Djimon Hounsou hasn’t had a fairytale career in Hollywood.
Despite being a two-time Oscar-nominated actor who has appeared in blockbuster films, Hounsou, 60, recently revealed that he’s “still struggling to make a living” in the industry.
Djimon Hounsou at the “Rebel Moon Part One” premiere in LA in Dec. 2023.AFP via Getty Images
Djimon Hounsou at the “A Quiet Place: Day One” premiere in NYC in June 2024.FilmMagic
“I’ve been in the filmmaking business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations and many blockbuster films, and yet, I’m still struggling financially,” he said on CNN’s “African Voices Changemakers.”
“I’m definitely underpaid,” he added.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond.”Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Hounsou’s most famous movies include “Amistad,” “Gladiator,” “In America,” “Blood Diamond,” “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Captain Marvel,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Shazam!,” “A Quiet Place Part II,” “A Quiet Place: Day One,” and both “Rebel Moon” films.
His roles in “In America” and “Blood Diamond” earned him nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 and 2007, respectively.
Hounsou, who was born in West African and immigrated to the U.S. at age 23, said he believes he was snubbed by the Oscars for his performance in Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad.”
Djimon Hounsou in “Amistad.”DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars because they thought that I had just come off the boat and the streets,” Hounsou recalled.
“Even though I successfully did that, they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect,” he added.
Hounsou went on, “This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism don’t change like that anytime soon.”
Djimon Hounsou at the “A Quiet Place: Day One” premiere in June 2024.FilmMagic
The actor previously opened up about his struggles in Hollywood while speaking to The Guardian in March 2023.
“I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar!” he expressed in the interview.
Emma Bolger, Djimon Hounsou in “In America.”Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond.”Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Djimon Hounsou, Lupita Nyong’o in “A Quiet Place: Day One.”Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades. So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well,” Hounsou explained.
Hounsou also spoke out about how he had to fight for the paycheck he felt he deserved and was continuously disrespected.
Djimon Hounsou at the “Rebel Moon” premiere.
“I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he shared. “They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much’… Film after film, it’s a struggle. I have yet to meet the film that paid me fairly.”
Hounsou’s upcoming films include “Beneath the Storm,” a survival thriller starring Phoebe Dynevor, “The Zealot,” a thriller based on a 2016 play, and “The Monster,” a horror movie directed by the “Saw” franchise’s Darren Lynn Bousman.
