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Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou

Known for ActingBorn 1964-04-24 (age 62)Cotonou, Dahomey [now Benin]
Djimon Gaston Hounsou (born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese-American actor and model. He began his career appearing in music videos, made his film debut in Without You I'm Nothing and earned widespread recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg film Amistad. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards. Hounsou became a naturalized American citizen in 2007. He was reluctant to renounce his Beninese citizenship and therefore opted to become a dual citizen of both Benin and the United States, effectively rendering him a Beninese-American. Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou. He immigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond. In 1987, he became a model and established a career in Paris. He moved to the U.S. in 1990. One year before obtaining his college degree, he dropped out of school. In 1989, he appeared in a music video of Straight Up by Paula Abdul. Hounsou's film debut was in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard film Without You I’m Nothing, and he has had television roles on Beverly Hills, 90210 and ER and a guest starring role on Alias, but received a larger role in the science fiction film Stargate. His first on-screen appearance was in the 1990 Janet Jackson video “Love Will Never Do (Without You).” He also starred in a 2002 Gap commercial directed by Peter Lindbergh, dancing to a rendition of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" by Arrested Development's Baba Oje. He received wide critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role as Cinqué in the 1997 Steven Spielberg film Amistad. He gained further notice as Juba, in the 2000 film Gladiator. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for In America, in 2004, becoming the fourth African male to be nominated for an Oscar (along with Basil Rathbone, Cecil Kellaway and Omar Sharif). In 2006, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blood Diamond; he received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Academy Award nominations for this performance. In 2007, Hounsou began dating model/CEO of Baby Phat, Kimora Lee Simmons. In 2008 Hounsou and Simmons visited Hounsou's family and while there, the two participated in a traditional commitment ceremony. On May 30, 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, reportedly named because Kenzo means 3 (Kimora's third child).Read more

Movies & web series

INVINCIBLE8.6
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INVINCIBLE

2021 · Series

The Longest Day in Chang'an8.4
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The Longest Day in Chang'an

2019 · Series

Dragons: Race to the Edge8.4
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Dragons: Race to the Edge

2015 · Series

What If...?8.1
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What If...?

2021 · Series

Gladiator8.2
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Gladiator

2000 · Movie

Guardians of the Galaxy7.9
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Guardians of the Galaxy

2014 · Movie

Gran Turismo7.7
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Gran Turismo

2023 · Movie

How to Train Your Dragon 27.7
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How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014 · Movie

ER7.8
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ER

1994 · Series

Blood Diamond7.6
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Blood Diamond

2006 · Movie

A Quiet Place Part II7.4
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A Quiet Place Part II

2021 · Movie

I Am Heath Ledger7.4
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I Am Heath Ledger

2017 · Movie

Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'7.5
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Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'

2005 · Movie

Furious 77.2
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Furious 7

2015 · Movie

Constantine7.2
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Constantine

2005 · Movie

Beverly Hills, 902107.3
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Beverly Hills, 90210

1990 · Series

In America7.2
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In America

2003 · Movie

Soul Food7.2
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Soul Food

2000 · Series

Shazam!7.0
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Shazam!

2019 · Movie

Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special6.9
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Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special

2021 · Movie

Aquaman6.9
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Aquaman

2018 · Movie

Black Adam6.8
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Black Adam

2022 · Movie

Wayward Pines6.9
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Wayward Pines

2015 · Series

Amistad7.0
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Amistad

1997 · Movie

The Wild Thornberrys7.0
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The Wild Thornberrys

1998 · Series

Captain Marvel6.8
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Captain Marvel

2019 · Movie

Same Kind of Different as Me6.8
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Same Kind of Different as Me

2017 · Movie

Black Panther6.9
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Black Panther

2010 · Series

Stargate7.0
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Stargate

1994 · Movie

The King's Man6.7
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The King's Man

2021 · Movie

Never Back Down6.8
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Never Back Down

2008 · Movie

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank6.6
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Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

2022 · Movie

A Quiet Place: Day One6.6
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A Quiet Place: Day One

2024 · Movie

Special Forces6.7
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Special Forces

2011 · Movie

Alias6.8
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Alias

2001 · Series

The Island6.7
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The Island

2005 · Movie

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword6.6
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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

2017 · Movie

The Four Feathers6.6
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The Four Feathers

2002 · Movie

Shazam! Fury of the Gods6.4
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Shazam! Fury of the Gods

2023 · Movie

The Kelly Clarkson Show6.4
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The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019 · Series

Charlie's Angels6.4
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Charlie's Angels

2019 · Movie

A Place in Time6.5
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A Place in Time

2007 · Movie

Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon6.3
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Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon

2024 · Movie

The Oscars7.0
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The Oscars

1953 · Series

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire6.2
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Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire

2023 · Movie

OZI: Voice of the Forest6.2
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OZI: Voice of the Forest

2024 · Movie

Beauty Shop6.3
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Beauty Shop

2005 · Movie

Thrash6.1
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Thrash

2026 · Movie