Djimon Hounsou is an American Beninese actor who has been playing key roles in the coveted Hollywood projects since 1997. For many years he strived to break the glass ceiling for African American artists in the entertainment industry. After achieving tremendous success, the actor gives back to his community by supporting various organizations and charities working in Africa. He has a huge social media following with more than 300,000 followers on Instagram and more than 500,000 followers on Facebook.

Born name

Djimon Gaston Hounsou (pronounced Hon-su)

nickname

Djimon (pronounced Ji-mon)

Sun sign

Trails

Place of birth

Cotonou, Benin (formerly known as Dahomey)

Residence

Los Angeles, California, United States

nationality

• Beninese (by birth)
• American (naturalized US citizen since 2007)

training

Djimon enrolled in college to major in psychology but dropped out due to lack of interest. After that, he became homeless for some time and even had to search for food every day to survive.

occupation

Actor, Producer, Former Model, Entrepreneur (President and CEO of Fanaticus Entertainment)

family

• Father – Pierre Hounsou (cook)
• Mother – Albertine Hounsou (Expired 1989)
• Siblings – Edmond Hounsou (older brother) (works in travel management in Benin). He also has 3 older siblings.
• Others – Oswald aka Ozzie Hounsou (Nephew) (Music Producer, Production Manager of Fanaticus Entertainment ), Gael Hounsou (Nephew) (Cameraman, Media Manager, Director)

Manager

Djimon Hounsou is represented by –

• Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
• Peter Safran, The Safran Company
• Dream Entertainment
• Rogers and Cowan (publicist)
• Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern LLP

To build

Athletic

Height

186.5 cm (6 ft 1.5 in)

weight

82 kg or 181 lbs

girlfriend/spouse

Djimon Hounsou dated –

1. Victoria Mahoney (1990–1999) – Djimon began dating actress Victoria Mahoney as soon as he settled in the United States. The couple dated for almost a decade and never attended a red carpet event without each other by their side. They lived together in an apartment in Los Angeles. Some publications of the late 1990s even addressed Victoria as Djimon’s wife, although evidence of their marriage is unavailable.
2. Debbie Allen – Djimon is said to have been actress, dancer, choreographer, producer and director Debbie Allen in the past. She was responsible for Djimon getting his breakout role on Steven Spielberg’s Amistad (1997).
3. Mischel Thorpe – Djimon was reportedly engaged to lingerie bowl model Mishel Thorpe before their split. They were spotted together at public events in 2003 and 2004.
4. Cameron Diaz (2007) – Paparazzi spotted actress Cameron Diaz with Djimon in February 2007, shortly after the end of her four-year relationship with Justin Timberlake.
5. Kimora Lee (2007–2012) – Djimon was introduced to model and fashion designer Kimora during a dinner with mutual friends at Mr. Chow high-end Chinese cuisine restaurant in February 2007 upon his return from the Oscars ceremony. Since Kimora’s marriage to entrepreneur Russell Simmons had recently ended, she didn’t seek a relationship and made an effort to trust most men. However, Djimon’s personality seemed so convincing and compassionate that she immediately asked him about his relationship status. After a year-long date, Kimora visited the actor’s home country Beninattending a commitment ceremony with himThe couple have a son named Kenzo Lee Hounsou (b. May 2009), who is named after Japanese designer Kenzo Takada. Their relationship ended after five and a half years, and Kimora confirmed the news of the split on Twitter in November 2012. Djimon remains amicable with his son and often accompanies Kimora’s other children, Ming, Aoki, and Wolfe, to his film premieres.
6. Kola Boof – Sudanese-American writer and poet, the former terrorist of Osama bin Laden, referred to as the mistress in one of her published books, released a lengthy statement in 2012 claiming she was partially in favor of Djimon Hounsou and Kimora’s dissolution Lee Simmons, although financial issues were the main cause of their split. Kola has stated that she dated Djimon in the early 2000s before he met Kimora, and re-initiated a four-year affair with the actor in 2008, despite posing against his fashion designer partner. The writer hasn’t clarified her reason for rejecting Kimora. She also revealed that Djimon was formerly married to a woman namedMarie in France who supported him during his modeling days and the actor also had a wife and biological children in his native country, Benin. In response, actor Djimon Hounsou released a statement denying all of Kola’s allegations. He explained that he did not know the woman and had never met her. Kola later revealed on Twitter that she was also accused of defamation by Kimora Lee Simmons.
7. Paula Patton (2016–2017) – Actress Paula Patton first met Djimon while filming the romantic comedy Baggage Claim (2013). Tabloids covered their relationship when they were spotted holding hands in the parking lot of Universal Studios in May 2016.
8. In December 2018, Djimon arrived at the premiere of Aquaman in Hollywood with his new girlfriend .

race/ethnicity

Schwarz

He has Beninese ancestry.

hair colour

Black (though usually bald)

eye color

dark brown

sexual orientation

Just

distinguishing features

• Healthy and rich dark skin tone
• The signature style of grooming a shaved head with a goatee
• Warm bass-baritone voice

brand promotion

• He was cleaved in a commercial for Loose Fit Jeans in 2002.
• He became the first African Calvin Klein model when he was featured in global print and outdoor promotional images for Calvin Klein Steel, the brand’s Fall 2007 product line.
• As spokesman for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), he has worked with Puma to promote 2010 as the “International Year of Biodiversity”.

Religion

He was raised as a Roman Catholic.

However, he later developed an interest in Voodoo, the national religion of Benin, and made a documentary about it in 2016.

Known for

• Portrayal of the role of Joseph Cinqué in Amistad (1997) and Juba in Gladiator (2000)
• Winning an Oscar nomination in 2004 for Mateo Kuamey in In America (2002)
• Earning another Oscar nomination in 2007 for Soloman Vandy in Blood Diamond (2006) opposite Leonardo DiCaprio

first movie

He made his big screen debut as an ex-boyfriend in the 1990 musical comedy Without You I’m Nothing .

His first voiceover role in a motion picture film was for the character Moise in the American-French crime film Killing Zoe in 1994.

First TV show

He made his first television series appearance as a nightclub doorman on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1990.

His first television voiceover job was for the character of a villager in an episode of the animated series Wild Berries in 2000.

Personal trainer

• Djimon’s first love was football in Benin. He became one of the best players in his area and children from other parts of the city would often pay him to play a game for them. He was unable to further his talent for the sport after his parents sent him to France as a teenager.
• Djimon studied kung fu and boxing in France for many years and developed an appreciation for mixed martial arts when he arrived in the United States. The actor insists that lifting weights in the gym and MMA is a healthy way to solve emotional issues and offer mental and emotional benefits alongside physical fitness.
• LA paparazzi often notice him walking outdoors. He wears 5 finger shoes to mimic walking barefoot. Djimon meditates to cope with the erratic lifestyle of frequent travel and working with new groups of people. In the early 2000s he was guided by personal trainer, nutritionist and trained professional chef Alexander Denk to follow a sustainable and enjoyable daily diet.
• His sample meal plan published by Men’s Health was as follows:
  • Breakfast – Oatmeal filled with fruit with organic green omelet
  • Snack – Fruit-Filled Protein Shake
  • Lunch – whole wheat turkey wrap with spinach leaves
  • Dinner – Lean Turkey Chili with Vegetables

Djimon Hounsou favorite things

• Vacation – camping in the Sahara
• Animated Film – Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Djimon Hounsou facts

1. During his childhood, the actor, as the youngest child in his family, felt very lonely because his parents were busy with their work and the brothers were already grown and left home.
2. He speaks English, French and 3 African dialects of Goun, the Beninois language.
3. Djimon moved to Lyon, France to live with his older brother Edmond at the age of 12 because his parents wanted him to get an education and become a doctor. However, he was not inclined to study and secretly dreamed of becoming an entertainer.
4. His striking looks and athletic physique caught the attention of a photographer, which introduced him to fashion designer Thierry Mugler. The designer helped Djimon get a break in the modeling industry when he was 23 and helped him establish himself as a model from 1987-1990.
5. Djimon settled in Southern California in 1990 and paid his bills as a model in music videos.
6. During this time, Djimon auditioned to play roles in the French film industry but was turned down. He accompanied Thierry Mugler on a modeling assignment to the United States, where he saw the potential to make his dream come true.
7. Djimon first developed a fascination with films when he frequented the crowded cinema in his village, without a television, to see American Western classics.
8. He enjoys horseback riding and polo.
9. When Djimon first arrived in the US, he was teaching himself English through narration by listening to cable TV documentaries. He had to think in French before translating his thoughts into English. Over the years, the actor has perfected his command of the English language to the point where he now thinks and even dreams in English.
10. In 1989, he was cast in the music videos for Love Will Never Do (Without You) by Janet Jackson and Express Yourself by Madonna.
11. Steven Spielberg considered 150 actors, including Will Smith and Cuba Gooding Jr., before deciding to cast Djimon for the role of Cinqué in Amistad (1997).
12. By 1994, he was in the roster of male models represented by Omar’s Men , directed by Omar Albertto, who also paused Tyrese Gibson and Antonio Sabato Jr. Albertto continued to manage Djimon until 2008.
13. He is an Oxfam Global Ambassador for Aid and Development and frequently travels to different corners of Africa on humanitarian missions.
14. In 2004, Djimon became the 4th African male to receive an Oscar nomination when he was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Supporting Actor for In America.
15. He played Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Captain Marvel (2019) in Marvel Universe and has been cast as Fisherman King in Aquaman (2018) and the wizard Shazam in Shazam! (2019), which belongs to the DC Extended Universe.
16. Djimon provided the voice of the villain’s character, Drago Bludvist, in the worldwide box office success How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014).
17. His other roles in big-budget commercial productions include a role in Kingsman: The Great Game (2020) and the role of Bosley in Charlie’s Angels (2019).
18. To find out more about the actor, follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.