Djimon Gaston Hounsou is a Beninese-American actor and model, born on April 24, 1964 in Cotonou, Benin. He immigrated to Lyon, France at age 12, where he quickly established a modeling career that later facilitated his move to the United States. Hounsou's foray into acting began with music video appearances and his debut film, Without You I'm Nothing (1990). He then gained considerable recognition for his role as Cinqué in the Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad (1997), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He also received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for performances in In America (2002) and Blood Diamond (2006).

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hounsou plays Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Captain Marvel (2019), and What If...? (2021). He also features in the DC Extended Universe as the Fisherman King in Aquaman (2018) and as the wizard Shazam in films of the same name. Some of his other notable films include Gladiator (2000), The Island (2005), Special Forces (2011), and A Quiet Place Part II (2021). In 2018, Hounsou furthered his career by making his directorial debut with a documentary film titled In Search of Voodoo: Roots to Heaven. His personal life made headlines when he began dating model Kimora Lee Simmons in 2007, with whom he has one child.