Actor Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou
Photo of actor Djimon Hounsou
A Beninese-American actor and model. 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 the 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 parts 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). Hounsou is now a naturalized United States citizen and resides in Los Angeles.  
Place of birth
Cotonou, Benin Cotonou, Benin
Date of birth
24th April 1964
Movies that starred Djimon Hounsou (29 in total)
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver poster

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver [2024]

General Titus
A Quiet Place: Day One poster

A Quiet Place: Day One [2024]

Henri
Gran Turismo poster

Gran Turismo [2023]

Steve Mardenborough
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire poster

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire [2023]

General Titus
The King's Man poster

The King's Man [2021]

Shola
A Quiet Place Part II poster

A Quiet Place Part II [2021]

Man on Island
Captain Marvel poster

Captain Marvel [2019]

Korath
Charlie's Angels poster

Charlie's Angels [2019]

Bosley
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword poster

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword [2017]

Bedivere
The Legend of Tarzan poster

The Legend of Tarzan [2016]

Chief Mbonga
Furious 7 poster

Furious 7 [2015]

Jakande
The Vatican Tapes poster

The Vatican Tapes [2015]

Vicar Imani
How to Train Your Dragon 2 poster

How to Train Your Dragon 2 [2014]

Drago (voice)
Guardians of the Galaxy poster

Guardians of the Galaxy [2014]

Korath
Seventh Son poster

Seventh Son [2014]

Radu
Special Forces poster

Special Forces [2011]

Commander Kovax
Never Back Down poster

Never Back Down [2008]

Jean Roqua
Blood Diamond poster

Blood Diamond [2006]

Solomon Vandy
Eragon poster

Eragon [2006]

Ajihad
Constantine poster

Constantine [2005]

Midnite
The Island poster

The Island [2005]

Albert Laurent
Beauty Shop poster

Beauty Shop [2005]

Joe
Renegade poster

Renegade [2004]

Woodhead
Biker Boyz poster

Biker Boyz [2003]

Motherland
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life poster

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life [2003]

Kosa
In America poster

In America [2003]

Mateo
The Four Feathers poster

The Four Feathers [2002]

Abou Fatma
Gladiator poster

Gladiator [2000]

Juba
Amistad poster

Amistad [1997]

Cinque
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