I Still Struggle Financially Despite My Blockbuster Movies And Oscar Nominations – Djimon Hounsou

Beninese-American actor, Djimon Hounsou has revealed that despite having a successful career spanning decades, he still struggles to make ends meet.

Djimon Hounsou is famous for his roles in blockbuster films like “Amistad”, “Gladiator”, “Blood Diamond,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”, among others.

The 60-year-old opened up about his financial struggles during an appearance on CNN’s “African Voices Changemakers”.

Despite his success and two Oscar nominations, the actor admitted he has not been fairly compensated for his work.

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

Hounsou also discussed being overlooked at the Oscars, saying he wasn’t given the respect he deserved because of biases against him.

“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,” he explained.

He went on to criticize the lack of genuine progress in diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, stating, “So, this conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism won’t change like that anytime soon.”

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KanyiDaily recalls that Hollywood actor, Idris Elba previously opened up about racism in the movie industry, revealing why he no longer describes himself as a Black actor.