‘Gladiator’ Star Djimon Hounsou Says He’s ‘Still Struggling To Make a Living’ Despite 2 Oscar Nominations, Blames ‘Systemic Racism’

Despite two decades in the film industry, two Academy Award nominations, and multiple roles in blockbuster movies like Blood Diamond and Gladiator, Djimon Hounsou has revealed he is still fighting for fair compensation in Hollywood.

Speaking recently on CNN’s African Voices Changemakers, the 60-year-old actor shared the harsh realities of being a black actor in the film industry. “I am still struggling to make a living,” Hounsou said. “After 30 years… maybe the first 10 years were about trying to establish myself. But I’ve been in this business making films for over two decades, and yet, I’m still underpaid.”

Hounsou, who received Oscar nominations for In America (2003) and Blood Diamond (2006), noted that despite his accolades and experience, he often encounters lowball offers for his work. “I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he explained. “They always come at me with: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much.’ Film after film, it’s a struggle. I have yet to meet the film that paid me fairly.”

Hounsou also reflected on systemic racism in the entertainment industry, calling it a deeply ingrained issue. “Systemic racism is not something you can deal with lightly. It’s so deeply inserted in so many things we do across the board. You don’t overcome it; you just sort of cope with it and survive the best way you can,” he said.

The actor’s career includes major roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, and Shazam!. Yet, he feels that his contributions have often been overlooked. In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Hounsou recalled a meeting where studio executives remarked, “We felt like you just got off the boat [after Amistad] and then went back. We didn’t know you were here as a true actor.”

Hounsou believes his breakout role as Cinqué in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film Amistad should have earned him an Oscar nomination but instead was met with industry skepticism. “I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars because they thought I had just come off the boat and the streets,” he said.

Beyond his acting career, Hounsou has sought to address these systemic issues by founding the Djimon Hounsou Foundation, which works to reconnect members of the African diaspora with their heritage and history. “As I was doing research for [Amistad], I became profoundly aware of the disconnect between Afro-descendants and their roots,” Hounsou shared. “When you don’t know where you came from, you don’t know who you are.”

Despite the challenges, Hounsou remains active in Hollywood, with recent projects including Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon films for Netflix and upcoming releases like Beneath the Storm and Zealot.

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