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Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou. He emigrated to Paris at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond. 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, leading him into acting.
Djimon's film debut was in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard film 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 2002 Gap commercial directed by Peter Lindbergh, dancing to a rendition of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" by Arrested Development's Baba Oje.
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 same year, Charlize Theron, a South African actress was nominated for her work in Monster, and 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.
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. Also, David Jaffe expressed interest in seeing Djimon play the hero and main character, Kratos, in an upcoming movie based on the hit video game God of War.
News |
What members say |
Filmography
Djimon Hounsou - news / articles
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Hounsou to play Angel of Death in Paradise Lost -
22 August 2011
-Blood Diamond star Djimon Hounsou has been cast as the Angel of Death in the new movie adaptation of John Milton's epic 17th century poem Paradise Lost.-The actor will portray Abdiel in director Alex Proyas' ambitious movie project, which will also feature Bradley Coop
Djimon Hounsou - what members say
review by A customer from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, UK
In America - Not to be missed 30 December 2003
review by A customer from London, England
Don't miss this one 31 December 2006
review by A customer from Basingstoke
Outstanding Acting Performance 11 February 2008
Djimon Hounsou - filmography
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Elephant White
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Djimon Hounsou, Jirantanin Pitakporntrakul
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Certificate: 
Watch now: £3.49
When the daughter of a powerful businessman is kidnapped and murdered by a notorious gang of Thai sex-traffickers, skilled mercenary Curtie Church (Djimon Hounsou) along with ruthless weapons dealer Jimmy The Brit (Kevin Bacon) are hired to hunt the gang down and take them out.
However, what ..read more »
 
50%
from 543 members
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Special Forces - Blu-ray
(2011)
Starring: Diane Kruger, Benoit Magimel, Denis Menochet
Director: Stephane Rybojad
Certificate: 
Watch now: Unavailable
Reporter Elsa Casamova has been taken hostage by the Taliban and is faced with imminent execution. A special forces unit is sent in to rescue her and they are faced with some of the worst dangers of their lives in order to ensure that they bring her back alive.
61%
from 311 members
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Special Forces
on DVD
(2011)
Starring: Diane Kruger, Benoit Magimel, Denis Menochet
Director: Stephane Rybojad
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Amidst the savage battlegrounds, Afghanistan war correspondent Elsa Casanova (Diane Kruger, Unknown) is willing to risk everything to get her story, even her life. Taken hostage by the feared Taliban she faces imminent execution. As the news reaches government officials an elite commando force is ..read more »
66%
from 391 members
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The Tempest
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Helen Mirren, Djimon Hounsou, Alfred Molina
Director: Julie Taymor
Certificate: 
Watch now: Unavailable
In Julie Taymor's version of 'The Tempest,' the main character is now a woman named Prospera. Going back to the 16th or 17th century, women practicing the magical arts of alchemy were often convicted of witchcraft. In Taymor's version, Prospera is usurped by her brother and sent off with her four-..read more »
51%
from 1,429 member
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Push
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Chris Evans
Director: Paul McGuigan
Certificate: 
Watch now: Unavailable
A group of people with special powers are being pursued by a top secret government agency. Only by banding together and uniting their powers do they have any hope of escaping them forever.
61%
from 24,385 members
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Push - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Chris Evans
Director: Paul McGuigan
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
A group of people with special powers are being pursued by a top secret government agency. Only by banding together and uniting their powers do they have any hope of escaping them forever.
60%
from 5,363 members
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Never Back Down - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: Sean Faris, Amber Heard, Cam Gigandet
Director: Jeff Wadlow
Certificate:
Like THE KARATE KID with a Mixed Martial Arts kick, NEVER BACK DOWN centres on Jake Tyler, a new kid in town whose skills aren't enough to take on the school bully. So Jake begins to study the techniques of the hard-hitting sport under the tutelage of a gifted fighter (Djimon Hounsou, BLOOD DIAMOND)..read more »
67%
from 2,273 members
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Blood Diamond - HD
(2006)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Edward Zwick
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Set in Sierra Leone, BLOOD DIAMOND explores the role of diamond trading in the African civil war of the late 1990s. Narrowly escaping death when his village is invaded by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) militia, fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is enslaved at a diamond mine and has his ..read more »
78%
from 1,587 member
Not currently released
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Blood Diamond - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Edward Zwick
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Set in Sierra Leone, BLOOD DIAMOND explores the role of diamond trading in the African civil war of the late 1990s. Narrowly escaping death when his village is invaded by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) militia, fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is enslaved at a diamond mine and has his ..read more »
80%
from 10,647 members
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Eragon - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Edward Speleers, Djimon Hounsou, Jeremy Irons
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Certificate:
Based on the first novel in Christopher Paolini's popular INHERITANCE trilogy, ERAGON is a fantastical adventure in a vein similar to that of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. A classic story of a quest driven by destiny and set in a land where elves, magicians, and humans ..read more »
59%
from 3,057 members
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Blood Diamond
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Edward Zwick
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsoue). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son conscripted as a child ..read more »
78%
from 109,091 members
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Eragon
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Edward Speleers, Djimon Hounsou, Jeremy Irons
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Certificate:
In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon's egg - a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realized he's the one person who can defend his home against an evil king.
61%
from 37,545 members
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The Island
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Bay
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
In this action thriller from director Michael Bay (Pearl Harbour, Armageddon), survivors of global contamination live in a sterile, self-contained world where their every move is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, refrain from asking questions, and don't rock the boat. Everything they need ..read more »
63%
from 104,092 members
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Constantine
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf
Director: Francis Lawrence
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer and written by Kevin Brodbin, Mark Bomback and Frank Capello, Constantine tells the story of irreverent supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), who has literally been to hell and back.
62%
from 78,291 members
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The Island - HD
(2005)
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Bay
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
In this action thriller from director Michael Bay (PEARL HARBOR, ARMAGEDDON), survivors of global contamination live in a sterile, self-contained world where their every move is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, refrain from asking questions, and don't rock the boat. Everything they need ..read more »
69%
from 735 members
Not currently released
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Constantine - Blu-ray
(2005)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf
Director: Francis Lawrence
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
Having been born with the gift of being able to see the spirits that roam the Earth, John Constantine finds himself stuck between the boundaries of Heaven and Hell. Seeking salvation, he teams up with a sceptical LAPD cop who is investigating the suspicious death of her sister, and together they ..read more »
69%
from 2,699 members
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The Island - Blu-ray
(2005)
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Bay
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
In this action thriller from director Michael Bay (PEARL HARBOR, ARMAGEDDON), survivors of global contamination live in a sterile, self-contained world where their every move is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, refrain from asking questions, and don't rock the boat. Everything they need ..read more »
70%
from 4,231 members
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Biker Boyz
on DVD
(2003)
Starring: Orlando Jones, Laurence Fishburne, Derek Luke
Director: Reggie Rock Bythewood
Certificate:
This eclectic entry in the "extreme sports" genre takes a close, fictionalized look at the world of California motorcycle clubs. (It is based on an L.A. New Times article.) The great Laurence Fishburne appears as Smoke, the unbeaten "king of Cali" motorcycle racing, and president of The Black ..read more »
53%
from 2,792 members
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In America
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine, Sarah Bolger
Director: Jim Sheridan
Certificate:
Jim Sheridan's autobiographical film, IN AMERICA, begins as Irish immigrants Johnny (Paddy Considine, ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS), his wife Sarah (Samantha Morton, SWEET & LOWDOWN), and their two daughters drive their wood-panelled station wagon across the Canadian border and into the United States. As ..read more »
66%
from 16,648 members
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The Middle Passage
(2000)
Starring: Djimon Hounsou, Maka Kotto
Director: Guy Deslauriers
Certificate: 
A realistic look at the horrors of the slave trade, told entirely through the voice of a dead African slave whose spirit haunts the ocean route.
42%
from 5 members
Currently unavailable
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Deep Rising
on DVD
(1998)
Starring: Wes Studi, Anthony Heald, Kevin O'Connor
Director: Stephen Sommers
Certificate:
Aboard the luxury liner Argonautica, a mysterious and deadly presence makes mincemeat of vacationing passengers, leaving only a handful of terrified survivors adrift at sea. Enter a mercenary sailor and his crew, who board the ship in hopes of pilfering its riches--but instead find themselves the ..read more »
63%
from 3,111 members
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Stargate - Blu-ray
(1994)
Starring: , ,
Director: Roland Emmerich
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
In this visually creative space adventure from the team that would go on to give the world INDEPENDENCE DAY and GODZILLA, a timid, glasses-wearing Egyptologist (Spader) uncovers an ancient portal to another planet and is dispatched there forthwith--along with blundering, clodfooted government ..read more »
74%
from 1,809 member
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Stargate
on DVD
(1994)
Starring: , ,
Director: Roland Emmerich
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
In this visually creative space adventure from the team that would go on to give the world INDEPENDENCE DAY and GODZILLA, a timid, glasses-wearing Egyptologist (Spader) uncovers an ancient portal to another planet and is dispatched there forthwith--along with blundering, clodfooted government ..read more »
70%
from 19,138 members
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Constantine - HD
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf
Director: Francis Lawrence
Certificate:
Watch now: £2.49
Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer and written by Kevin Brodbin, Mark Bomback and Frank Capello, Constantine tells the story of irreverent supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), who has literally been to hell and back.
68%
from 1,356 member
Not currently released
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Djimon Hounsou facts
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...o surprise to see the younger of the two take best actress in a supporting role.Djimon Hounsou is not a name that I have come across before but again a fine piece of acting b...
