Djimon Hounsou hasn't had a fairy-tale career in Hollywood.
Despite being an actor who has been nominated for two Oscars and starred in blockbuster movies, Hounsou, 60, recently revealed that he is “still struggling to make a living” in the industry.
“I've been in the filmmaking business for over 20 years, have been nominated for two Oscars, and have worked on many blockbuster films, but I still struggle financially,” he said on CNN. Ta. “People changing the voice of Africa”
“My salary is definitely low,” he added.
Hounsou's most famous films include Amistad, Gladiator, In America, Blood Diamond, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Captain Marvel. , and “Charlie's Angels.'' Shazam!'', “A Quiet Place Part II'', “A Quiet Place: Day One'', and both “Rebel Moon'' movies.
His roles in In America and Blood Diamond earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 and 2007, respectively.
Hounsou, who was born in West Africa and immigrated to the United States at age 23, said he believed he was ignored by the Oscars for his performance in Steven Spielberg's “Amistad.”
“I was nominated for a Golden Globe, but the Oscars ignored me because they thought I had just come off the boat or off the street,” Hounsou recalled.
“Even if I did it successfully, they didn't feel like I was an actor to be respected,” he added.
Mr. Hounsou continued: “This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism isn't going to change anytime soon.”
The actor previously opened up about his struggles in Hollywood in the interview below. guardian In March 2023.
“I'm still struggling to make a dollar!” he said in an interview.
“I've met people in this industry who are totally wealthy and who have very little admiration for me. So I feel cheated, badly cheated, both financially and in terms of the amount of work that I do. ” explained Hounsou.
Hounsou also talked about how he was constantly treated with contempt, even though he had to fight to get the salary he felt he deserved.
“I still need to prove why I should receive a salary,” he said. “They always come at me with a completely low ball and say, 'This is all you have for this role, but we love you so much and we know you can bring so much to the table.' I really believe in it.''It's a struggle from movie to movie.
Hounsou's upcoming films include the survival thriller Beneath the Storm starring Phoebe Dynevor, The Zealot, a thriller based on the 2016 play, and Saw director Darren Lynn Bousman's Includes the horror film “The Monster.''
