Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Born 24/04/1964 in Cotonou, Dahomey [now Benin]

Djimon Gaston Hounsou (born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-American actor and model. He began his career appearing in music videos, made his film debut in Without You I'm Nothing and earned widespread recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.

Djimon Gaston Hounsou (born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-American actor and model. He began his career appearing in music videos, made his film debut in Without You I'm Nothing and earned widespread recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.

Hounsou became a naturalized American citizen in 2007. He was reluctant to renounce his Beninese citizenship and therefore opted to become a dual citizen of both Benin and the United States, effectively rendering him a Beninese-American.

Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou. He immigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond. In 1987, he became a model and established a career in Paris. He moved to the U.S. in 1990. One year before obtaining his college degree, he dropped out of school.

In 1989, he appeared in a music video of Straight Up by Paula Abdul. Hounsou's film debut was in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard film Without You I’m Nothing, and he has had television roles on Beverly Hills, 90210 and ER and a guest starring role on Alias, but received a larger role in the science fiction film Stargate. His first on-screen appearance was in the 1990 Janet Jackson video “Love Will Never Do (Without You).” He also starred in a 2002 Gap commercial directed by Peter Lindbergh, dancing to a rendition of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" by Arrested Development's Baba Oje.

He received wide critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role as Cinqué in the 1997 Steven Spielberg film Amistad. He gained further notice as Juba, in the 2000 film Gladiator. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for In America, in 2004, becoming the fourth African male to be nominated for an Oscar (along with Basil Rathbone, Cecil Kellaway and Omar Sharif). In 2006, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blood Diamond; he received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Academy Award nominations for this performance.

In 2007, Hounsou began dating model/CEO of Baby Phat, Kimora Lee Simmons. In 2008 Hounsou and Simmons visited Hounsou's family and while there, the two participated in a traditional commitment ceremony. On May 30, 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, reportedly named because Kenzo means 3 (Kimora's third child).

External links

Filmography (Movies)

Shiver

Shiver

Character:

Release Date:02/07/2026

Twisted

Twisted

Character:

Release Date:06/02/2026

A Quiet Place: Day One

A Quiet Place: Day One

Character:Henri

Release Date:26/06/2024

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver

Character:Titus

Release Date:19/04/2024

Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon

Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon

Character:Self

Release Date:18/04/2024

Ozi: Voice of the Forest

Ozi: Voice of the Forest

Character:Jo Jo (voice)

Release Date:07/03/2024

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire

Character:Titus

Release Date:15/12/2023

Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo

Character:Steve Mardenborough

Release Date:09/08/2023

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Character:Wizard

Release Date:15/03/2023

Black Adam

Black Adam

Character:Wizard

Release Date:19/10/2022

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

Character:Sumo (voice)

Release Date:14/07/2022

The King's Man

The King's Man

Character:Shola

Release Date:22/12/2021

Kimana Tuskers

Kimana Tuskers

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:05/12/2021

Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special

Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special

Character:Korath (voice) (archive footage)

Release Date:12/11/2021

A Quiet Place Part II

A Quiet Place Part II

Character:Man on Island

Release Date:21/05/2021

Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels

Character:Edgar Bosley

Release Date:14/11/2019

Shazam!

Shazam!

Character:Wizard

Release Date:29/03/2019

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel

Character:Korath

Release Date:06/03/2019

Serenity

Serenity

Character:Duke

Release Date:24/01/2019

Aquaman

Aquaman

Character:King Ricou (voice)

Release Date:07/12/2018

In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven

In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven

Character:Host

Release Date:10/03/2018

Same Kind of Different as Me

Same Kind of Different as Me

Character:Denver

Release Date:20/10/2017

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Character:Bedivere

Release Date:10/05/2017

I Am Heath Ledger

I Am Heath Ledger

Character:Self

Release Date:23/04/2017

The Legend of Tarzan

The Legend of Tarzan

Character:Chief Mbonga

Release Date:29/06/2016

Air

Air

Character:Cartwright

Release Date:14/08/2015

The Vatican Tapes

The Vatican Tapes

Character:Vicar Imani

Release Date:23/07/2015

Furious 7

Furious 7

Character:Mose Jakande

Release Date:01/04/2015

Seventh Son

Seventh Son

Character:Radu

Release Date:12/12/2014

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy

Character:Korath

Release Date:30/07/2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Character:Drago (voice)

Release Date:05/06/2014

Baggage Claim

Baggage Claim

Character:Quinton Jamison

Release Date:27/09/2013

Special Forces

Special Forces

Character:Commander Kovax

Release Date:02/11/2011

Elephant White

Elephant White

Character:Curtie Church

Release Date:17/05/2011

The Tempest

The Tempest

Character:Caliban

Release Date:11/09/2010

Black Panther

Black Panther

Character:T'Challa

Release Date:18/01/2010

Push

Push

Character:Henry Carver

Release Date:04/02/2009

Never Back Down

Never Back Down

Character:Jean Roqua

Release Date:04/03/2008

A Place in Time

A Place in Time

Character:Self

Release Date:26/04/2007

Eragon

Eragon

Character:Ajihad

Release Date:14/12/2006

Blood Diamond

Blood Diamond

Character:Solomon Vandy

Release Date:08/12/2006

Strength and Honor: Production Pods

Strength and Honor: Production Pods

Character:Self

Release Date:23/08/2005

The Island

The Island

Character:Albert Laurent

Release Date:21/07/2005

Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'

Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'

Character:Self

Release Date:07/06/2005

Beauty Shop

Beauty Shop

Character:Joe

Release Date:22/04/2005

Constantine

Constantine

Character:Midnite

Release Date:08/02/2005

Renegade

Renegade

Character:Woodhead

Release Date:09/02/2004

In America

In America

Character:Mateo

Release Date:22/09/2003

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life

Character:Kosa

Release Date:21/07/2003

Biker Boyz

Biker Boyz

Character:Motherland

Release Date:31/01/2003

The Four Feathers

The Four Feathers

Character:Abou Fatma

Release Date:08/09/2002

Dead Weight

Dead Weight

Character:Detective Youssouf

Release Date:10/04/2002

The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage

Character:Narrator (voice - U.S. Version)

Release Date:09/09/2000

Gladiator

Gladiator

Character:Juba

Release Date:04/05/2000

Deep Rising

Deep Rising

Character:Vivo

Release Date:30/01/1998

Amistad

Amistad

Character:Cinque

Release Date:10/12/1997

Ill Gotten Gains

Ill Gotten Gains

Character:Fyah

Release Date:05/12/1997

Stargate

Stargate

Character:Horus

Release Date:28/10/1994

Killing Zoe

Killing Zoe

Character:Moïse (voice)

Release Date:01/10/1993

Unlawful Entry

Unlawful Entry

Character:Prisoner on Bench

Release Date:26/06/1992

Without You I'm Nothing

Without You I'm Nothing

Character:Ex-Boyfriend

Release Date:11/05/1990

Television Appearances

Images

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