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Home Culture Two Oscar Nominations and Still Undervalued, Djimon Hounsou Speaks Out

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Two Oscar Nominations and Still Undervalued, Djimon Hounsou Speaks Out

Ikenna ChurchillJanuary 11, 20253 Mins read47

Djimon Hounsou is one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood, and he is known for his lead roles in Amistad, In America, Gladiator, and Blood Diamond. Having been nominated twice for an Academy Award in a career spanning over two decades, the Beninese-American actor has long been feted for powerful performances.

He recently returned, this time alongside, Lupita Nyong’o in A Quiet Place: Day One and continues to firm up his spot in the industry. Yet, despite those achievements, Hounsou has revealed the naked truth about the life of a Black actor in Hollywood.

In an interview on CNN’s African Voices Changemakers with Larry Madison, Hounsou spoke candidly about his financial struggles and systemic challenges. He explained that even after spending decades in the industry, he continues to face significant financial obstacles.

I’m still struggling to make a living, he said. 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. I’m definitely underpaid.

The revelation shines a light on the disparities in pay that exist in Hollywood’s structures, particularly when it comes to Black actors. Having headlined blockbuster films and having had some of the most memorable performances with his contribution, he has not been paid on par with many of his peers.

He was first nominated for an Oscar in 2004 for his work In America and then again in 2007 for Blood Diamond. These performances earned him critical acclaim and sealed his reputation as one of Hollywood’s finest actors. But he is still struggling financially, which underlines the systemic issues of inequality that still afflict the entertainment industry.

Hounsou continued to reflect on how racism moulded his journey through Hollywood, even in the nascent stages of his career. He says his abilities were early belittled because of the assumptions about his background.

I was nominated for a Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscar’s. They thought I had just come off the boat and the streets, he said. Even though I successfully did that [established myself], they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect.

It is a dismissal of his talent, indicative of the broader issue within the industry: Black actors face bias and are often passed over for major opportunities. While Hollywood has taken steps toward becoming more diverse over the past several years, Hounsou believes much work remains. He explained that the push for inclusivity often feels superficial, adding,

This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism won’t change like that anytime soon.

From Amistad to his comic book villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy, performances he has pulled off since coming into the Hollywood circle have stuck very well with fans on every continent of the globe. His role, alongside Lupita Nyong’o in A Quiet Place: Day One and Zack Synder’s Rebel Moon- Part one: A child of Fire and Rebel Moon- Part Two: The Scargiver, seals this range and depth very much intact to the latest developments. Yet again, these examples reflect various barriers posed within the acting scope for Black talent.

However, Hounsou is a living legend who somehow manages to remain the poster child for endurance in a field that has long minimised his input into the same field. At once a testament to his great talent, it is also an indictment of how Hollywood treats Black actors.

The need for decent pay and meaningful inclusion becomes much more immediate with the juxtaposition against an industry whose practice lags way behind promise after broken promise. As Hounsou’s voice grows in the chorus for equity, respect, and recognition for all creatives, his journey inspires and calls to action.

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