Djimon Hounsou Says ‘Not Much Has Changed’ Since He Spoke Out Against Unfair Payment In Hollywood

Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou Says ‘Not Much Has Changed’ Since He Spoke Out Against Unfair Payment In Hollywood

Black Hollywood stars are continuing to speak out against pay discrepancies in Hollywood.

Beninese-American actor Djimon Hounsou confirmed in a newly published cover story with OkayAfrica that Black actors are still drastically being underpaid in comparison to their white counterparts. As previously reported, last March the Blood Diamond star spoke on the matter during an interview and said he was “still struggling to try to make a dollar.”

He added,

“I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades. So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well.”

10/12/2017 – Djimon Hounsou

When asked for an update on the serious matter during his interview with OkayAfrica, Djimon Hounsou, 60, said,

“Not much has changed since then, so I still feel that way. I stay with the same quote that I said.”

Continuing, Djimon Hounsou noted,

“I’ve been able to sustain a career, and I think that’s something to highlight and acknowledge. Even with whatever I feel is lacking.”

Hounsou also made it clear that his issue isn’t necessarily with the studios because they’ve “been quite supportive of me and have embraced me a great deal.”

He added,

“I feel a sense of great pride to have lived on three different continents and to have survived in the film industry. It’s like swimming in shark-infested waters — you may make it, you may not.”

Djimon Hounsou

Hounsou has been in the entertainment industry for decades, making his acting debut in the 1990 film Without You I’m Nothing. The part was seemingly small as his role is listed online as “ex-boyfriend” However, Hounsou continued his acting journey and soon scored a role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad (1997). The part led to his first Golden Globe nomination. Since then Hounsou starred in several other projects, including A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), The King’s Man (2021), and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).

Djimon Hounsou

Are you shocked that not much has changed in Hollywood? Tell us in the comments below! 

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