Djimon Hounsou, Star of 'Gladiator', Faces Financial Struggles Despite His Success
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Los Angeles, Jan 13 (NationPress) Oscar-nominated and Gladiator star Djimon Hounsou has shared that he is struggling to make a living despite his accomplishments in Hollywood. He feels he is underpaid by the executives in the film industry.
At 60, Hounsou embarked on his professional journey over 30 years ago and has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in ‘In America’ and ‘Blood Diamond’.
During an interview on CNN’s ‘African Voices Changemakers’, he expressed: “I’m still struggling to make a living. I’ve been in the filmmaking business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations and numerous blockbuster films, yet, I find myself facing financial difficulties. I’m definitely underpaid.
The actor feels he missed out on an Oscar nomination for ‘Amistad’ in 1997, as he believes the Academy did not consider him worthy of respect despite his performance, according to reports from femalefirst.co.uk.
He remarked: “I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they overlooked me for the Oscars because they assumed I had just come off the boat and the streets.
Even with my success, they didn’t see me as an actor who deserved any respect. This conceptual notion of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism won’t change overnight.
Previously, the actor stated that he has to constantly prove to studio executives why he deserves a higher salary than what is typically offered to him.
He told The Guardian: “I still have to prove why I need to get paid. They frequently present me with a lowball offer: ‘We can only pay this amount for the role, but we admire your work and believe you can add great value.’
“Viola Davis expressed it beautifully. She’s claimed an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony, and still can’t secure a fair paycheck.”
