Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker
Born 15/07/1961 in Longview, Texas, USA

Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, director, and activist. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, director, and activist. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

After making his film debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Whitaker went on to earn a reputation for intensive character study work for films, such as Platoon (1986), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Bird (1988), The Crying Game (1992), Phenomenon (1996), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), The Great Debaters (2007), The Butler (2013), Arrival (2016), and Respect (2021). He has also appeared in blockbusters, such as Panic Room (2002), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as Saw Gerrera, and Black Panther (2018) as Zuri. For his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the British historical drama film The Last King of Scotland (2006), Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Whitaker made his directorial debut with the television film Strapped (1993), and directed the films Waiting to Exhale (1995), Hope Floats (1998), and First Daughter (2004).

Apart from his film career, Whitaker is also known for his humanitarian work and activism. In 2011, he was inducted as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, later receiving a promotion to Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, and serves as the CEO of Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), a non-profit outreach program.

External links

Filmography (Movies)

Havoc

Havoc

Character:Lawrence Beaumont

Release Date:25/04/2025

The King of Kings

The King of Kings

Character:Peter (voice)

Release Date:07/04/2025

Seaweed Stories

Seaweed Stories

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:05/10/2024

to Crinkle their Wrist, Perfumed Splendour

to Crinkle their Wrist, Perfumed Splendour

Character:Ghost Dog (archive footage)

Release Date:26/11/2023

Big George Foreman

Big George Foreman

Character:Doc Broadus

Release Date:27/04/2023

Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend

Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend

Character:Self (archive footage)

Release Date:13/11/2022

Prophets of Change

Prophets of Change

Character:Narrator

Release Date:12/10/2022

Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look

Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look

Character:Saw Gerrera (archive footage) (uncredited)

Release Date:08/09/2022

Respect

Respect

Character:C. L. Franklin

Release Date:12/08/2021

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Character:Jeronicus Jangle

Release Date:06/11/2020

Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times

Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times

Character:Self

Release Date:19/09/2020

Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King

Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King

Character:Self

Release Date:30/08/2020

Finding Steve McQueen

Finding Steve McQueen

Character:Howard Lambert

Release Date:15/03/2019

City of Lies

City of Lies

Character:Jack Jackson

Release Date:06/09/2018

Burden

Burden

Character:Reverend Kennedy

Release Date:05/08/2018

How It Ends

How It Ends

Character:Tom

Release Date:13/07/2018

Sorry to Bother You

Sorry to Bother You

Character:First Equisapien / Demarius

Release Date:06/07/2018

Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace

Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:23/03/2018

The Forgiven

The Forgiven

Character:Desmond Tutu

Release Date:09/03/2018

Black Panther

Black Panther

Character:Zuri

Release Date:13/02/2018

The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'

Character:Self

Release Date:04/04/2017

Xenolinguistics: Understanding 'Arrival'

Xenolinguistics: Understanding 'Arrival'

Character:Self

Release Date:14/02/2017

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Character:Saw Gerrera

Release Date:14/12/2016

I Am You

I Am You

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:12/12/2016

Arrival

Arrival

Character:Colonel Weber

Release Date:10/11/2016

Dope

Dope

Character:The Narrator (voice)

Release Date:19/06/2015

Southpaw

Southpaw

Character:Titus 'Tick' Wills

Release Date:24/03/2015

Taken 3

Taken 3

Character:Inspector Frank Dotzler

Release Date:16/12/2014

Two Men in Town

Two Men in Town

Character:William Garnett

Release Date:07/05/2014

Food Chains

Food Chains

Character:

Release Date:26/04/2014

Repentance

Repentance

Character:Angel

Release Date:28/02/2014

Zulu

Zulu

Character:Ali Sokhela

Release Date:04/12/2013

Black Nativity

Black Nativity

Character:Reverend Cornell Cobbs

Release Date:27/11/2013

Making a Scene | 11 Performances

Making a Scene | 11 Performances

Character:

Release Date:25/11/2013

Out of the Furnace

Out of the Furnace

Character:Chief Wesley Barnes

Release Date:12/11/2013

Mysteries of the Unseen World

Mysteries of the Unseen World

Character:Narrator

Release Date:01/11/2013

The Butler

The Butler

Character:Cecil Gaines

Release Date:16/08/2013

Rising from Ashes

Rising from Ashes

Character:Narrator

Release Date:02/08/2013

Pawn

Pawn

Character:Will

Release Date:23/04/2013

The Last Stand

The Last Stand

Character:Agent John Bannister

Release Date:12/01/2013

A Dark Truth

A Dark Truth

Character:Francisco Francis

Release Date:29/11/2012

Freelancers

Freelancers

Character:Dennis Larue

Release Date:10/08/2012

Catch.44

Catch.44

Character:Ronny

Release Date:08/12/2011

A Man's Story

A Man's Story

Character:Self

Release Date:08/10/2011

Serving Life

Serving Life

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:28/07/2011

Witness Protection

Witness Protection

Character:Steven Beck

Release Date:14/04/2011

Lullaby for Pi

Lullaby for Pi

Character:George

Release Date:11/10/2010

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

Character:(archive footage)

Release Date:03/08/2010

The Experiment

The Experiment

Character:Barris

Release Date:15/07/2010

My Own Love Song

My Own Love Song

Character:Joey

Release Date:07/04/2010

Repo Men

Repo Men

Character:Jake

Release Date:18/03/2010

Our Family Wedding

Our Family Wedding

Character:Brad Boyd

Release Date:12/03/2010

Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life

Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life

Character:Lion

Release Date:02/03/2010

Hurricane Season

Hurricane Season

Character:Al Collins

Release Date:09/02/2010

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are

Character:Ira (voice)

Release Date:16/10/2009

Crips and Bloods: Made in America

Crips and Bloods: Made in America

Character:Narrator

Release Date:14/08/2009

Winged Creatures

Winged Creatures

Character:Charlie Archenault

Release Date:08/07/2009

Powder Blue

Powder Blue

Character:Charlie

Release Date:08/05/2009

Street Kings

Street Kings

Character:Captain Jack Wander

Release Date:10/04/2008

Vantage Point

Vantage Point

Character:Howard Lewis

Release Date:01/02/2008

The Great Debaters

The Great Debaters

Character:Dr. James Farmer Sr.

Release Date:25/12/2007

Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect

Character:Philip

Release Date:21/06/2007

Even Money

Even Money

Character:Clyde Snow

Release Date:13/03/2007

The Air I Breathe

The Air I Breathe

Character:Happiness

Release Date:07/02/2007

Before the Music Dies

Before the Music Dies

Character:Self - Narrator (voice)

Release Date:02/11/2006

The Last King of Scotland

The Last King of Scotland

Character:Idi Amin

Release Date:27/09/2006

Everyone's Hero

Everyone's Hero

Character:Lonnie Brewster (voice)

Release Date:04/08/2006

The Marsh

The Marsh

Character:Geoffrey Hunt

Release Date:18/05/2006

A Little Trip to Heaven

A Little Trip to Heaven

Character:Abe Holt

Release Date:26/12/2005

Mary

Mary

Character:Ted Younger

Release Date:18/11/2005

Odyssey in Rome

Odyssey in Rome

Character:

Release Date:30/09/2005

American Gun

American Gun

Character:Carter

Release Date:15/09/2005

Jiminy Glick in Lalawood

Jiminy Glick in Lalawood

Character:Forest Whitaker

Release Date:08/05/2005

Deacons for Defense

Deacons for Defense

Character:Marcus Clay

Release Date:05/04/2005

The Misbehavers

The Misbehavers

Character:Self

Release Date:04/12/2004

First Daughter

First Daughter

Character:Narrator (voice)

Release Date:24/09/2004

Shooting 'Panic Room'

Shooting 'Panic Room'

Character:Self

Release Date:30/03/2004

Making of Phone Booth

Making of Phone Booth

Character:Self

Release Date:25/03/2003

Phone Booth

Phone Booth

Character:Captain Ramey

Release Date:06/01/2003

Panic Room

Panic Room

Character:Burnham

Release Date:29/03/2002

Feast of All Saints

Feast of All Saints

Character:Daguerreotypist Picard

Release Date:11/11/2001

The Fourth Angel

The Fourth Angel

Character:Agent Jules Bernard

Release Date:15/08/2001

Ghost Dog: The Odyssey: The Journey Into the Life of a Samurai

Ghost Dog: The Odyssey: The Journey Into the Life of a Samurai

Character:

Release Date:14/08/2001

The Follow

The Follow

Character:The Employer

Release Date:24/05/2001

Green Dragon

Green Dragon

Character:Addie

Release Date:17/05/2001

A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon'

A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon'

Character:Self

Release Date:01/01/2001

Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows

Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows

Character:Self

Release Date:27/09/2000

Four Dogs Playing Poker

Four Dogs Playing Poker

Character:Mr. Ellington

Release Date:06/06/2000

Battlefield Earth

Battlefield Earth

Character:Ker

Release Date:12/05/2000

The Paperboy

The Paperboy

Character:Narrator

Release Date:01/01/2000

Light It Up

Light It Up

Character:Officer Dante Jackson

Release Date:04/11/1999

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Character:Ghost Dog

Release Date:06/10/1999

Body Count

Body Count

Character:Crane

Release Date:28/04/1998

Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault

Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault

Character:Mr. Rucker

Release Date:23/11/1996

Phenomenon

Phenomenon

Character:Nate Pope

Release Date:05/07/1996

Mr. Holland's Opus

Mr. Holland's Opus

Character:Bobby Tidd as an adult (uncredited)

Release Date:29/12/1995

Species

Species

Character:Dan Smithson, Empath

Release Date:07/07/1995

Smoke

Smoke

Character:Cyrus Cole

Release Date:09/06/1995

Prêt-à-Porter

Prêt-à-Porter

Character:Cy Bianco

Release Date:23/12/1994

Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso

Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso

Character:Self

Release Date:11/12/1994

The Enemy Within

The Enemy Within

Character:Col. MacKenzie Casey

Release Date:24/08/1994

Blown Away

Blown Away

Character:Anthony Franklin

Release Date:01/07/1994

Jason's Lyric

Jason's Lyric

Character:Maddog

Release Date:22/05/1994

Bank Robber

Bank Robber

Character:Officer Battle

Release Date:03/12/1993

Lush Life

Lush Life

Character:Buddy Chester

Release Date:01/10/1993

Last Light

Last Light

Character:Fred Whitmore

Release Date:22/08/1993

Body Snatchers

Body Snatchers

Character:Major Collins

Release Date:09/06/1993

Consenting Adults

Consenting Adults

Character:David Duttonville

Release Date:16/10/1992

The Crying Game

The Crying Game

Character:Jody

Release Date:02/09/1992

Article 99

Article 99

Character:Dr. Sid Handleman

Release Date:13/03/1992

Diary of a Hitman

Diary of a Hitman

Character:Dekker

Release Date:20/11/1991

A Rage in Harlem

A Rage in Harlem

Character:Jackson

Release Date:03/05/1991

Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Character:Jessie Williams

Release Date:08/09/1990

Downtown

Downtown

Character:Dennis Curren

Release Date:12/01/1990

Johnny Handsome

Johnny Handsome

Character:Dr. Steven Fisher

Release Date:12/09/1989

Bird

Bird

Character:Charlie 'Bird' Parker

Release Date:01/06/1988

Bloodsport

Bloodsport

Character:Rawlins

Release Date:26/02/1988

Good Morning, Vietnam

Good Morning, Vietnam

Character:Edward Garlick

Release Date:23/12/1987

Stakeout

Stakeout

Character:Det. Jack Pismo

Release Date:05/08/1987

Hands of a Stranger

Hands of a Stranger

Character:Sergeant Delaney

Release Date:10/05/1987

Platoon

Platoon

Character:Big Harold

Release Date:19/12/1986

The Color of Money

The Color of Money

Character:Amos

Release Date:17/10/1986

Vision Quest

Vision Quest

Character:Balldozer

Release Date:15/02/1985

The Grand Baby

The Grand Baby

Character:

Release Date:02/11/1983

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Character:Charles Jefferson

Release Date:13/08/1982

Tag: The Assassination Game

Tag: The Assassination Game

Character:Gowdy's Bodyguard

Release Date:20/04/1982

Television Appearances

My Generation

My Generation

Character:Narrator

Emperor of Ocean Park

Emperor of Ocean Park

Character:Oliver Garland

Extrapolations

Extrapolations

Character:Auggie Bolo

Andor

Andor

Character:Saw Gerrera

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Character:Self

Cannes Festival

Cannes Festival

Character:Self - Guest

Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy

Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy

Character:Self

By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem

By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem

Character:Self

Godfather of Harlem

Godfather of Harlem

Character:Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson

Star Wars: Go Rogue

Star Wars: Go Rogue

Character:Saw Gerrera (voice)

Roots

Roots

Character:Fiddler

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

Character:Self

Empire

Empire

Character:Eddie Barker

Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels

Character:Saw Gerrera (voice)

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

Character:Sam Cooper

Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds

Character:Sam Cooper

American Dad!

American Dad!

Character:Turlington (voice)

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Character:Self

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Character:Self

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Character:Self

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Character:Self - Guest

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

Character:Self - Host

American Idol

American Idol

Character:Self

The Shield

The Shield

Character:Jon Kavanaugh

Live from E!

Live from E!

Character:Self

The Hire

The Hire

Character:The Employer

The Early Show

The Early Show

Character:Self

Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

Character:Self

The View

The View

Character:Self

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

Character:Self

ER

ER

Character:Curtis Ames

Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

Character:Self

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Character:

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

Character:Self

North and South

North and South

Character:Cuffey

Amazing Stories

Amazing Stories

Character:Jerry

Cagney & Lacey

Cagney & Lacey

Character:Night Manager

Hill Street Blues

Hill Street Blues

Character:

Diff'rent Strokes

Diff'rent Strokes

Character:

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

Character:Self - Host

The Oscars

The Oscars

Character:Self - Presenter

Today

Today

Character:Self

Images

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