Two-time Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou is a Beninese American actor who has appeared in over forty movies in a career spanning around three decades. He debuted with the musical comedy Without You I`m Nothing (1990), and first rose to prominence with his portrayal of Joseph Cinque in the Steven Spielberg directorial Amistad (1997). Subsequently, the actor earned his maiden Oscar nomination in 2004 courtesy of his performance in the drama film In America (2003) directed by Jim Sheridan.

In 2006, Hounsou essayed the role of Solomon Vandy, a fisherman forced into enslavement in a diamond mine, in the political war thriller Blood Diamond which also starred Leonardo DiCaprio. His acclaimed performance in the film also earned Hounsou his second Oscar nomination in 2007. The epic historical drama Gladiator (2000), the superhero movie Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), the action film Furious Seven (2015) are some of the actor`s other significant film credits. Notable projects in recent times include Aquaman (2018), the superhero film Captain Marvel (2019) and Shazam! (2019). His 2020 releases include the horror film A Quiet Place - Part 2.