Djimon Hounsou Says He’s “Struggling” With Money Despite Oscar-Nominated Acting Career

Djimon Hounsou is getting candid about his finances as a working actor.

Despite appearing in dozens of movies, the performer—whose credits include 2000’s Gladiator, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy and 2024’s A Quiet Place: Day One—said he’s still not making as much as what some may expect.

“I’ve been in this business and making films now over two decades,” he told CNN’s Larry Madowo in a recent interview. “And still—with two Oscar nominations and been in many big blockbuster films—and yet I’m still struggling financially to make a living.”

He added, “I’m definitely underpaid.”

However, the 60-year-old noted that African representation in the industry has changed “quite a bit” since he first started his career in the ’90s.

“When I came out with Amistad, I was nominated for a Golden Globe,” Hounsou said, “but they ignored me for the Oscars, talking about the fact that they thought that I had just came off the boat and off the streets where Steven Spielberg used me for this film.”