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Djimon Hounsou he has dozens of award-winning films and two Oscar nominations under his belt, but the actor says he still struggles financially and is “definitely underpaid.”
In a new interview with CNN Posted on Friday, January 10, the 60-year-old Benin-born actor said he doesn’t feel he’s being fairly rewarded for his work and still faces systemic racism in the industry.
“I’m still trying to make a living,” said Hounsou, who earned an Oscar nomination. In America (2002) and Blood diamond (2006), said Larry Madowo. “I’ve been making movies in this business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations, I’ve been in many blockbuster movies, and yet I’m still struggling financially. I’m definitely underpaid.”
Hounsou, whose most famous performances include Ridley Scott‘with Gladiator (2000), Steven Spielberg‘with Amistad (1997) and Quiet place franchise, continued to discuss racism in Hollywood.
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“I was nominated for a Golden Globe (for Amistad), but at the Oscars they ignored me and talked about how they thought I just got off the boat and off the streets,” Hounsou said in CNN interview. “Even though I did it (the film) successfully, they just didn’t feel that I was an actor they should give any respect to. This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism is not going to change anytime soon.”
Hounsou — who shares 15-year-old son Kenzo with ex Kimora Lee Simmons and 2-year-old son Fela with his partner Ri’Za — has spoken openly about his career struggles in previous interviews. At the meeting in 2023 with The GuardianHounsou said he “felt seriously cheated” after his decision. Blood diamond costar Leonardo DiCaprio he received a Best Actor nod while remaining in the Supporting Actor category despite the film focusing on his character’s journey.
“We talk so much today about the Oscars being so white, but I remember there was a time when I had no support at all: no support from my own people, no support from the media, from the industry itself. It was like, ‘You should be happy to be nominated,’ and that’s it.”
Djimon Hounsou
Clay Enos/NetflixHe continued, “I’m still trying to make a dollar! I came into the industry with a few people who are perfectly fine and have very few of my accolades. So I feel cheated, hugely cheated, both financially and in workload.”
“I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he added later in the interview. “They always come at me with a very low ball: ‘We only have so much to do, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much.’
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In 2025, it is to play a major role Under the storm next to Phoebe Dynevor and Zealot with Kodi Smit-McPhee after appearing in several DC and Marvel films. Still, Hounsou insisted The Guardian that studies assumed he “returned” to Africa afterwards Amistad and he was not a “real actor”.
“When you hear things like that, you can see that some people’s idea of you or what you represent is very limiting,” he said. “But it is what it is. It’s up to me to redeem it.’
