Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Gaston Hounsou (/ˈdʒaɪmən ˈuːnsuː/ JY-mən OON-soo; French: [dʒimɔ̃ unsu]; born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-born American 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), Hounsou 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 Aquaman (2018) and as the wizard Shazam in Shazam! (2019), Black Adam (2022) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). His other notable films include Stargate (1994), Gladiator (2000), Constantine, The Island (both 2005), Special Forces (2011), How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), Furious 7 (2015), The Legend of Tarzan (2016), A Quiet Place Part II (2021), Gran Turismo, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (both 2023), Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver and A Quiet Place: Day One (both 2024).
Hounsou made his directorial debut with the documentary film In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven (2018).
Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou. He immigrated to Lyon in France at the age of 12 with his brother Edmond. Soon after arriving there, he dropped out of school and was homeless for a time. A chance meeting with a photographer led to an introduction to fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who encouraged Hounsou to pursue a modelling career. In 1987, he became a model and established a career in Paris. He was found at Porte de Clichy. He moved to the United States in 1990.
Between 1989 and 1991, Hounsou appeared in the music videos for "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, "I Don't Wanna Lose You" by Tina Turner, "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson and Madonna's "Express Yourself". He also appears in En Vogue's music video for "Hold On".
Hounsou's film debut was in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard film Without You I'm Nothing. He had television parts on Beverly Hills, 90210 and ER and a guest starring role on Alias. He had a larger role in the science fiction film Stargate.
Hounsou received wide critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role as Cinqué in the 1997 Steven Spielberg film Amistad and gained further notice as Juba in the 2000 film Gladiator. In 2004, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for In America, making him the fourth African male to be nominated for an Oscar. In 2005, he played a mercenary in the movie The Island alongside Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. In 2006, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blood Diamond and received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award nominations for this performance.
Hounsou had a supporting role in the 2009 science-fiction film Push, as Agent Henry Carver. In 2011, he starred as a French commando in the French film Forces spéciales.
Director Tim Story told IGN that if he had done a third Fantastic Four film, he would have liked Hounsou to portray Black Panther. In November 2008, it was announced that Hounsou would provide the voice of Black Panther in the television series of the same name. He had signed on to play Abdiel in the film version of John Milton's Paradise Lost with Benjamin Walker and Bradley Cooper, but the film was scrapped in early February 2012.
In 2013, he appeared in the comedy film Baggage Claim alongside Paula Patton. He also voiced Drago Blodfist in How to Train Your Dragon 2 and portrayed Korath the Pursuer in the Marvel Studios film Guardians of the Galaxy, both in 2014. He played villains in two 2015 films: Seventh Son and Furious 7, the latter being the seventh installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise.
In February 2016, it was reported that Hounsou would join the second season of the television series Wayward Pines. Also in 2016, he played Chief Mbonga in The Legend of Tarzan.
In 2018, Hounsou joined the DC Extended Universe, voicing the Fisherman King Ricou in Aquaman (with the character motion-captured by Andrew Crawford). He then replaced Ron Cephas Jones as the Wizard Shazam in Shazam! (2019). He reprised his role in Black Adam (2022) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). Also in 2019, he reprised his role as Korath in the Marvel Studios film Captain Marvel and then in the animated series What If...?.
In November 2022, it was announced that Honsou had joined the cast of the film based on the Gran Turismo video game, with Geri Halliwell playing his wife.
In January 2025, Hounsou claimed that, throughout his career, he has encountered challenges like those experienced by other Black actors in Hollywood, including being typecast, and claimed he's been always getting "unfair compensation." He blamed systemic racism for this predicament, saying that, despite having been twice nominated for an Academy Award, he is still "struggling financially to make a living."
On 24 February 2007, it was announced that Hounsou would be the new Calvin Klein underwear model. At the time, he was represented by Los Angeles modeling agent Omar Albertto.
In 2010, Hounsou was featured as the narrator in ESPN's series of "32 Teams, 1 Dream" commercials for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He spoke at the Summit on Climate Change at the United Nations on 22 September 2009. On 1 December 2009, he told French media that developed countries "need to be held accountable" for their contribution to climate change.
In 2018, Hounsou made his directorial debut with the documentary film In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven, which examines the history, nature and religious practices of West African Vodun. The documentary premiered at the Miami International Film Festival on 10 March 2018.
In 2024, Hounsou had a guest performance on South African record producer and DJ Black Coffee's "Ode to Ancestors" song which was included in an EP inspired by Zack Snyder's movie, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.
In 2007, Hounsou began dating model Kimora Lee Simmons. Hounsou and Simmons visited Hounsou's family in his native Benin in the summer of 2008, where the two participated in a traditional commitment ceremony. They were adorned in traditional clothing and used the ceremony, in the presence of Hounsou's family, to confirm that they were "dedicated to each other 100%", although they emphasized the ceremony was not a wedding. In the début of Kimora Lee Simmons' show Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, he was billed as her husband. In 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son. Hounsou and Simmons, who were never legally married in the United States, announced their separation in November 2012.