Gladiator star Djimon Hounsou says he's still struggling to make a living as an actor despite multiple blockbuster roles

Russell Crowe and Djimon Hounsou in Gladiator — (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Despite his vast body of work, Djimon Hounsou says he is still struggling to make a living as an actor and is underpaid after all his years in the industry.

"I am still struggling trying to make a living," said Hounsou in an interview with CNN. "After 30 years…maybe the first 10 years was trying to acclimate myself to the industry, to establish myself. But I’ve been in this business making films now for over two decades and with two Oscar nominations and been in many blockbuster films, and yet, I’m still struggling financially to make a living. I’m definitely underpaid."

Hounsou says the lack of pay is making it harder and harder to work in Hollywood despite having over 60 titles and multiple studio blockbusters under his belt including Gladiator, Guardians of the Galaxy, A Quiet Place Part 2, and Furious 7, and, more recently, Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon movies. The star was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards twice for Leonardo DiCaprio starrers In America and Blood Diamond.

Djimon Hounsou in Rebel Moon — (Image credit: Netflix)

So, what is the reason for Hounsou's pay? The star points to prejudice. "That’s a sign for you that systemic racism is not something you can deal with lightly," he said. "It’s so deeply inserted in so many things we do across the board. You don’t overcome it. You just sort of have to cope with it and survive the best way you can."

The West African-born actor has also tried his hand at directing with his 2018 documentary In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven. But off-screen, the star dedicates a huge portion of his time to his own Djimon Hounsou Foundation which aims to "Strengthen Africa’s intergenerational identity and self-awareness by reconnecting the Peoples of the African Diaspora with their motherland," and combat modern-day slavery.

Hounsou's upcoming projects include survival thriller Beneath the Storm, and new horror movie from Saw’s Darren Lynn Bousman titled The Monster.

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I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.