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Djimon Hounsou

Actor / Model (person) / Film Producer / Film Director / Screenwriter | * 04/24/1964 (59) | Cotonou (Benin)
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Djimon Gaston Hounsou (JY-mən OON-soo; French: [dʒimɔ̃ unsu]; born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-born actor. He began his career appearing in music videos and made his film debut in Without You I'm Nothing (1990). He then earned widespread recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad (1997), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. For his performances in In America (2002) and Blood Diamond (2006), Honsou was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he portrays Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Captain Marvel (2019) and What If...? (2021). In the DC Extended Universe, he appears as the Fisherman King in ()
Photo of Djimon Hounsou

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).

Most frequent genres for this person: Action | Drama | Adventure

Known for these Movies & Shows

Awards & Nominations for Djimon Hounsou

Great Immigrants Award 2x Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
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Movies with Djimon Hounsou as Actor(59)

as Ozi's Father (voice)2024 Ozi: Voice of the Forest
as Wizard2022 Black Adam
as Shola2021 The King's Man
as Narrator (voice)2021 Kimana Tuskers
as Man on Island2021 A Quiet Place Part II
as Korath (voice) (archive footage)2021 Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special
as Bosley2019 Charlie's Angels
as Korath2019 Captain Marvel
as Duke2019 Serenity
as Wizard2019 Shazam!
as King Ricou (voice)2018 Aquaman
as himself2017 I Am Heath Ledger
as Chief Mbonga2016 The Legend of Tarzan
as Jakande2015 Furious 7
as Cartwright2015 Air
as Vicar Imani2015 The Vatican Tapes
as Radu2014 Seventh Son
as Drago (voice)2014 How to Train Your Dragon 2
as Quinton Jamison2013 Baggage Claim
as Curtie Church2011 Elephant White
as Commander Kovax2011 Special Forces
as Caliban2010 The Tempest
as Henry Carver2009 Push
as Jean Roqua2008 Never Back Down
as himself2007 A Place in Time
as Ajihad2006 Eragon
as Solomon Vandy2006 Blood Diamond
as Midnite2005 Constantine
as Albert Laurent2005 The Island
as Joe2005 Beauty Shop
as Woodhead2004 Renegade
as Mateo2003 In America
as Motherland2003 Biker Boyz
as Detective Youssouf2002 Dead Weight
as Abou Fatma2002 The Four Feathers
as Narrator (voice - U.S. Version)2000 The Middle Passage
as Juba2000 Gladiator
as Vivo1998 Deep Rising
as Cinque1997 Amistad
as Fyah1997 Ill Gotten Gains
as Horus1994 Stargate
as Moïse (voice)1993 Killing Zoe
as Prisoner on Bench1992 Unlawful Entry
as Ex-Boyfriend1990 Without You I'm Nothing

TV Shows/Series with Djimon Hounsou as Actor(13)

as Korath (voice)2021 What If...?
as Martian Emperor (voice)2021 Invincible
as 葛老 Ge Lao [Slave Trader]2019 The Longest Day in Chang'an
as Drago (voice)2015 Dragons: Race to the Edge
as CJ Mitchum2015 Wayward Pines
as Black Panther (voice)2010 Black Panther
as Self - Guest2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Kazari Bomani2001 Alias
as Victor Onuka2000 Soul Food
as Villager (voice)1998 The Wild Thornberrys
as himself1997 The View
as Mobalage Ikabo1994 ER
as Nightclub Doorman1990 Beverly Hills, 90210

Movies with Djimon Hounsou as Crew(2)

Production/Producer2011 Elephant White

Additional Information

Official websites:
Full Name: Djimon Hounsou
Born: Friday, 04/24 1964 (April) in Cotonou (Benin) (current age: 59 years + 339 days)
Zodiac sign: Taurus (Chinese zodiac sign: Dragon)
Languages: English (EN, native language), French (FR)
Other names for Djimon Hounsou (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Djimon"
"Djimon Gaston Hounsou"
"Djimon Hounso"
"Djimon Housoun"
"Джимон Хонсу"
"디몬 하운수"
"ジャイモン・フンスー"
"ジャイモン・ガストン・フンスー"
Djimon Hounsou frequently works together with these people:
Zack Snyder (11x, Crew)
Tom Kenny (7x, Actor)
Jeff Bennett (7x, Actor)
Grey DeLisle (7x, Actress)
Lydia Woodward (7x, Crew)
Stan Lee (6x, Crew)
John Krasinski (6x, Actor)
David Franzoni (6x, Crew)
Lance Gentile (6x, Crew)
Jimmy Star (6x, Actor)
Klemens Becker (6x, Crew)
WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:565, Added: 03/23/2018, Last updated: 03/21/2024