Despite being in Hollywood for decades and starring in huge movies, one Oscar-nominated actor is struggling to make ends meet.
Djimon Hounsou is known for his roles in Blood Diamond, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Gladiator, amongst others.
Despite having a glittering career, Hounsou has claimed that he has been underpaid throughout the years.
“I’ve been in this business making films now for over two decades with two Oscar nominations, been in many blockbuster films, and yet, I’m still struggling financially. I’m definitely underpaid,” Hounsou told CNN.
The actor, twice nominated for Best Supporting Actor – first for the 2002 drama In America and later for his performance opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond – attributed his challenges to systemic racial bias within the industry.
“I’m yet to meet the film that paid me fairly,” he stated. “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 also reflected on what he perceives as discrimination during his early career, pointing to his critically acclaimed performance in Amistad. Despite earning a Golden Globe nomination for the role, he was overlooked by the Academy Awards.
“I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars, talking about the fact that they thought that I had just came off the boat and off the streets,” he said.
“Even though I successfully did that [film], they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect.”
Hounsou expressed frustration with the slow progress in Hollywood toward true diversity and equity.
“This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism don’t change like that anytime soon.”
In a candid March 2023 interview with The Guardian, Hounsou revealed the ongoing struggles he faces as a Black actor in the industry.
“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.’”
Hounsou, who has been twice nominated for an Academy Award, expressed solidarity with other actors who have highlighted similar issues, referencing Viola Davis.
“Viola Davis said it beautifully. She’s won an Oscar, she’s won an Emmy, she’s won a Tony and she still can’t get paid,” Hounsou noted, echoing Davis’ previous remarks on wage discrimination.
Hounsou, who immigrated to the United States at the age of 23, credits his time in Hollywood — particularly his collaboration with Steven Spielberg on Amistad — as a turning point that inspired him to establish the Djimon Hounsou Foundation.
The foundation aims to “champion a visceral connection between the countries of the African diaspora and the motherland and to heal the wounds that slavery left behind,” according to its website.
