- Djimon Hounsou
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Djimon Hounsou 
Hounsou arrives at the premiere of Push, Mann Theater, Westwood, USA 2009Born Djimon Dia Hounsou
April 24, 1964
Cotonou, BeninOccupation Actor/Model Years active 1990–present Djimon Diaw Hounsou (pronounced [dʒimɔ̃ hũsu];[need tone] born April 24, 1964) is a Beninese actor and model. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.[1]
Contents
Early life
Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook.[2] He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond. In 1987, he became a model and established a career in Paris. He moved to the U.S. in 1990.[2][3]
Career
In 1989 he appeared in a music video of Straight Up by Paula Abdul.[4] Hounsou'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)” from Rhythm Nation 1814, which co-starred Antonio Sabàto, 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 fourth African male to be nominated for an Oscar (along with Basil Rathbone, Cecil Kellaway and Omar Sharif). That same year, Charlize Theron, a South African actress, was nominated for Best Actress and won for her work in Monster, and was the first time that one African man and one African woman 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 would be the new Calvin Klein underwear model. Starting with the Fall 2007 season, he was featured in the brand’s global print advertising campaign including the launch of their new Calvin Klein Steel product line.
Hounsou also acted in a supporting role in the 2009 science fiction film Push, as Agent Henry Carver.
In 2010, Hounsou was featured as the narrator in ESPN's running series of "32 teams, 1 dream" commercials for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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. In November 2008, it was announced that Hounsou will be providing the voice of the Black Panther in the upcoming animated series of the same name.[5] David Jaffe, Game Director of God of War, expressed interest in seeing Hounsou portray the hero and main character, Kratos, in a possible upcoming movie based on the hit video game of the same name.[citation needed] However, it is believed that plans for the movie have been scrapped because nothing has been said of the movie since 2005.[citation needed] He has signed on to play Abdiel in the film version of John Milton's Paradise Lost with Benjamin Walker and Bradley Cooper.
Personal life
Hounsou became a naturalized American citizen in 2007. He was reluctant to renounce his Beninese citizenship and therefore opted to become a dual citizen of both Benin and the United States, effectively rendering him a Beninese-American. Hounsou is one of just twenty-seven people in the world today to be officially recognized by this nationality.
In 2007, Hounsou began dating model/CEO of Baby Phat, Kimora Lee Simmons.[6] On May 30, 2009, Simmons gave birth to their son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, reportedly named because Kenzo means 3 (Kimora's third child). Hounsou is now a naturalized United States citizen,[7] residing in Los Angeles. Hounsou and Simmons visited Hounsou's family in his native Benin in the summer of 2008. While there, the two participated in a traditional commitment ceremony. The couple were adorned in traditional clothing and used the ceremony, in the presence of Hounsou's family, to solidfy that they are "dedicated to each other 100%." The two, however, emphasized that the ceremony was not a wedding. As of April 2010, the pair are not engaged. However, in the début of Kimora Lee Simmons' show, "Life in the Fab Lane", he was billed as her husband.[8]
Hounsou spoke at the Summit on Climate Change at the United Nations, on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.[9] On Tuesday, December 1, 2009, Hounsou told French media that developed countries “need to be held accountable” for their contribution to climate change.[10]
Filmography
List of film and television credits Year Title Role Notes 1990 Beverly Hills, 90210 doorman Without You I’m Nothing Ex-boyfriend 1992 Unlawful Entry Prisoner on bench 1994 Stargate Horus Guard 1997 The Small Hours Amistad Cinque NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaIll Gotten Gains Fyah 1998 Deep Rising Vivo 1999 ER Mobalage Ikabo 6 episodes 2000 Gladiator Juba Nominated - Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favourite Supporting Actor
Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureThe Middle Passage Narrator (documentary) (narrator in US version) 2001 Soul Food Victor Onuka 1 episode The Tag Marshall 2002 Le Boulet/Dead Weight Detective Youssouf The Four Feathers Abou Fatma In America Matelo Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureHeroes (short subject) 2003 Biker Boyz Motherland Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life Kosa 2004 Alias Kazari Bomani (season 3, Mr Bomani) 3 episodes Blueberry Woodhead 2005 Constantine Midnite Beauty Shop Joe The Island Albert Laurent 2006 Blood Diamond Solomon Vandy Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleEragon Ajihad 2008 Never Back Down Jean Roqua 2009 Push Henry Carver 2010 The Tempest Caliban 2011 Elephant White Curtie Church 2011 Special Forces Kovax 2013 Paradise Lost Abdiel Awards/nominations
- Academy Awards
- 2004 Best Supporting Actor: In America (Nominated)
- 2007 Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
- Black Reel Awards
- 2004 Best Supporting Actor: In America (Winner)
- 2007 Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- Broadcast Film Critics
- 2007, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
- Golden Globes
- 1998, Best Actor-Drama: Amistad (Nominated)
- Independent Spirit Awards hon
- 2004, Best Supporting Male: In America (Winner)
- NAACP Image Awards
- 1998, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Amistad (Winner)
- 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actor: In America (Nominated)
- 2007, Outstanding Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- National Board of Review
- 2006, Best Supporting Actor: Blood Diamond (Winner)
- Screen Actors Guild
- 2001, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Gladiator (Nominated)
- 2004, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: In America (Nominated)
- 2007, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Blood Diamond (Nominated)
References
- ^ Djimon Hounsou: The Push Interview Kam Williams. KamWilliams.com. 2009-01-30
- ^ a b http://www.filmreference.com/film/5/Djimon-Hounsou.html
- ^ Djimon Hounsou Biography - Yahoo! Movies
- ^ http://www.paula-abdul.net/html/straight_up.html
- ^ "Djimon Hounsou Roars as the Black Panther". http://www.marvel.com/news/.5951.Djimon_Hounsou_Roars_as_the_Black_Panther.
- ^ People.com
- ^ www.pe.com
- ^ Kimora Lee Simmons, Djimon Hounsou Had Commitment Ceremony
- ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113015959
- ^ "Developed countries need to be held accountable"
External links
- Djimon Hounsou at the Internet Movie Database
- Punching Up His Career Courant.com (March 10, 2008)
- Djimon Hounsou: The Push Interview with Kam Williams
Categories:- 1964 births
- Living people
- African American film actors
- African American television actors
- American people of Beninese descent
- French film actors
- French people of Black African descent
- French people of Beninese descent
- Beninese emigrants to the United States
- French television actors
- Independent Spirit Award winners
- Naturalized citizens of the United States
- People from Cotonou
- Academy Awards
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