Beninese-American actor Djimon Hounsou recently revealed that he continues to face financial challenges, even after being a part of the film industry for more than twenty years.
During an interview on the well-known CNN program African Voices Changemakers, the ‘Gladiator’ star admitted that he feels undervalued and underpaid in his career.
“I’m still struggling to make a living. I’ve been in the filmmaking business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations and many blockbuster films, and yet, I’m still struggling financially. I’m definitely underpaid,” he said.
On racism in Hollywood, Djimon Hounsou said, “I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars because they thought that I had just come off the boat and the streets. Even though I successfully did that, they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect.
“So, this conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism won’t change like that anytime soon.”
