Forest Whitaker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forest Whitaker
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Whitaker at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born |
Forest Steven Whitaker
July 15, 1961 Longview, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona University of Southern California (BFA) New York University |
| Alma mater | Drama Studio London |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Keisha Nash
(m. 1996; div. 2021) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director. He is famous for his powerful acting in many movies and TV shows. Forest Whitaker has won many important awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a British Academy Film Award.
He started acting in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). He became known for really getting into his characters. Some of his well-known films include Platoon (1986), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Bird (1988), and The Crying Game (1992). He also appeared in big movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Black Panther (2018).
Whitaker won an Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Idi Amin, a Ugandan leader, in the movie The Last King of Scotland (2006). Besides acting, he has also directed films like Waiting to Exhale (1995) and Hope Floats (1998). Since 2019, he has starred as Bumpy Johnson in the TV series Godfather of Harlem.
Forest Whitaker is also known for his work helping others. He became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2011. He works to promote peace and help young people in areas affected by conflict.
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Early Life and Education
Forest Steven Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas, on July 15, 1961. His mother, Laura Francis, was a special education teacher. His father, Forest E. Whitaker Jr., was an insurance salesman. When Forest was young, his family moved to Carson, California. He has two younger brothers and an older sister.
He went to Palisades Charter High School. There, he played football and sang in the choir. He first went to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on a football scholarship. However, a back injury made him change his focus to music. He later studied opera at the University of Southern California. He earned a degree in acting in 1982. He also studied at Drama Studio London. Later, he studied "The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation" at New York University.
Acting Career Highlights
Forest Whitaker has worked with many famous directors and actors.
Early Roles (1982–1987)
His first notable role was in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He played a high school football player. In 1986, he appeared in The Color of Money and Platoon. The next year, he was in the comedy Good Morning, Vietnam with Robin Williams.
Whitaker also had roles in TV shows during this time. He was in Diff'rent Strokes and Amazing Stories. He also appeared in the miniseries North and South.
Becoming a Star (1988–2006)
In 1988, Whitaker starred as the jazz musician Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's movie Bird. To prepare, he learned to play the saxophone. He also researched Parker's life deeply. His performance was highly praised. He won the Best Actor award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.
He continued to work with well-known directors in the 1990s. He was in The Crying Game (1992), using an English accent. Critics called his performance "big-hearted" and "terrific." He was part of the cast of Prêt-à-Porter (1994). In 1996, he played a kind man in Phenomenon with John Travolta.
Whitaker also started producing and directing movies. He directed Strapped for HBO in 1993. His first movie for theaters was Waiting to Exhale (1995). He also directed Hope Floats (1998) and First Daughter (2004).
In 1999, he played a calm hitman in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. He studied Eastern philosophy for this role. From 2002 to 2003, he hosted The Twilight Zone TV series. In 2006, he joined the TV show The Shield. He played Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh, a detective trying to expose a corrupt cop.
He appeared in the movie Battlefield Earth in 2000. While the film was not well-received, his acting was noted. In 2002, he was in Phone Booth and Panic Room. In Panic Room, he played a "bad guy" with a mix of aggression and empathy. In 2006, he had a role in the TV series ER.
His role as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland (2006) brought him huge praise. He gained 50 pounds and learned to play the accordion for the part. He also spent time in Uganda meeting people who knew Amin. He learned Swahili and mastered Amin's accent. This role won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was the fourth black actor to win this award. He also won the British Academy Film Award and Golden Globe Award for this role.
Established Actor (2007–Present)
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In 2007, Whitaker played Dr. James Farmer Sr. in The Great Debaters. In 2008, he was in Street Kings and Vantage Point. He also appeared in the music video for "Blame It" by Jamie Foxx.
In 2013, he starred in Lee Daniels' The Butler. This movie was a big success. Whitaker won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor for his role.
Whitaker played Saw Gerrera in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. He also voiced Saw Gerrera in the Star Wars Rebels animated series. In 2016, he made his Broadway debut in the play Hughie. Critics praised his performance.
He played Colonel Weber in the science fiction film Arrival (2016). He also played Archbishop Desmond Tutu in The Forgiven (2017). In 2017 and 2018, he had a role in the TV series Empire. For his role as Zuri in Black Panther (2018), he shared a Screen Actors Guild Award with the rest of the cast.
In 2019, his voice was used for Saw Gerrera in the video game Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Since 2019, he has starred as Bumpy Johnson in the series Godfather of Harlem. In 2020, he was in the Netflix musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. He also played Reverend C. L. Franklin in the film Respect.
Humanitarian Work
Forest Whitaker has spent a lot of time helping others. He believes that even small actions can make a big difference.
He started the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) in 2012. This group works to build peace in areas affected by conflict. They train young people to solve problems and help start businesses in these areas. WPDI works in Africa, Mexico, and the United States.
In 2011, Whitaker became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation. He works with UNESCO to help young people avoid violence. He was later promoted to a UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation. He also served on President Obama's Urban Policy Committee. He has spoken to the UN Security Council about children affected by war.
He supports Hope North, a school in northern Uganda. This school helps former child soldiers, orphans, and other young victims of war.
Personal Life
In 1996, Forest Whitaker married actress Keisha Nash. They met while working on the movie Blown Away. They had two daughters together, Sonnet and True. Forest also has a son, Ocean Alexander, and Keisha has a daughter, Autumn, from previous relationships. They divorced in 2018.
Whitaker practices yoga and has a black belt in kenpō. He is also a vegetarian. He trains in eskrima, a Filipino martial art. In 2021, he became a part-owner and investor in NBA Africa.
His left eye has a condition called ptosis. This means his eyelid droops a bit. He has said it is hereditary and affects his vision. He has thought about surgery for it, not for how it looks, but to help him see better.
His family history has been traced to Nkwerre in Imo State, Nigeria. In 2009, he was made an honorary chief there. His title is Nwannedinamba of Nkwerre, which means A Brother in a Foreign Land.
Awards and Honors
Forest Whitaker has received many awards for his acting. Besides the awards for The Last King of Scotland, he has also been honored in other ways.
In 2005, the Deauville Festival of American Film in France honored him. In 2006, the Hollywood Film Festival gave him the "Hollywood Actor of the Year Award." He also received the Capri Legend Award. In 2007, he was honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
On April 16, 2007, Forest Whitaker received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard.
He has received several honorary degrees from universities. These include the North Carolina School of the Arts (2004), Xavier University of Louisiana (2009), Manhattanville College (2009), and California State University, Dominguez Hills (2015). In 2018, he received an honorary degree from the University of Southern California.
In 2012, he received the United Nations Correspondents Association's Advocate of the Year Award. In 2013, he received the Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France. This was for his work helping people affected by conflict. In 2016, he received the Humanitarian Award from the World Childhood Foundation.
In 2017, he earned the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum. In 2022, he received the International Peace Honors prize for his charity work. He also received the SDG Vanguard Award from the UN Foundation. That same year, he was given the Honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Images for kids
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Whitaker at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
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Michael Zelniker, Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke and Forest Whitaker promoting the film Bird at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival
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Whitaker presenting the film My Own Love Song in Paris, 2010
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Whitaker at the premiere of Two Men in Town (2014)
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Whitaker signing playbills after making his Broadway debut in Hughie (2016)
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Didier Allouch and Whitaker at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022
See also
In Spanish: Forest Whitaker para niños
