Djimon Hounsou Admits He’s Still ‘Struggling’ To Make A Living In Hollywood

Hounson shared how he still deals with financial worries despite his multiple Oscar nominations.

Actor Djimon Hounsou got real about his ongoing financial stresses despite his Hollywood success. The two-time Oscar nominee revealed that he still struggles to make a living through acting.

Hounsou shared more about his predicament in an interview with CNN’s African Voice Changemakers. Born in Benin, Hounsou scored breakout roles in U.S. films such as Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” and the 2006 film “Blood Diamond.” He scored an Oscar nomination for the latter and one in 2002 for “In America.”

Despite his critical acclaim and extensive filmography, Hounsou still feels “underpaid.” He detailed how he continues to be lowballed in the industry and offered meager checks for new roles that do not match his accolades.

“I’m still struggling to make a living,” he said. “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.”

The 60-year-old continued by stating how his counterparts have accrued more financial gains with even less critical achievement. He shared that he feels “cheated” by this pay discrepancy, given how hard he has worked to build his career.

“I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar! I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades,” he explained. “So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well. 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.’ 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.”

Moreover, he cited that racism and xenophobia thwarted his efforts to gain further recognition for other performances, specifically his breakthrough performance in the 1997 film “Amistad.” Hounsou played a rebellion leader in the historical drama depicting the revolt by enslaved African people aboard a ship to America.

“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 claimed. “Even though I successfully did that [film], they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect. This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism don’t change like that anytime soon.”

Hounsou continues to be a force in Hollywood. He recently starred in “A Quiet Place: Day One” and has upcoming roles in horror films and thrillers. However, his calls for better compensation and representation remain an ongoing conversation for diverse actors in the entertainment industry.