Djimon Hounsou


Djimon Gaston Hounsou is a Beninese actor and model. Hounsou began his career appearing in music videos. He made his film debut in the Sandra Bernhard film Without You I'm Nothing and gained widespread recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad. He gained further recognition for his roles in Gladiator, In America, and Blood Diamond, receiving Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nominations for both the latter films. He also had a minor role in Furious 7. He has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Djimon Hounsou plays an important role as well in the French film :fr:Forces spéciales |Forces spéciales in 2011.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he plays the role of Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel. Additionally, in the DC Extended Universe, he played the role of the Fisherman King in Aquaman and the wizard Shazam in Shazam!.

Early life

Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of twelve with his brother, Edmond. Soon after arriving in France, Hounsou dropped out of school and became homeless for a time. A chance meeting with a photographer led to Hounsou being introduced to fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who encouraged Hounsou to pursue a modeling career. In 1987, Hounsou became a model and established a career in Paris. He moved to the United States in 1990.

Career

Acting

Between 1989 and 1991, Hounsou appeared in the music videos for "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, "Love Will Never Do " 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. Hounsou 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. He gained further notice as Juba in the 2000 film Gladiator. In 2004, Hounsou 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; he received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Academy Award nominations for this performance.
Hounsou acted in 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 were to do a third Fantastic Four film, he would like to have Hounsou as the Black Panther. In November 2008, it was announced that Hounsou would be providing the voice of the Black Panther in the television series of the same name. Hounsou had signed on to play Abdiel in the film version of John Milton's Paradise Lost with Benjamin Walker and Bradley Cooper. The film however was scrapped in early February 2012.
In 2013, he appeared in the comedy film Baggage Claim alongside Paula Patton. He also voiced Drago Bludvist 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 seventh installment of The Fast and the Furious film series, the latter where he played the role of Mose Jakande, a Nigerian-French mercenary.
On 17 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 movie.
In July 2018, Hounsou joined the DC Extended Universe, voicing the Fisherman King Ricou in Aquaman, as well as replacing Ron Cephas Jones as the Wizard Shazam in Shazam!. Also in 2019, he reprised his role as Korath in the Marvel Studios film Captain Marvel.

Modeling

On 24 February 2007, it was announced that Hounsou would be the new Calvin Klein underwear model. At the time, Hounsou was being represented by Los Angeles modeling agent, Omar Albertto.

Other work

In 2010, Hounsou was featured as the narrator in ESPN's running series of "32 teams, 1 dream" commercials for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Hounsou spoke at the Summit on Climate Change at the United Nations on 22 September 2009. On 1 December 2009, Hounsou told French media that developed countries "need to be held accountable" for their contribution to climate change.

Personal life

In 2007, Hounsou began dating model Kimora Lee Simmons. In 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son Kenzo Lee Hounsou. 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. The couple were adorned in traditional clothing and used the ceremony, in the presence of Hounsou's family, to solidify that they are "dedicated to each other 100%". The two emphasized that the ceremony was not a wedding. In the début of Kimora Lee Simmons' show, , he was billed as her husband. Hounsou and Simmons, who were never legally married in the United States, announced their separation in November 2012.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1990Without You I’m NothingEx-boyfriendJohn S. Boskovich
1992Unlawful EntryPrisoner on BenchJonathan Kaplan
1993Killing ZoeMoïse Roger Avary
1994StargateHorusRoland Emmerich
1997Ill Gotten GainsFyahJoel B. Marsden
1997AmistadJoseph CinquéSteven Spielberg
1998Deep RisingVivoStephen Sommers
2000GladiatorJubaRidley Scott
2002Le BouletDetective YoussoufAlain Berbérian
2002The Four FeathersAbou FatmaShekhar Kapur
2003In AmericaMateoJim Sheridan
2003Biker BoyzMotherlandReggie Rock Bythewood
2003'KosaJan de Bont
2004BlueberryWoodheadJan Kounen
2005ConstantinePapa MidniteFrancis Lawrence
2005Beauty ShopJoeBille Woodruff
2005The IslandAlbert LaurentMichael Bay
2006Blood DiamondSolomon VandyEdward Zwick
2006EragonAjihadStefen Fangmeier
2008Never Back DownJean RoquaJeff Wadlow
2009PushHenry CarverPaul McGuigan
2010The TempestCalibanJulie Taymor
2011Elephant WhiteCurtie ChurchPrachya Pinkaew
2011Special ForcesKovaxStéphane Rybojad
2013Baggage ClaimQuinton JamisonDavid E. Talbert
2014How to Train Your Dragon 2Drago Bludvist Dean DeBlois
2014Guardians of the GalaxyKorath the PursuerJames Gunn
2014Seventh SonRaduSergei Bodrov
2015Furious 7Mose JakandeJames Wan
2015The Vatican TapesVicar ImaniMark Neveldine
2015AirCartwrightChristian Cantamessa
2016The Legend of TarzanChief MbongaDavid Yates
2017'BedivereGuy Ritchie
2017Same Kind of Different as MeDenverMichael Carney
2018AquamanFisherman King RicouJames Wan
2018In Search of Voodoo: Roots to HeavenNarratorDjimon HounsouAlso co-writer
Documentary
2019SerenityDukeSteven Knight
2019Captain MarvelKorath the PursuerAnna Boden and Ryan Fleck
2019Shazam!The WizardDavid F. Sandberg
2019Charlie's AngelsEdgar "Bosley" DessangeElizabeth Banks
2020A Quiet Place Part IIMan On IslandJohn Krasinski
2020The King's ManSholaMatthew VaughnPost-production
TBABlazing SamuraiSumo Chris BaileyPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990Beverly Hills, 90210DoormanEpisode: "Class of Beverly Hills"
1999ERMobalage Ikabo6 episodes
2000The Wild ThornberrysVillager
Episode: "Luck Be an Aye-Aye"
2001Soul FoodVictor OnukaEpisode: "Games People Play"
2003–04AliasKazari Bomani3 episodes
2010Black PantherT'Challa / Black Panther
2016Wayward PinesCJ Mitchum
2018DreamWorks DragonsDrago Bludvist Episode: "King of Dragons" pt 2
2019The Longest Day in Chang'anMaster Ge
2021What If...?Korath the Pursuer

Awards and nominations