July 27, 2005
Djimon Hounsou Rocks
The first time I ever saw Djimon Hounsou was in (what I say is) the best Steven Spielberg film ever made... Amistad. Playing the leader of a slave ship rebellion, Hounsou captivated you every moment he was on the screen.
Even in Gladiator, or In America (which he was nominated for an Oscar for), the man has a pure power of presence that I haven't seen since Sean Connery. He's just great in everything I've seen him in... he's even good in The Island.
Anyway, CNN has a really good article on Hounsou that is really worth the read. Here's an excerpt:
Hounsou has been working regularly in recent years on both the big and small screens, with notable story arcs on "ER" and "Alias" and appearing in such films as 2003's "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" with Angelina Jolie and with Laurence Fishburne in "Biker Boyz." Earlier this year, he co-starred in "Constantine" with Keanu Reeves and as Queen Latifah's love interest "Beauty Shop."This guy is 100% leading man material. All he needs is the right script and a director ready to allow him to make that step and I think you've got a serious major career. Just my opinion anyway. Go over and give that article a read."Baby steps," he says of his career moves. "No matter how you look at it, we're minorities in the Hollywood world, and you still have so much to work for, and we don't necessarily have the luxury of making mistakes. With us there's stakes in mistakes, so you have to play your cards and be patient."
Posted by John Campea at July 27, 2005 11:58 AM
Comments
Posted by: Franklin at July 27, 2005 02:27 PM
Hounsou was brilliant in 'In America' as a man dying of aids... ran the emotional gammut from intense anger, to bright sweetness with children. Seriously overlooked at awards season a couple of years ago!
Posted by: Julianne at July 27, 2005 05:05 PM
i completely disagree with you about the island, he was surprisingly boring in that one. but then again the character was boring so that probably had something to do with it.
Posted by: tj at July 27, 2005 05:57 PM
ON biker boyz, he said he was making a film, "with my own people" that is a racist comment!
Posted by: jou at July 31, 2005 05:07 AM
Housou is indeed great in The Island. He plays his character like a high-profile male supermodel choppering into Brazil for a last-minute emergency photo shoot, when he's chasing after Lincoln and Jordan. (I caved in and decided to watch the movie in the theater.)
Actually, all the actors in The Island were great. Ewan was cool, coming across the way most of us guys would imagine ourselves in such a situation, and Scarlett was very yummy. Bay complained that the movie posters made her out looking like a porn star, but that's what she looks like in the movie -- and I'm not complaining! I think ultimately The Island will be appreciated as a cult sci-fi flick, for all the great actors and how shiny, glossy and sleek Bay made them look. Seriously.
By the way, didn't have time to say, John: But thumbs up on the latest video cast! Now get yourselves some clip-on mics and it will be perfect. :thumbup: