Two-time Oscar nominee and star of blockbuster films Djimon Hounsou has opened up about the harsh realities of Hollywood. At 60, the acclaimed actor revealed he’s “still struggling to make a living,” proving that even celebrated careers aren’t always as glamorous as they seem.
“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.
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Hounsou’s illustrious career includes roles in acclaimed films like Amistad, Gladiator, Blood Diamond, and In America, as well as blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy and Shazam!
He received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for In America (2004) and Blood Diamond (2007). Hounsou, who was born in West Africa and immigrated to the U.S. at 23, revealed he felt overlooked by the Oscars despite his powerful performance in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad.
“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.”
The actor previously spoke about his challenges in Hollywood, sharing his experiences in an interview with The Guardian in March 2023.
“I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar!” he expressed in the interview.
“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 revealed he has had to fight for fair pay throughout his career, often facing disrespect in the industry despite his accomplishments.
“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 projects include Beneath the Storm, a survival thriller with Phoebe Dynevor, The Zealot, a thriller based on a 2016 play, and The Monster, a horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman of the Saw franchise.
