Djimon Gaston Hounsou was born on April 24, 1964 in Cotonou, Benin, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou.
He immigrated to Lyon in France at the age of 12 with his brother Edmond.
Soon after arriving, he dropped out of school and was homeless for a time. A chance meeting with a photographer led to an introduction to fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who encouraged Hounsou to pursue a modelling career.
In 1987, he became a model and established a career in Paris. He was found at Porte de Clichy. He moved to the US in 1990.
Between 1989 and 1991, Hounsou appeared in the music videos for “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul, “I Don’t Wanna Lose You” by Tina Turner, “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” by Janet Jackson and Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”
He also appears in En Vogue’s music video for “Hold On.”
Hounsou’s film debut was in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard film Without You I’m Nothing.
He had TV parts on Beverly Hills, 90210 and ER and a guest starring role on Alias. He had a larger role in the science fiction film Stargate.
Hounsou received critical acclaim for his role as Cinqué in the 1997 Spielberg film Amistad and gained further notice as Juba in the 2000 film Gladiator.
In 2004, he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for In America, making him the fourth African male to be nominated for that prize.
In 2005 he played a mercenary in the movie The Island alongside Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. In 2006 he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blood Diamond and received Broadcast Film Critics Association, Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award nominations for this performance.
Hounsou had a supporting role in the 2009 science-fiction film Push, as Agent Henry Carver.
In 2011, he starred as a French commando in the French film Forces spéciales.
Director Tim Story told IGN that if he had done a third Fantastic Four film, he would have liked Hounsou to portray Black Panther. In November 2008, it was announced that Hounsou would provide the voice of Black Panther in the television series of the same name.[12] He had signed on to play Abdiel in the film version of John Milton’s Paradise Lost with Benjamin Walker and Bradley Cooper, but the film was scrapped in early February 2012.[13]
In 2013, he appeared in the comedy film Baggage Claim alongside Paula Patton. He also voiced Drago Blodfist in How to Train Your Dragon 2 and portrayed Korath the Pursuer in the Marvel Studios film Guardians of the Galaxy, both in 2014.[14][15] He played villains in two 2015 films: Seventh Son and Furious 7, the latter being the seventh installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise.[16]
In February 2016, it was reported that Hounsou would join the second season of the television series Wayward Pines.[17] Also in 2016, he played Chief Mbonga in The Legend of Tarzan.[18][failed verification]
In 2018 Hounsou joined the DC Extended Universe, voicing the Fisherman King Ricou in Aquaman (with the character motion-captured by Andrew Crawford). He then replaced Ron Cephas Jones as the Wizard Shazam in Shazam! (2019).[19][20] He reprised his role in Black Adam (2022) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).[21][22] Also in 2019, he reprised his role as Korath in the Marvel Studios film Captain Marvel and then in the animated series What If…?.
In November 2022, it was announced that Honsou had joined the cast of the Gran Turismo film, with Geri Halliwell playing his wife.[23]
Modeling
On 24 February 2007, it was announced that Hounsou would be the new Calvin Klein underwear model. At the time, he was represented by Los Angeles modeling agent Omar Albertto.[24][25]
Other work
In 2010, Hounsou was featured as the narrator in ESPN’s series of “32 Teams, 1 Dream” commercials for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He spoke at the Summit on Climate Change at the United Nations on 22 September 2009.[26] On 1 December 2009, he told French media that developed countries “need to be held accountable” for their contribution to climate change.[27]
In 2018, Hounsou made his directorial debut with the documentary film In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven, which examines the history, nature and religious practices of West African Vodun.[28][29] The documentary premiered at the Miami International Film Festival on 10 March 2018.[30]
In 2024, Hounsou had a guest performance on South African record producer and DJ Black Coffee’s “Ode to Ancestors” song which was included in an EP inspired by Zack Snyder’s movie, Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.
In 2007, Hounsou began dating model Kimora Lee Simmons. Hounsou and Simmons visited Hounsou’s family in his native Benin in the summer of 2008, where the two participated in a traditional commitment ceremony. They were adorned in traditional clothing and used the ceremony, in the presence of Hounsou’s family, to confirm that they were “dedicated to each other 100%”, although they emphasized the ceremony was not a wedding.
In the début of Kimora Lee Simmons’ show Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, he was billed as her husband.
In 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son. Hounsou and Simmons, who were never legally married in the US, announced their separation in November 2012.
Filmography
1990 Without You I’m Nothing Ex-Boyfriend
1992 Unlawful Entry Prisoner On Bench
1993 Killing Zoe Moïse (voice)
1994 Stargate Horus Credited as “Djimon”
1997 Ill Gotten Gains Fyah
Amistad Joseph Cinqué
1998 Deep Rising Vivo
2000 Gladiator Juba
2002 Le Boulet Detective Youssouf
The Four Feathers Abou Fatma
2003 In America Mateo
Biker Boyz ‘Motherland’
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life Kosa
2004 Blueberry Woodhead
2005 Constantine Papa Midnite
Beauty Shop Joe
The Island Albert Laurent
2006 Blood Diamond Solomon Vandy
Eragon Ajihad
2008 Never Back Down Jean Roqua
2009 Push Henry Carver
2010 The Tempest Caliban
2011 Elephant White Curtis ‘Curtie’ Church
Special Forces Kovax
2013 Baggage Claim Quinton Jamison
2014 How to Train Your Dragon 2 Drago Bludvist (voice)
Guardians of the Galaxy Korath the Pursuer
Seventh Son Radu
2015 Furious 7 Mose Jakande
The Vatican Tapes Vicar Imani
Air Cartwright
2016 The Legend of Tarzan Chief Mbonga
2017 King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Bedivere
Same Kind of Different as Me Denver
2018 Aquaman King Ricou (voice)
In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven Narrator Also director, writer and producer; Documentary film
2019 Serenity Duke
Captain Marvel Korath
Shazam! The Wizard
Charlie’s Angels Edgar ‘Bosley’ Dessange
2020 A Quiet Place Part II Man On Island
2021 The King’s Man Shola
2022 Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank Sumo (voice)
Black Adam The Wizard Cameo
2023 Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Ozi: Voice of the Forest Ozi’s Father (voice)
Gran Turismo Steve Mardenborough
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire General Titus
2024 Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver
A Quiet Place: Day One Henri (“Man On Island”)
2025 Beneath the Storm Post-production
The Zealot Hassan Post-production
TBA The Monster[36] Filming
TV
1990 Beverly Hills, 90210 Doorman Episode: “Class of Beverly Hills”
1999 ER Mobalage Ikabo 6 episodes
2000 The Wild Thornberrys Villager (voice) Episode: “Luck Be an Aye-Aye”
2001 Soul Food Victor Onuka Episode: “Games People Play”
2003–2004 Alias Kazari Bomani 3 episodes
2010 Black Panther T’Challa / Black Panther (voice) 6 episodes
2016 Wayward Pines CJ Mitchum 8 episodes
2018 DreamWorks Dragons Drago Bludvist (voice) Episode: “King of Dragons, Part 2”
2019 The Longest Day in Chang’an Master Ge Episode: “Time Of Great Waste”
2021 Invincible Martian Emperor (voice) Episode: “Neil Armstrong, Eat Your Heart Out”
2021 What If…? Korath (voice) Episode: “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-
