Veteran actor Djimon Hounsou is opening up about his experiences in Hollywood as a person of colour, highlighting the ongoing struggles for fair recognition and compensation in the film industry.

Born in Benin, Hounsou has built an impressive career spanning over two decades, starring in some acclaimed films like Blood Diamond and Gladiator.

Despite his accolades, including two Academy Award nominations, the 60-year-old actor disclosed in a recent episode of CNN’s African Voices Changemakers that he continues to face challenges, particularly around pay equity.

“I am still struggling to make a living,” Hounsou shared. “I have been in the filmmaking business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations and many blockbuster films, and yet, I am still struggling financially. I am definitely underpaid.”

Reflecting on his early career, Hounsou recounted his breakout role as Cinqué in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 historical drama Amistad, which brought him widespread acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination.

However, he feels the Academy Awards overlooked his performance, and he attributes the snub to stereotypes and bias.

“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,” he remarked. “Even though I successfully did that, they just didn’t feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect.”

This is not the first time Hounsou has spoken out about wage disparities in Hollywood. In a March 2023 interview with The Guardian, he expressed frustration over consistently being undervalued for his contributions.

“I still have to prove why I need to get paid,” he explained. “They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much.’”