Djimon Hounsou reveals financial struggles despite Oscar-nominated career

Djimon Hounsou has revealed he struggles to make ends meet despite his Oscar-nominated career.

The 60-year-old Beninese-born American actor has been starring on screens since the 1990s and has appeared in huge franchises including Tomb Raider, Guardians of the Galaxy and A Quiet Place.

But he says his level of success has been held back - and reveals he has earned far less than his peers despite his career leading him to the Oscars twice.

He told CNN, "I've been in the filmmaking business for over two decades with two Oscar nominations and many blockbuster films, and yet, I'm still struggling financially. I'm definitely underpaid."

Hounsou stood to win the Best Supporting Actor role for In America in 2004 and Blood Diamond in 2007, but missed out both times - and he believes he was snubbed by the Oscars for his performance in Steven Spielberg's 1998 film Amistad.

He said, "I was nominated for the Golden Globe, but they ignored me for the Oscars because they thought that I had just come off the boat and the streets.

"Even though I successfully did that, they just didn't feel like I was an actor to whom they should pay any respect," he added.

Hounsou added, "This conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism don't change like that anytime soon."