

Later, he studied toward a Master of Fine Arts in acting at Yale School of Drama, but left after a year to appear in Leadbelly. He was briefly in a doctoral program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities before leaving to appear in a stage production of The Great White Hope.

He established the Actors' Ensemble Theatre where he and other talented young black writers directed and appeared in their own works.

He enrolled at Wayne State University to further develop his writing and acting skills, graduating in 1973. Having moved to Detroit, he became the resident playwright at Concept East, the oldest black theater company in the United States. Hudson joined the United States Marine Corps immediately after high school, but was discharged after only three months on medical grounds due to asthma. He was subsequently raised by his maternal grandmother, Arrana Donald. His mother, Maggie Donald, died of tuberculosis when he was two months old. Hudson was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He had a cameo as Patty Tolan's uncle in the remake of Ghostbusters (2016), and reprised his role as Winston in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). Hudson has also appeared in the television shows St. On television, his most prominent role was Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz (1997–2003). 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).

He is best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters. Earnest Lee Hudson (born December 17, 1945) is an American actor.
