Djimon Hounsou's acting ban

Feb 4, 2007, 11:30 GMT

01/28/2007 - Djimon Hounsou - 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Press Room - Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA © Chris Hatcher / Photorazzi

Djimon Hounsou's parents forbid him from becoming an actor.

The 'Blood Diamond' star - who left Benin, Africa, aged 13 to pursue his acting dreams - says his parents wanted him to be a doctor or a teacher.

Djimon said: "I wasn't exactly kicked out of the family, but they would never have accepted what I wanted to do. If you wanted to do anything other than becoming a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher or an economist, those thoughts would have been beaten out of you pretty quickly."

Djimon, 42, always knew he wanted to be an actor and was willing to risk losing his family to do so.

He said: "I had other ideas. I wanted to be an entertainer. I used to roll that word around my mouth because I loved it so much. An entertainer - such a beautiful word."

Despite realising his dream, Djimon insists fame has made him paranoid.

The Oscar-nominated actor finds it difficult to trust people and often feels alone.

He said: "Suddenly, everyone is your friend, but it's not long before you're all alone again, looking at your own four walls.

"You learn to handle it all, but it's an emotional rollercoaster."

(C) BANG Media International