Once you make it in Hollywood, you never have to worry again. At least that’s the cliche idea for many outsiders. And for many stars, assuming they work hard and have a lot of luck, it may also apply. Gladiator star Djimon Hounsou but is a counterexample: He has been toiling in Hollywood for more than two decades, billions know his face. He has filmed with Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Zack Snyder. But it’s apparently not enough for a secure income.
Djimon Hounsou impressed in Gladiator, but today he has money problems
In a conversation for CNN’s African Voices format, the star explained:
I’ve been in this business for over two decades now, I’ve been nominated for an Oscar twice and starred in many blockbusters. And yet I still struggle with money problems. I am definitely underpaid.
Hounsou does not go into details about his financial situation. In the context of the segment, his comment is not only intended to draw attention to his own situation: rather, he addresses it in places discriminatory pay and hiring practices one of the biggest ills of the Hollywood industry.
Because at least on paper, Hounsou has done everything to secure a promising and tolerable career in Hollywood: He played his first major role in Spielberg’s Amistad in 1997, and three years later he fought as the slave Juba alongside Russell Crowe in Gladiator. He appeared in Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio and received credit for it one of his two Oscar nominations as best supporting actor. The other was for the drama In America.
This all happened before he came along Guardians of the Galaxy and Aquaman Became part of two multi-billion dollar superhero universes. What exactly Hounsou means by financial security is not clear. But actors with his filmography should actually be above all worries.