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Amistad star Djimon Hounsou recently made headlines after appearing in an interview with CNN Africa, where he opened up about his financial struggles. A video of the conversation was shared by The Shade Room on January 11, 2025.
Notably, Hounsou has an estimated net worth of around $4 million, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. In the viral interview, Djimon addressed his current condition in the film industry, including his battle with racism on certain occasions. The Furious 7 star said that he is having a lot of trouble to “make a living,” stating:
“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.”
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Furthermore, Djimon Hounsou, who has been nominated for Academy Awards twice, spoke up about his experience with racism within the industry. The actor noted that change will not come easily and will take time. He added:
“I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars because they thought that I had just come off the boat and the streets. Even though I successfully did that, they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect.”
Hounsou had previously made similar comments in an interview with The Guardian in March 2023, where he mentioned facing a situation where he had to prove the reasons to get paid. He elaborated:
“They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much’… Film after film, it’s a struggle.”
Djimon Hounsou’s career has been his main source of income
The Cotonou, Dahomey native has built a huge fanbase over the years with his acting skills. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he began his career as a model and subsequently transitioned into films and TV shows.
The outlet reported that Djimon Hounsou owns a property in the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles. He purchased it for $2.1 million around four years ago and started renting it out for $11,750 per month from October 2023.
A report by Rise Up Eight stated that the Aquaman star moved to America in the ‘90s to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He initially appeared in multiple music videos for artists like Madonna and eventually landed a role in the 1990 musical comedy film Without You I’m Nothing.
Simultaneously, Djimon Hounsou entered television, portraying Mobalage Ikabo in the NBC series ER. He gained widespread recognition after playing Joseph Cinque in Amistad, directed by Steven Spielberg, followed by his role as Juba in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.
Additionally, he gave his voice to T’Challa in a series, Black Panther, which aired on ABC3 and BET. The actor also voiced other characters in animated shows such as Invincible and What If…?
Coming to his career in films, Hounsou has been cast in projects like Guardians of the Galaxy, Shazam!, Push, Eragon, Never Back Down, Captain Marvel, and Air.
