Ernie Hudson Talks ‘Prisoner’s Daughter,’ Passion For Fatherhood And Acting Career

Ernie Hudson stars in Prisoner’s Daughter as Hank, an old friend and confidante of just released ex-convict Max (Brian Cox) in Prisoner’s Daughter. Hudson’s career has been one of longevity and diversity, and during the interview he reflected on Congo, this movie, as well as his series work in The Family Business and Quantum Leap

Ernie Hudson was immediately “drawn” to the script of Prisoner’s Daughter which was penned by Mark Bacci. “I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of families,” said Hudson. “Especially fatherhood. I once said, I never knew i wanted to be an actor, but I always wanted to be a dad. I always wanted to try and do better than what wasn’t done for me. My grandmother raised me. So family, the family dynamic and how you nurture someone and help them have their best life.”

Hudson previously worked with Cox on the acclaimed TV series Oz over twenty years ago. Cox directed the Oz episode “Gray Matter.” “I knew him as a director (but got) to work with him as an actor (in Prisoner’s Daughter),” added Hudson. “He’s so wonderful obviously on Succession. And Kate Beckinsale I’ve never worked with. I think she’s stunning.”

I close the interview and ask him to name a few movies from his resume that he would recommnend. Congo and The Hand That Rocks The Cradle come up. I started work as an entertainment journalist/reviewer back in 1991, so those movies I actually covered way back when. His third pick, Everything’s Jake, absolutely escapes me. He’s the lead in that movie, and I am definitely seeing that film (check Just Watch for streaming details).

There is a moment of honesty between Cox and Hudson’s characters in Prisoner’s Daughter that truly resonated, and there are several standout sequences that make Prisoner’s Daughter a worthy watch. It’s now out in theaters, and let me know if you see the movie!

Full interview with Erne Hudson is below in Video and on my Find Your Film podcast: