Djimon Hounsou
Acting
Born: April 24, 1964 (age 62) · Cotonou, Dahomey [now Benin]
Highest Rated
Biography
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).
Known for
Guardians of the Galaxy
2014
Gladiator
2000
Captain Marvel
2019
Aquaman
2018
Furious 7
2015
How to Train Your Dragon 2
2014
Shazam!
2019
Blood Diamond
2006
Constantine
2005
A Quiet Place Part II
2021
Black Adam
2022
The Legend of Tarzan
2016
Photos (8)
Movies (59)
Gladiator
Juba
Black Adam
Wizard
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Drago (voice)
The Passenger
Hassan
Captain Marvel
Korath
Guardians of the Galaxy
Korath
A Quiet Place Part II
Man on Island
Furious 7
Mose Jakande
Constantine
Midnite
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Wizard
Thrash
Dr. Dale Edwards
A Quiet Place: Day One
Henri
Aquaman
King Ricou (voice)
Blood Diamond
Solomon Vandy
The King's Man
Shola
Shazam!
Wizard
Gran Turismo
Steve Mardenborough
The Legend of Tarzan
Chief Mbonga
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Bedivere
The Island
Albert Laurent
Stargate
Horus
Seventh Son
Radu
Charlie's Angels
Edgar Bosley
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire
Titus
Deep Rising
Vivo
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver
Titus
Never Back Down
Jean Roqua
Serenity
Duke
Push
Henry Carver
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
Kosa
Eragon
Ajihad
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Sumo (voice)
Beauty Shop
Joe
OZI: Voice of the Forest
Jojo (voice)
The Vatican Tapes
Vicar Imani
Special Forces
Commander Kovax
Twisted
Dr. Kezian
The Four Feathers
Abou Fatma
Unlawful Entry
Prisoner on Bench
Biker Boyz
Motherland
Killing Zoe
Moïse (voice)
Same Kind of Different as Me
Denver
Elephant White
Curtie Church
Dead Weight
Detective Youssouf
The Tempest
Caliban
In America
Mateo
Air
Cartwright
Blueberry
Woodhead
Baggage Claim
Quinton Jamison
Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special
Korath (voice) (archive footage)
Black Panther
T'Challa
Amistad
Cinque
Ill Gotten Gains
Fyah
The Middle Passage
Narrator (voice - U.S. Version)
Janet Jackson: Japanese Singles Collection - Greatest Hits
2022
DC Spotlight: Shazam!
Wizard (archive footage)
Without You I'm Nothing
Ex-Boyfriend
Kimana Tuskers
Narrator (voice)
In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven
Host
TV Shows (11)
INVINCIBLE
Martian Emperor (voice) · 1 eps
Beverly Hills, 90210
Nightclub Doorman · 1 eps
ER
Mobalage Ikabo · 6 eps
What If...?
Korath (voice) · 1 eps
The Wild Thornberrys
Villager (voice) · 1 eps
Dragons: Race to the Edge
Drago (voice) · 1 eps
Wayward Pines
CJ Mitchum · 10 eps
The Longest Day in Chang'an
Ge Lao · 48 eps
Alias
Kazari Bomani · 3 eps
Soul Food
Victor Onuka · 1 eps
Black Panther
Black Panther (voice) · 6 eps
Self / Appearances (11)
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · 1 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest · 1 eps
The View
Self · 1 eps
The Oscars
Self · 1 eps
BIANCA
Self - Guest · 1 eps
I Am Heath Ledger
Self
Dish Nation
Self · 1 eps
Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon
Self
A Place in Time
Self
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'
Self
Strength and Honor: Production Pods
Self
