Entertainment

Djimon Hounsou on Feeling ‘Cheated’ in Hollywood: ‘I’m Still Struggling to Try to Make a Dollar’

Published

7 days ago

March 18, 2023

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Djimon Hounsou says he’s still overlooked in Hollywood.

“I’m still struggling to try to make a dollar!” the Beninese-American actor told the Guardian. “I’ve come up in the business with some people who are absolutely well off and have very little of my accolades. So I feel cheated, tremendously cheated, in terms of finances and in terms of the workload as well.”

Hounsou made his film debut more than 30 years ago, appearing in the Sandra Bernhard-led comedy Without You I’m Nothing. Since then, the 58-year-old has appeared in a number of prestigious and critically acclaimed projects, including Steven Spielberg’s Amistad, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, and Edward Zwicks’ Blood Diamond, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor nod at the 79th Academy Awards.

“I’ve gone to studios for meetings and they’re like: ‘Wow, we felt like you just got off the boat and then went back [after [Amistad],” he explained. We didn’t know you were here as a true actor.’ When you hear things like that, you can see that some people’s vision of you, or what you represent, is very limiting. But it is what it is. It’s up to me to redeem that.”

Honsou has also appeared in numerous blockbusters, like Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America, the Fast and Furious franchise, A Quiet Place II, and, most recently, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which premiered in U.S. theaters on Friday.

The actor says he still has “to prove why I need to get paid.”

“They always come at me with a complete low ball: ‘We only have this much for the role, but we love you so much and we really think you can bring so much’… Film after film, it’s a struggle,” he explained. “I have yet to meet the film that paid me fairly.”

While it’s clear Hollywood still has a long way to go in terms of pay equity and representation, Honsou acknowledges there’s been improvement over the years. He points to his role in the Shazam franchise, which was significantly expanded in the newly released sequel.

“Out of them all, the DC universe has a level of respect,” says Honsou, who plays The Wizard. “There wasn’t much to the role at first and I did it and it was fun. But the second time around it was a little more respectful.”

He continued: “From time to time, they themselves make the point of saying: ‘We should give him more, he’s a little underappreciated.’ I think they recognise that themselves. Hey, it’s the struggle I have to overcome!”

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Entertainment

Jay-Z’s net worth reaches $2.5 billion, extends lead as richest rapper alive

Published

9 hours ago

March 24, 2023

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JAY-Z has cemented his lead as the world’s richest rapper with a net worth of $2.5 billion.

The new figure is reportedly due to money for Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Usse cognac, a business venture that belonged to the rapper, until recently.

Interestingly, this increase in wealth comes without Hov, as he is often called, releasing a new album or going on tour.

Jay-Z’s net worth reaches $2.5 billion, extends lead as richest rapper alive

In February, it was announced that JAY-Z had reached a settlement in his legal battle with D’USSE.

According to Bloomberg, HOV and Bacardi managed to settle a multi-billion dollar lawsuit that saw the Brand buy Jay’s stake in the company for $750 million. However, the rapper is said to retain a “significant interest,” indicating the acquisition of JayZ’s majority stake while he retains a minority stake within the company.

JAY said in his statement, “Growing D’USSÉ over the past decade from an idea to one of the fastest-selling spirits in history has been a blessing,”

Jay-Z’s net worth reaches $2.5 billion, extends lead as richest rapper alive

According to TMZ, JayZ and Bacardi’s partnership began in 2011, and Hov intended to take over all of D’Usse’s books, records and deposits on drinks and accessories. Sources claimed that he also wanted physical inventory and process details.

The lawsuit states that the rapper “intended to monitor [Bacardi’s] business conduct to protect SC’s rights as a partner.”

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Entertainment

Tom Cruise avoids Will Smith to protect his own ‘reputation’ in Hollywood

Published

16 hours ago

March 24, 2023

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Tom Cruise avoids Will Smith to protect his own ‘reputation’ in Hollywood

Tom Cruise will be next seen in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’

Tom Cruise has reportedly been distancing himself from Will Smith. Sources close to the Top Gun: Maverick star have revealed that he’s not willing to risk his reputation following the King Richard actor’s infamous Oscars slapgate.

According to sources close to the actors, Smith, 53, has been trying to reconnect with Cruise in hopes of collaborating on a new project that would help revive his career.

However, Cruise, 60, has been avoiding Smith as he’s refused to respond to his messages. Hollywood experts believe that the Mission: Impossible star is concerned that associating with Smith could potentially harm his reputation.

“Will has approached Tom several times, trying to reconnect and see if they can hang out and brainstorm on some projects together. A solid movie with Tom would guarantee Will’s comeback, or so he thinks,” revealed insiders.

“Will has even offered to fly to London if that’s more convenient, but Tom isn’t biting and doesn’t even write him back.”

On the professional front, Smith was last seen in Emancipation, which earned critical praise and generated buzz in Hollywood.

Cruise, on the other hand, will be next seen in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

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Entertainment

Storage Wars’ star Gunter Nezhoda dies aged 67 after losing battle with cancer just months after diagnosis

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2023

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Gunter Nezhoda died in sleep in Salt Lake City from lung cancer complications.

The ‘Storage Wars’ star Gunter Nezhoda has died aged 67 after losing his battle with cancer, just six months after his diagnosis.

Nezhoda died in his sleep in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night as a result of complications from lung cancer, his son and fellow ‘Storage Wars’ star Rene Nezhoda told TMZ.

Rene said Nezhoda was diagnosed with lung cancer in September after smoking for 30 years – but the chemotherapy treatment left holes on his lungs.

Nezhoda flew to Utah for an emergency surgery to treat his lungs, but medics said there was nothing more they could do for him, Rene said.

In a video, Rene said: ‘I’m telling you guys this because I know that you guys connected with my dad.

The ‘Storage Wars’ star Gunter Nezhoda (pictured right with his son Rene on Storage Wars) has died aged 67 after losing his battle with cancer , just six months after his diagnosis

My dad was one of the guys on Storage Wars that never really got any hate, people just loved him and being around him, including the crew.

‘Everybody loved working with my dad, so I appreciate the support.

‘A lot of people have been asking how my dad is doing and I just haven’t really talked about anything because we kept it private and we thought he was going to fully recover but unfortunately he didn’t.

‘He was 67 years old and all the love that you guys have shown him and support he really appreciated that.

‘And so hopefully he’s up there in heaven with my mom, dancing again with no more pain.’

Rene said Nezhoda’s son, Ricky, was with him when he passed away on Tuesday.

Gunter, who was born in Vienna and then lived in Frankfurt, Germany for ten years before moving to Las Vegas in 1990, starred in seven episodes of ‘Storage Wars’ from 2015-2019.

He was also a movie star and worked on Bass with the musicians Pat Travers, Leslie West, Michael Schenker, George Lynch, and Kevin Dubrow.

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