Actor Djimon Hounsou opens up on financial struggles despite successful career

Hollywood actor Djimon Hounsou has opened up about his financial difficulties despite having a prosperous acting career that has lasted more than 20 years.

Djimon, who featured on CNN’s African Voices Changemakers, said he is still underpaid in the industry despite having two Oscar nominations and several blockbuster movies.

He said: ‘‘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.’’

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The movie star lamented that Hollywood still has a lot of institutional racism, saying diversity programme which are at the forefront of the entertainment discourse still have a long way to go.

‘‘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.’’

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