Hollywood Icon Struggles Amid Recognition

Renowned actor Djimon Hounsou, a prominent figure in Marvel, DC, Netflix, and countless other productions, recently revealed his ongoing financial struggles in Hollywood. Despite a distinguished career spanning over two decades, including two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor (In America and Blood Diamond) and starring roles in numerous blockbuster films, Hounsou confessed to CNN that he remains underpaid and faces financial hardship.

"I’m still struggling to make a living. 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 stated.

This sentiment echoes his 2023 interview with The Guardian, where he expressed feeling "cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload." Hounsou, a Black actor from Benin, further attributed these challenges to racism and xenophobia within the industry. He recounted instances of studios perceiving him as a newcomer, even after established roles.

"I’ve gone to studios for meetings and they’re like, ‘Wow, we felt like you just got off the boat and then went back [after Amistad]. We didn’t know you were here as a true actor,'" he shared. "When you hear things like that, you can see that some people’s vision of you, or what you represent, is very limiting. But it is what it is. It’s up to me to redeem that."

Hounsou's extensive filmography includes recent roles in A Quiet Place: Day One, the Rebel Moon films (Netflix), Gran Turismo, The King's Man, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Captain Marvel, Fast and Furious 7, and many more.