‘DEFINITELY UNDERPAID’

Two-Time Oscar Nominee Djimon Hounsou Says He’s ‘Still Struggling to Make a Living’

The “Gladiator” star also weighed in on the status of Hollywood’s pursuit for diversity.

Two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou shared that he’s still “struggling financially” despite his acclaimed acting career spanning over two decades.. “I’m still struggling to make a living,” Hounsou said while appearing on a recent episode of CNN’s African Voices Changemakers. “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 60-year-old actor’s filmography includes acclaimed titles like Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, and Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. Hounsou proceeded to criticize the entertainment industry’s treatment of people of color and said that it still has a long way to go in terms of progress. “This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism won’t change like that anytime soon,” he explained.