Djimon Hounsou is a Beninese-American actor and the Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Djimon Hounsou Foundation. Born in Cotonou, Benin, he moved to Paris, France, at age 12. After a period of homelessness, he was discovered by fashion designer Thierry Mugler, leading to a modeling career in Paris before he moved to the United States in 1990.