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ERNIE HUDSON IS redefining what aging looks like, bucking trends so powerfully that the computer programs people use to recreate reality can’t begin to envision what he actually looks like.
When fans congratulated the Ghostbusters actor as he neared his 80th birthday, Hudson took notice of a particular photo posted as a tribute. The image stuck out because the man in the photo looked nothing like Hudson does in real life—that person appeared to be about 50 pounds heavier, with heavy age lines in his face. Apparently when you ask AI what an 80-year-old Ernie Hudson looks like, it can’t fathom how fit the man actually looks like IRL.
“It was just awful,” Hudson recalls in the latest episode of MH‘s Strong Talk, filmed just before his 80th birthday. “I was surprised, but it’s nice to know people are thinking of me at least.”
The people are thinking about Hudson. The actor was photographed a few years ago in a fitted black tee, and his fans had a hard time believing he was actually 78 years old at the time. Some commented that there needs to be an investigation on exactly why Ernie Hudson has barely visibly aged in 40 years—even though he has been a constant fixture onscreen since the 1970s.
That’s exactly what MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and exercise physiologist and strength coach Dr. Pat Davidson did in the latest Strong Talk episode. There, Hudson speaks about the challenges of aging, what he does every day to stay in shape, and his thoughts on protein and bodybuilding.
First, Hudson wants to set the record straight. Lots of people online have come up with some creative ideas to explain his age-defying looks. But no—he doesn’t eat anything special to keep him young. No, he hasn’t spent money on a secret longevity hack. Hudson instead has focused on what he doesn’t want to see. He knows aging is inevitable, but there are aspects he can control, like his weight. Hudson has prioritized not letting his weight get too out of control and preventing his muscle from wasting away.
He has five activities he does to keep his body in shape. He’ll do three sets of pushups daily followed by bodyweight squats. Then he’ll do a plank and some type of abdominal exercise, like a leg lift. Every session then ends with a general stretch. According to Hudson, a perk of this exercise regimen is he can do it anywhere whether it’s the gym or in a hotel room.
“You don’t need to get crazy with things, and you don’t need to. It really is about the basics and kind of doing a lot of what your mom says, like eat vegetables,” Hudson explains. Walking is also a huge priority for the actor. He doesn’t get 10,000 steps every day, but he tries to hit the pavement wherever he is to keep the blood pumping in his legs.
“It’s interesting because you’ve managed to get to this age, stay in shape, stay really functional, stay really able to move,” Ebenezer observes. “It’s been less about strength training and rather discipline and more about staying active.”
But Hudson hasn’t completely ruled out strength training. He just doesn’t lift heavy as someone younger than him would. Instead, Hudson prioritizes a larger number of repetitions—and a personal trainer to push him through it. “I don’t want to get any bigger,” he says. “I’m not trying to be whatever, but I also don’t want my muscles to atrophy.”
Want more deep-dive fitness wisdom from Samuel and other celebs and experts who’ve been on our Strong Talk podcast? Check out all our episodes here.
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