Although Djimon Hounsou has been nominated for two Oscars, he admits that he is "Struggling Financially" in his career as an actor.

Two-time Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou opens up about the challenges of being a working actor, revealing that fame and fortune don't always go hand in hand.

Djimon Hounsou is well-known for his roles in major box-office successes like Gladiator, Blood Diamond, Amistad, and several films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC franchises. His most recent appearance was in the apocalyptic horror drama A Quiet Place: Day One, alongside Lupita Nyong'o.

Despite a lengthy list of films he's starred in since beginning his Hollywood journey over three decades ago, along with numerous award nominations, Djimon Hounsou revealed on a recent episode of CNN's African Voices Changemakers that he is "struggling financially."

"I'm still finding it difficult to make a living," Djimon said. "I've been in the film industry for more than 20 years, with two Oscar nominations and several blockbuster films, and yet, I'm still struggling financially. I'm definitely not paid enough."

"I was nominated for a Golden Globe, but they overlooked me for the Oscars, thinking I had just come from the streets," Djimon shared. "Even though I proved myself, they just didn’t consider me deserving of respect as an actor."

He went on to express his views on Hollywood's diversity and the progress he believes is still needed in the entertainment industry.

"This concept of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism isn’t going to change overnight."

However, this isn't the first time Djimon has addressed issues with unfair pay. In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, he shared that he has "yet to meet the film that paid me fairly."

"I still have to prove why I deserve to be paid," he explained. "They always offer me an incredibly low amount: 'This is all we have for the role, but we adore you and truly believe you can bring so much to it.'"

You can watch Djimon's full CNN interview here.