Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Gaston Hounsou | ||||||||||
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Birth name | Djimon Gaston Hounsou | |||||||||
Born | April 24, 1964 Cotonou, Benin |
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Djimon Gaston Hounsou (born April 24, 1964) is an Academy Award-nominated Beninoise actor, dancer and fashion model.
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Biography
Early life
Hounsou (pronounced /ʒaɪ́mʌ̌n ɒ́nsǔ/ (last name pronounced Hansoo)) was born in Cotonou, Benin to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou. He was sent to live in Paris at the age of fourteen with his brother. Edmond,[1] One year before obtaining his college degree he dropped out of school. He lived on the streets for a while until he was discovered by fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who made him a model. Modeling led to acting.
Career
Hounsou's film debut was in Without You I'm Nothing, and he has had television parts 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)", which co-starred Antonio Sabato Jr. He also starred in a commercial for The Gap in 2003.
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 first black African to be nominated for an Oscar. That year, with Charlize Theron, a South African actress nominated for her work in Monster, was the first time that two African-born performers were nominated for an Oscar in the same year. 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.
On February 24, 2007, it was announced that Hounsou will be the new Calvin Klein Underwear model. Starting with the Fall 2007 season, he will be featured in the brand's global print advertising campaign including the launch of their new Calvin Klein Steel product line. Former Calvin Klein Underwear models include such notables as international football(soccer) star Freddie Ljungberg and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg.
Director Tim Story recently mentioned to IGN that if he was to do a third Fantastic Four movie, he would like to have Hounsou as the Black Panther.
Personal life
Hounsou has recently been spotted with the (almost) divorcee Kimora Lee Simmons.[1] He is now a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Filmography
- Without You I'm Nothing (1990)
- Unlawful Entry (1992)
- Stargate (1994)
- The Small Hours (1997)
- Amistad (1997)
- Ill Gotten Gains (1997)
- Deep Rising (1998)
- Gladiator (2000)
- The Middle Passage (2000) (documentary) (narrator in US version)
- The Tag (2001)
- Dead Weight (2002)
- The Four Feathers (2002)
- In America (2002)
- Heroes (2002) (short subject)
- Biker Boyz (2003)
- Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
- Alias (2004) (season 3, Mr Bomani)
- Blueberry (2004)
- Constantine (2005)
- Beauty Shop (2005)
- The Island (2005)
- Blood Diamond (2006)
- Eragon (2006)
- Get Some (2008)
Upcoming:
- The Trunk (2007)
- God of War (Unconfirmed) (2008)
Awards/nominations
- Academy Awards
- 2007, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
- 2004, Best Supporting Actor: In America (Nominated)
- Black Reel Awards
- 2007, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- 2004, Best Supporting Actor: In America (Winner)
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- 2007, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
- Golden Globes
- 1998, Best Actor-Drama: Amistad (Nominated)
- Independent Spirit Awards
- 2004, Best Supporting Male: In America (Winner)
- NAACP Image Awards
- 2007, Outstanding Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actor: In America (Nominated)
- 1998, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Amistad (Winner)
- National Board of Review
- 2006, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- Screen Actors Guild
- 2007, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
- 2004, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: In America (Nominated)
- 2001, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Gladiator (Nominated)