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).

A Quiet Place: Day One
Henri
2024

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver
Titus
2024

Creating a Universe - The Making of Rebel Moon
Self
2024

Ozi: Voice of the Forest
Jo Jo (voice)
2024

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire
Titus
2023

Gran Turismo
Steve Mardenborough
2023

Black Adam
Wizard
2022

Kimana Tuskers
Narrator (voice)
2021

Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special
Korath (voice) (archive footage)
2021

Same Kind of Different as Me
Denver
2017

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Bedivere
2017

The Legend of Tarzan
Chief Mbonga
2016

Air
Cartwright
2015

The Vatican Tapes
Vicar Imani
2015

Furious 7
Mose Jakande
2015

Seventh Son
Radu
2014

Guardians of the Galaxy
Korath
2014

How to Train Your Dragon 2
Drago (voice)
2014

Baggage Claim
Quinton Jamison
2013

Special Forces
Commander Kovax
2011

Elephant White
Curtie Church
2011

The Tempest
Caliban
2010

Push
Henry Carver
2009

Never Back Down
Jean Roqua
2008

Eragon
Ajihad
2006

Blood Diamond
Solomon Vandy
2006

The Island
Albert Laurent
2005

Beauty Shop
Joe
2005

Constantine
Midnite
2005

Renegade
Woodhead
2004

In America
Mateo
2003

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
Kosa
2003

Biker Boyz
Motherland
2003

The Four Feathers
Abou Fatma
2002

Dead Weight
Detective Youssouf
2002

The Middle Passage
Narrator (voice - U.S. Version)
2000

Gladiator
Juba
2000

Deep Rising
Vivo
1998

Amistad
Cinque
1997

Stargate
Horus
1994

Unlawful Entry
Prisoner on Bench
1992
The Zealot

The Bleeding Ground
Idoma Kwali
Shiver
2026

Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Wizard
2023

BIANCA
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
Sumo (voice)
2022

The King's Man
Shola
2021

What If...?
Korath (voice) · (1 episode)
2021

A Quiet Place Part II
Man on Island
2021

INVINCIBLE
Martian Emperor (voice) · (1 episode)
2021

Charlie's Angels
Edgar Bosley
2019

The Kelly Clarkson Show
(1 episode)
2019

The Longest Day in Chang'an
Ge Lao · (48 episodes)
2019

Shazam!
Wizard
2019

Captain Marvel
Korath
2019

Serenity
Duke
2019

Aquaman
King Ricou (voice)
2018

In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven
Host
2018

I Am Heath Ledger
Self
2017

Dragons: Race to the Edge
Drago (voice) · (1 episode)
2015

Wayward Pines
CJ Mitchum · (10 episodes)
2015

Black Panther
T'Challa
2010

Black Panther
Black Panther (voice) · (6 episodes)
2010

A Place in Time
Self
2007

Strength and Honor: Production Pods
Self
2005

Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'
Self
2005

Alias
Kazari Bomani · (3 episodes)
2001

Soul Food
Victor Onuka · (1 episode)
2000

The Wild Thornberrys
Villager (voice) · (1 episode)
1998

Ill Gotten Gains
Fyah
1997

Killing Zoe
Moïse (voice)
1993
African History Y
The Monster
One Last Fight
Tiga

Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2003

The View
Self · (1 episode)
1997

ER
Mobalage Ikabo · (6 episodes)
1994

Beverly Hills, 90210
Nightclub Doorman · (1 episode)
1990

Without You I'm Nothing
Ex-Boyfriend
1990

The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953