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  • BIRTH 24/04/1964
  • Country Benin
  • SHOWS 8
  • MOVIES 50
  • PRODUCTION 1

Djimon Hounsou

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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).

Djimon Hounsou

Shows (8)

What If…?
What If…?
Korath (voice)
INVINCIBLE (2021)
INVINCIBLE (2021)
Martian Emperor (voice)
Alias
Alias
Kazari Bomani
ER
ER
Mobalage Ikabo
The View
The View
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys
Villager (voice)
The Academy Awards
The Academy Awards
Self

Movies (50)

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver
Titus
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Wizard
A Quiet Place: Day One
A Quiet Place: Day One
Henri
Gladiator
Gladiator
Juba
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire
Titus
Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo
Steve Mardenborough
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy
Korath
Black Adam
Black Adam
Wizard
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel
Korath
Furious 7
Furious 7
Mose Jakande
A Quiet Place Part II
A Quiet Place Part II
Man on Island
Aquaman
Aquaman
King Ricou (voice)
How to Train Your Dragon 2
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Drago (voice)
The King's Man
The King's Man
Shola
Shazam!
Shazam!
Wizard
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
Kosa
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Edgar Bosley
Constantine
Constantine
Midnite
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Bedivere
The Island
The Island
Albert Laurent
Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond
Solomon Vandy
Stargate
Stargate
Horus
The Legend of Tarzan
The Legend of Tarzan
Chief Mbonga
Eragon
Eragon
Ajihad
Le Boulet
Le Boulet
Detective Youssouf
Serenity
Serenity
Duke
Seventh Son
Seventh Son
Radu
Amistad
Amistad
Cinque
Deep Rising
Deep Rising
Vivo
Never Back Down
Never Back Down
Jean Roqua
Push
Push
Henry Carver
Blueberry
Blueberry
Woodhead
Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon
Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel…
Self
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Sumo (voice)
Beauty Shop
Beauty Shop
Joe
Forces spéciales
Forces spéciales
Commander Kovax
Biker Boyz
Biker Boyz
Motherland
Baggage Claim
Baggage Claim
Quinton Jamison
Same Kind of Different as Me
Same Kind of Different as Me
Denver
Air
Air
Cartwright
The Vatican Tapes
The Vatican Tapes
Vicar Imani
Killing Zoe
Killing Zoe
Moïse (voice)
Ozi: Voice of the Forest
Ozi: Voice of the Forest
Jo Jo (voice)
Unlawful Entry
Unlawful Entry
Prisoner on Bench
The Four Feathers
The Four Feathers
Abou Fatma
In America
In America
Mateo
The Tempest
The Tempest
Caliban
Elephant White
Elephant White
Curtie Church
Black Panther
Black Panther
T'Challa
I Am Heath Ledger
I Am Heath Ledger
Self

Production

Elephant White
Elephant White