Djimon Hounsou net worth is $2 million in 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The Beninese-American actor and former fashion model rose from homelessness in Paris to become a two-time Academy Award nominee and a familiar presence in some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises — yet he has spoken openly about being underpaid and struggling to achieve financial security.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Djimon Gaston Hounsou |
| Born | April 24, 1964, Cotonou, Benin (then Dahomey) |
| Net worth (2026) | $2 million (Celebrity Net Worth estimate) |
| Academy Award nominations | 2 (Best Supporting Actor, “In America” and “Blood Diamond”) |
| Breakthrough role | Cinqué in “Amistad” (1997) |
| Franchises | Marvel, DC, Fast & Furious, A Quiet Place, Rebel Moon |
| Former career | fashion model in Paris from 1987 |
Early Life
Djimon Gaston Hounsou was born on April 24, 1964, in Cotonou, in what was then the Republic of Dahomey and is now Benin. His parents were Albertine and Pierre Hounsou. At age 12, he moved with his brother Edmond to Lyon, France. Hounsou later dropped out of school and endured a period of homelessness in Paris. His circumstances changed after he met photographer and fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who encouraged him to pursue modeling. Hounsou began working as a model in Paris in 1987 and moved to the United States in 1990.
Modeling and Early Acting Career
Hounsou entered entertainment as a fashion model after Mugler’s encouragement, appearing in campaigns and runway shows before moving to the United States in 1990. His first screen appearances came in prominent music videos: Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” Madonna’s “Express Yourself” and Janet Jackson’s “Love Will Never Do (Without You).” He made his feature-film debut in the 1990 Sandra Bernhard comedy “Without You I’m Nothing.” During the first half of the decade he took small roles in films and television, including “Stargate,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “ER.”
“Amistad” and Hollywood Breakthrough
Hounsou’s career changed dramatically when Steven Spielberg cast him as Sengbe Pieh, also known as Cinqué, in the 1997 historical drama “Amistad,” telling the story of African captives who revolted aboard the slave ship La Amistad and fought for their freedom in the American court system. Although Hounsou had limited dialogue in English, his performance became the emotional center of the film. He earned a Golden Globe nomination and widespread critical recognition, establishing himself as a serious dramatic actor. He subsequently appeared as the warrior Juba in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator,” starring Russell Crowe, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He followed it with roles in “The Four Feathers,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life” and the French Western “Blueberry.”
Academy Award Nominations
Hounsou earned his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the 2003 drama “In America,” playing Mateo, an artist living in the same New York apartment building as an Irish immigrant family coping with the death of a child. His performance also brought Screen Actors Guild and other critics’ nominations. His next major roles included “Constantine,” opposite Keanu Reeves, and the science-fiction thriller “The Island,” starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. In 2006, he starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond,” portraying Solomon Vandy, a fisherman searching for his family amid the civil war in Sierra Leone. The performance earned him a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, along with Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice nominations, and he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor. His other work during this period included “Eragon,” “Never Back Down,” “Push,” “The Tempest,” “Elephant White” and “Baggage Claim.”
Blockbusters and Franchise Roles
Hounsou became a frequent presence in large-scale action, fantasy and comic-book films. In 2014, he made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Korath the Pursuer in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” later reprising the character in “Captain Marvel.” He played the mercenary Mose Jakande in “Furious 7,” one of the highest-grossing installments in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. His other action credits included “Seventh Son,” “The Vatican Tapes,” “The Legend of Tarzan,” “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” and “Serenity.” He has also appeared in several productions based on DC Comics characters, voicing the Fisherman King in “Aquaman” and portraying the ancient wizard who grants Billy Batson his powers in “Shazam!” He returned as the wizard in “Black Adam” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” In 2019, he appeared in the reboot of “Charlie’s Angels.” He later joined the “A Quiet Place” franchise, first appearing in “A Quiet Place Part II” before returning for the prequel “A Quiet Place: Day One.”
Recent Films
Hounsou appeared as a member of the Kingsman organization in “The King’s Man” and played Steve Mardenborough in the racing drama “Gran Turismo.” He portrayed General Titus in Zack Snyder’s two-part science-fiction epic “Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire” and “Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver.” His other projects have included “The Monster,” “The Rising,” “The Zealot” and “Red Card,” an action thriller featuring Halle Berry and Scott Eastwood.
Voice Acting
Hounsou has built a substantial voice-acting résumé. He voiced T’Challa, also known as Black Panther, in the animated television series “Black Panther.” In 2014, he voiced the villainous dragon hunter Drago Bludvist in “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” His distinctive voice has made him particularly well-suited to authoritative characters, warriors and mythological figures.
Modeling and Other Work
Hounsou continued modeling after becoming an established actor. In 2007, Calvin Klein selected him for a major underwear campaign. He also appeared in advertisements connected to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Outside entertainment, he has supported humanitarian and environmental causes. In September 2009, he spoke at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change. He later founded the Djimon Hounsou Foundation, focused on reconnecting members of the African diaspora with the continent’s culture, history and heritage.
Financial Struggles
Despite two Academy Award nominations and appearances in several billion-dollar film franchises, Hounsou has spoken openly about the difficulty of achieving long-term financial security as a working actor. In a January 2025 interview with CNN, he said he was still struggling to make a living after more than two decades in filmmaking, and that he felt underpaid. He said he had also faced discrimination within the industry, arguing that critical acclaim and prominent roles had not translated into the compensation or opportunities received by some of his peers. Financial documents filed during a custody dispute in 2026 offered a rare look at his income and expenses. Hounsou reported average gross monthly income of approximately $60,000, while claiming monthly expenses of roughly $85,000, including a $9,700 mortgage payment, $5,000 in automobile expenses, and $2,500 each for groceries and household supplies, dining out, clothing, and entertainment and vacations. His former partner, Ri’za Marie Simpson, disputed his calculation and estimated his gross income may have been closer to $133,000 per month. Hounsou emphasized that acting work is unpredictable and income can vary dramatically from year to year and month to month.
Film Salaries
The same financial declaration disclosed his compensation for several recent projects: “Red Card” at $1.25 million, “A Quiet Place: Day One” at $1.1 million, “The Monster” at $400,000, “The Rising” at $300,000, “The Zealot” at $300,000, and the two “Rebel Moon” films at $250,000 combined. In addition, he disclosed more than $600,000 in residual income from various projects and approximately $150,000 for work connected to FIFA. These figures represented gross earnings before taxes, commissions paid to agents and managers, legal and accounting expenses, and other professional costs. In total, he earned $4.35 million from these disclosed salaries.
Personal Life
Hounsou began dating model and fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons in 2007. They participated in a traditional commitment ceremony in Benin in 2008 but were not legally married in the United States. Their son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, was born in 2009. Hounsou and Simmons separated in 2012. Hounsou later entered a relationship with Ri’za Marie Simpson. The former couple share two children, a son born in 2022 and a daughter born in 2023. In January 2026, Hounsou filed a court case seeking joint legal and physical custody following the couple’s breakup and a contentious domestic dispute at his Atlanta residence. Simpson agreed to shared legal custody but asked for primary physical custody, citing his acting and travel schedule, and sought child support and assistance with legal expenses. The custody case followed conflicting allegations arising from a December 2025 confrontation. Simpson was arrested on charges of simple assault and obstruction after Hounsou alleged she struck him, allegations she denied. Simpson subsequently obtained a temporary protective order against Hounsou while making allegations of her own. She later dismissed the order after the two sides reached an agreement, although their custody and financial dispute continued. Court filings from the case ultimately revealed extensive information about his acting income, monthly expenses and recent film salaries.
Real Estate
In August 2004, Hounsou paid $1.12 million for a home in Playa del Rey, California. In January 2020, he purchased another house in Los Angeles’ Westchester neighborhood for $2.1 million. He listed the Westchester property for rent in October 2023 at $11,750 per month and appears to have found a tenant in February 2024 at approximately $10,500 per month.
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