Ernie Hudson learned to “love and appreciate” ‘Ghostbusters’ more after returning for ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’.

The 77-year-old actor has previously spoken of how he felt sidelined when he played Winston Zeddemore in the 1984 film and its 1989 sequel but he has admitted reprising the role again for the 2021 movie gave him satisfaction.

Asked if returning for ‘Afterlife’ had changed his relationship to ‘Ghostbusters’, he told Total Film magazine: “I’ve always loved being part of it, but I really learned to love and appreciate the film.

“What parts were taken out or whatever – I just felt like it was a perfect little movie.

“Once we came back to it, [director] Jason Reitman especially, went above and beyond to let me know how much he appreciated the character. Fans always have.

“ ‘Ghostbusters’ has really been some part of my life every day for the past 40 years.’ ”

Ernie recalled feeling “turned upside down” following the success of the original ‘Ghostbusters’ and despite feeling excluded in some ways, such as being omitted from promotional posters, he insisted he never expected the “same treatment” as his co-stars.

He said:” It would not have taken much for Winston to have been more included.

“There were parts where I felt there was a deliberate attempt to not include him.

“And I had to process that.

“But these guys were stars. I wasn’t. I was hustling and trying to get a job, so I did not expect the same treatment.

“There are a lot of assumptions that if you’re in a major movie, your career will take off.

“None of that happened.

“So it was a period where I was sort of turned upside down.”

The ‘Champions’ actor has never “gotten bored” with acting so never felt the urge to step behind the camera.

He said: “I grew up in a little town in Michigan and the fact we had no money… I just felt that in order to accomplish anything, it was on me.

“But I also never felt like I had the option of not staying focused, it’s a career that has absolutely no guarantees.

“I have a lot of friends who are now in producing and directing who started out acting.

“They all reached a point where they got bored with acting. I’ve never gotten bored.”