years. He said he thinks technology will be around for a while, including in entertainment.

“If I’m dead, sure. Use a digital [recreation] of my face. And if I’m alive but looking like I’m dead, use a digital [recreation],” Hudson said jokingly.

He explained that technology keeps going through rapid changes, adding that it is what is going to be the future.

“Technology has changed so much,” he went on. “They keep changing my phone, and just when I get used to something I don’t know how to use things. Technology is moving forward so fast, and whether we like it or not, I think that’s probably what the future is gonna be. And I’m sure I’ll be acting long after I’m gone.”