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Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou TV Listings

ChannelDate & TimeTitleBuy
STARZTue, Nov 24, 3:40 AMNever Back DownBuy
AMCTue, Nov 24, 12:30 PMStargateBuy
STARZTue, Nov 24, 7:00 PMNever Back DownBuy
TNTSat, Nov 28, 9:00 PMGladiatorBuy
TNTSun, Nov 29, 8:00 PMGladiatorBuy

Djimon Hounsou Biography

djimon hounsou
  • Birth Name: Djimon Gaston Hounsou
  • Birth Place: Cotenou, Benin
  • Date of Birth / Zodiac Sign: 04/24/1964, Taurus
  • Profession: Actor
A commanding supporting player who excels at portraying strong but wounded souls, Benin-born Hounsou endured a real rags-to-riches story off screen. Although his family sent him to France at age 13 to pursue a better life, he soon dropped out of school and ended up homeless on the streets of Paris. A chance meeting with a photographer led to an introduction to fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who, taken with the teen's impressive physique and exotic features, turned him into a model. In his twenties, Hounsou decided he wanted to add acting to his résumé, so he relocated to the U.S., popping up in a number of early '90s music videos (Madonna's "Express Yourself," Paula Abdul's "Straight Up") and small movie roles (Stargate). Then in 1997, Hounsou exploded onto the Hollywood scene as the leader of a slave-ship mutiny in Steven Spielberg's historical drama Amistad. (Coincidentally, Hounsou played an identical role in the little-seen, low-rent indie Ill Gotten Gains, which was inspired by the same events.) For his searing and scary performance in Amistad, Hounsou earned an Image Award and a Golden Globe nod, plus the inevitable Oscar buzz, although ultimately he didn't receive a nomination. For the next few years, he alternated between the big and small screens, turning in unforgettable work with a recurring role on ER as a tortured African immigrant seeking political asylum, and a stoic (not to mention sexy) supporting turn as Russell Crowe's friend and fellow fighter in Gladiator. In 2002, Hounsou was finally recognized by the Academy when he earned his first Oscar nod for his role as an AIDS-afflicted painter in In America. Although many of his subsequent projects were high-profile but unchallenging (Biker Boyz, The Island), his intense turn as a poor fisherman searching for salvation in the form of a pink gem in 2006's Blood Diamond earned Hounsou his second Academy Award nomination.
Djimon Hounsou Fast Facts:
  • Made his feature-film debut in 1990's Without You I'm Nothing.
  • Won Best Actor - Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards and was nominated for Best Actor - Drama at the Satellite Awards for his performance in 1997's Amistad.
  • Won Best Supporting Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards, the San Diego Film Critics Awards and the Satellite Awards for 2002's In America, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.
    Djimon Hounsou Relationships:
  • Albertine Hounsou - Mother
  • Edmond Hounsou - Brother
  • Kenzo Lee Hounsou - Son
  • Kimora Lee Simmons - Significant Other
  • Pierre Hounsou - Father
  • Victoria Mahoney - Ex-significant Other

    • Djimon Hounsou Awards:
  • 1998 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
  • 2003 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee
  • 2006 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee

Djimon Hounsou Biography, TV Listings and More from TVGuide.com
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