Renowned Beninese-American actor Djimon Hounsou has opened up about his ongoing financial difficulties and the “racial treatment” he has faced in Hollywood.
In a preview of an unreleased episode of CNN African Voices, posted on Instagram on Friday, the ‘Blood Diamond’ actor expressed his frustrations with experiencing “systemic racism in Hollywood.”
Djimon, nominated for prestigious awards for his roles in Blood Diamond and In America, had naturally anticipated that such recognition would advance his career.
However, he revealed that despite his many accomplishments, he continues to face financial struggles.
“I am still struggling trying to make a living. I have been in this business and making films now over two decades and still with two Oscar nominations, many big blockbuster films, yet I am still struggling financially to make a living,” he said.
“I am definitely underpaid. I was nominated for the Golden Globes, but they ignored me for the Oscars, talking about the fact that they thought that I had just come off the boat and off the streets.
“Even though I successfully did that, they just did not feel like I was an actor for whom we should pay any respect to. So this conceptual idea of diversity, it still has a long way to go. Systemic racism does not change like that anytime soon.”
Hounsou is an experienced actor with decades of work in the industry. He made his Hollywood debut in the 1990 film Without You I’m Nothing.
He gained widespread recognition for his performance in Blood Diamond (2006), where he starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
Watch him speak below…
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEpkUtixfFV/?igsh=Y3g2dzRjMGNlaGpm
via: Information Nigeria
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