Djimon Hounsou Joins Tony Kaye’s ‘African History Y’

Anthony D'Alessandro
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Djimon Hounsou has boarded director Tony Kaye’s African History Y.

The plot is being kept under wraps, billed only as “a story of tragedy and redemption.” Charles Chanchori, Jason Corder and Kaye are writing. DeForrest Taylor, Marc Le Chat, Kaye and Raymond J. Markovich are producing.

Said Kaye, “Djimon and I met just after I did American History X. It was a cathartic meeting, and I knew immediately that he was an actor that I had to work with. The material had to be right, and thank God, now we have a project to work together on. The color cameras inside my head are ready to go to work in Africa.”

Said Hounsou: “African History Y could not have come at a better time as I explore bringing more extraordinary African stories to the world. I’m excited to be working with Tony, and it’s somewhat pre-ordained that he and I have come full circle to work with each other.”

Kaye is a six-time Grammy nominated music video director whose credits include Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train”, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California”, Roger Waters’ “What God Wants” and “Help Me” as well as Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” His 1998 New Line drama American History X starred Edward Norton as a former neo-nazi skinhead who tries to prevent his younger brother from going down the same wrong path that he did; earned the actor a Best Actor Oscar nomination.

Hounsou received a supporting actor Oscar nomination for Blood Diamond and another one previously for In America. He also earned a Golden Globe Best Actor drama nomination for Amistad. Next year, he stars in 20th Century Studios’ The King’s Man (Feb. 12) and Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II (April 23). Hounsou is represented by The Safran Company, CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Kaye is represented by Untitled, AIG and US Law.

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