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 a very talented American actor, filmmaker, and activist. He has won many important awards for his work, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a British Academy Film Award. He also received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Whitaker started his film career in 1982 with Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He became known for deeply understanding the characters he played. Some of his famous movies include Platoon (1986), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Bird (1988), Phenomenon (1996), and The Butler (2013). He also appeared in Black Panther (2018) as Zuri. Many know him as Saw Gerrera in the Star Wars universe, appearing in Rogue One (2016) and the TV series Star Wars: Rebels (2017) and Andor (2022). He also voiced the character in the video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019).
In 2006, Whitaker won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the film The Last King of Scotland. He has also directed films like Waiting to Exhale (1995) and Hope Floats (1998). On television, he played Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh in The Shield (2006–2007) and has starred as Bumpy Johnson in Godfather of Harlem since 2019.
Beyond acting, Forest Whitaker is known for helping others and working for peace. He became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2011. He is also the leader of the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), a group that helps communities around the world.
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Early Life and Learning
Forest Steven Whitaker was born on July 15, 1961, in Longview, Texas. His mother, Laura Francis, was a special education teacher. His father, Forest E. Whitaker Jr., sold insurance. When Forest was young, his family moved to Carson, California, near Los Angeles. He has two younger brothers and an older sister. His very first acting role was in a play called Under Milk Wood.
Whitaker went to Palisades High School. There, he played football and sang in the choir. He finished high school in 1979. He first went to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on a football scholarship. However, an injury to his back led him to change his focus to music, specifically singing. In 1980, he even toured England with a singing group.
Later, he studied drama and then opera at the University of Southern California (USC). He earned a degree in Acting from USC in 1982. He also took classes at Drama Studio London. In 2004, he studied "The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation" at New York University. This shows his interest in peace and understanding.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Roles and Recognition
Forest Whitaker has worked with many famous directors and actors throughout his career. His first notable film role was in 1982. He played a high school football player in the teen movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In 1986, he appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money. He also starred in Oliver Stone's Vietnam War drama Platoon. The next year, he was in the comedy Good Morning, Vietnam with Robin Williams.
In the 1980s, Whitaker also took on roles in several TV shows. He played a bully in an episode of Diff'rent Strokes in 1985. That same year, he was a comic book salesman in an episode of Amazing Stories. He also appeared in parts one and two of the miniseries North and South in 1985 and 1986. During the 1990s, he often acted in movies made for cable TV, such as Criminal Justice and Witness Protection.
Major Success and Awards
In 1988, Whitaker starred in Bloodsport. He then took on his first main role as the jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker in Clint Eastwood's film Bird. To get ready for the part, Whitaker learned to play the saxophone. He also spent a lot of time researching Parker's life. His amazing performance won him the Best Actor award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. He also received a Golden Globe nomination.
Whitaker continued to work with well-known directors in the 1990s. He starred in the 1990 film Downtown. In 1992, he played Jody, a British soldier, in The Crying Game. Critics praised his "big-hearted" and "hugely emotional" acting. In 1994, he was part of the cast that won an award for best ensemble acting for Robert Altman's film Prêt-à-Porter. He also appeared in Jason's Lyric that year. In 1995, he gave a powerful performance in Smoke. He also appeared in the science-fiction film Species. In 1996, he played a kind man in Phenomenon with John Travolta. This role earned him an award nomination.
Whitaker also started producing and directing movies in the 1990s. He helped produce and act in A Rage in Harlem in 1991. His first time directing was for the TV film Strapped in 1993. This film was about serious challenges in cities. In 1995, he directed his first movie for theaters, Waiting to Exhale. He also directed Whitney Houston's music video for the movie's theme song. Whitaker continued directing with the romantic comedy Hope Floats in 1998. He also directed First Daughter in 2004, starring Katie Holmes. He gained experience as an executive producer for several TV movies, including the Emmy-winning Door to Door in 2002.
In 1999, Whitaker played a unique character who followed ancient warrior codes in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. To prepare, he studied Eastern philosophy and meditated. The director, Jim Jarmusch, created the character with Whitaker in mind. From 2002 to 2003, Whitaker hosted and narrated new episodes of The Twilight Zone. In 2006, he joined the TV show The Shield as Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh. He received great reviews for his performance.
Whitaker appeared in the 2000 film Battlefield Earth. While the film received a lot of criticism, Whitaker's performance was noted. He later shared that he regretted being part of the movie.
In 2001, Whitaker played FBI agent Jules Bernard in The Fourth Angel. He also had a small role in The Follow. In 2002, he co-starred in the thriller Phone Booth and Panic Room. His role as a "bad guy" in Panic Room was described as a mix of aggression and empathy. In late 2006, Whitaker appeared in ER as Curtis Ames, a patient dealing with serious health issues. He received an Primetime Emmy Award nomination for this role.
Whitaker's role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland earned him widespread praise. To play Amin, Whitaker gained weight and learned to play the accordion. He also spent time in Uganda meeting people who knew Amin. His performance won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. This made him the fourth black actor to achieve this honor. He also won the British Academy Film Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for this role.
Continued Success and Diverse Roles
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In 2007, Whitaker played Dr. James Farmer Sr. in The Great Debaters. He received an Image Award nomination for this role. In 2008, he appeared in three films: The Air I Breathe, Street Kings, and Vantage Point. Whitaker was also cast in the TV spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. He was also involved in creating DEWmocracy.com, an interactive project for a soft drink.
In 2013, Whitaker had a big comeback with the lead role in Lee Daniels' The Butler. This film was a huge success with critics and audiences. He won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor for this movie. Whitaker also starred in Black Nativity and co-starred in The Last Stand that year.
In 2016, Whitaker played Saw Gerrera in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. He later played this role again in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. That same year, he made his Broadway debut in the play Hughie. Critics praised his performance, noting his "sleepy eyes, soulful voice and fluttering hands."
Whitaker portrayed Colonel Weber in the science fiction film Arrival (2016). He also played Archbishop Desmond Tutu in The Forgiven (2017). In 2017 and 2018, Whitaker had a recurring role on the TV series Empire. For his role as Zuri in the Marvel film Black Panther (2018), Whitaker shared an award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
Recent Projects
Whitaker's voice and appearance were used for Saw Gerrera in the 2019 video game Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. He also reprised the role in the Disney+ series Andor in 2022. Since 2019, Whitaker has been starring as Bumpy Johnson in Godfather of Harlem. This series explores the life of a powerful figure in Harlem during the 1960s and the civil rights movement. In 2020, Whitaker starred in the Netflix Christmas musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. He appeared as Reverend C. L. Franklin, the father of Aretha Franklin, in the film Respect. He also acted alongside Tom Hardy in Havoc. In 2023, Whitaker played boxing trainer Doc Broadus in Big George Foreman. He also appeared in an episode of Extrapolations, a series about climate change. In 2024, he appeared in The Emperor of Ocean Park.
Production Companies and Music Work
Spirit Dance Entertainment
Whitaker used to produce many projects through his company, Spirit Dance Entertainment. He closed it in 2005 to focus more on his acting.
Significant Productions
Whitaker's current company, Significant Productions, helps tell stories from diverse voices. They support films and TV shows starring people of color. Whitaker and his partner Nina Yang Bongiovi produced Fruitvale Station, which won awards at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. They also helped launch the career of Chloé Zhao with Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015). They also produced Sorry to Bother You (2018). In 2021, their film Passing was released on Netflix.
Significant Productions also made a documentary called Serving Life (2011). This film was about people in a correctional facility. They also produced A Kid from Coney Island, a documentary about basketball star Stephon Marbury. In 2020, Significant produced By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem.
JuntoBox Films
Whitaker has been a co-chair of JuntoBox Films since 2012. JuntoBox is a platform where filmmakers and fans can share ideas and work together to create movies. Several projects have been made since Whitaker joined.
Music Producer
Whitaker worked closely with Babyface as an executive producer for the soundtrack of Waiting to Exhale. This album received many Grammy nominations in 1997. He was also an executive soundtrack producer for Hope Floats. This album sold very well and was nominated for a Grammy. Whitaker also helped write eight songs for the soundtrack of First Daughter. He appeared in the music video "In the Dark" by Bring Me the Horizon in 2019.
Helping Others and Activism
Charity Work and Global Peace
For more than ten years, Whitaker has dedicated much of his time to helping people. His mother taught him an important lesson: "You don't have to believe what I believe, but you have to believe in something." This idea has guided much of his life.
In 2012, he started the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI). This organization works to build peace in communities affected by conflict worldwide. WPDI trains young people in solving problems peacefully. It also helps them start businesses in these areas. WPDI's programs are active in Africa, Mexico, and the United States.
On June 21, 2011, Whitaker became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation. In this role, he works with UNESCO to support programs that help young people. These programs aim to keep them from getting involved in violence. Because of his work in conflict-affected regions, Whitaker was later promoted to a UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation. He was also part of President Obama's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
He has also worked with the UN to help children affected by war. He spoke about this important topic to the UN Security Council in 2014. Whitaker supports Hope North, a school in northern Uganda. This school helps former child soldiers, orphans, and other young people affected by the country's civil war.
Whitaker believes that ordinary people can make a big difference in the world. He says, "Even a seemingly small action can cause ripples that make an enormous impact."
Political Involvement
In politics, Whitaker supported Barack Obama during his presidential campaign in 2008. On April 6, 2009, he received a special title in Imo State, Nigeria. He was named a chief among the Igbo community of Nkwerre. His title, Nwannedinamba, means A Brother in a Foreign Land.
Whitaker also co-founded the International Institute for Peace (IIP) at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. He is also a senior research scholar there. The IIP works to develop programs and partnerships to improve safety in communities. It also focuses on the role of women and religious leaders in peacebuilding. Other important areas include climate change and reducing poverty. The IIP works under the guidance of UNESCO.
Personal Life
In 1996, Whitaker married actress Keisha Nash. They met while working on the film Blown Away. They had two daughters together. He also has a son and she had a daughter from previous relationships. In December 2018, Whitaker filed for divorce from Nash.
Whitaker practices yoga and has a black belt in kenpō. He is also a vegetarian. He trains in eskrima, a type of martial art. In 2021, it was announced that he became a part-owner and investor in NBA Africa.
Whitaker has a condition called ptosis in his left eye. This means his eyelid droops a little. He has explained that this condition is something he was born with. He has thought about surgery, not for how it looks, but because it affects his vision.
His family history has been traced back to Nkwerre in Imo State, Nigeria. This is where he was made an honorary chief in 2009.
Awards and Honors
Besides the many awards he won for The Last King of Scotland, Forest Whitaker has received several other honors. In 2005, the Deauville (France) Festival of American Film celebrated his work. In September 2006, the Hollywood Film Festival gave him the "Hollywood Actor of the Year Award." They called him "one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors." Whitaker received the Capri Legend Award in 2006. He was also honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2007.
On April 16, 2007, Whitaker received the 2,335th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was to recognize his contributions to the film industry.
In 2004, Whitaker received an Honorary Doctorate from the North Carolina School of the Arts. In 2007, he received the Cinema for Peace Award for his work helping child soldiers and young people in cities. He also received honorary degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2009 and Manhattanville College in 2009. In 2012, he received the United Nations Correspondents Association's Advocate of the Year Award. In 2013, France's Minister of Culture gave him the Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This was for his work helping those affected by conflicts. That year, he was also named a Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellow by Boston University.
In 2016, Whitaker received the Humanitarian Award from the World Childhood Foundation. In 2017, he earned the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum. He also received the 4GameChanger Of The Year Award that year. He received an honorary degree from the University of Southern California in 2018. He also received the Medal of Peace from the University of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace Studies in 2018. In 2019, he was among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Award for the Human Spirit. In 2021, USC awarded him the Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists. That year, he was also promoted to Commander of France's Order of Arts and Letters. In 2022, he received the International Peace Honors prize and the SDG Vanguard Award from the UN Foundation. He also received the Honorary Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival.
See also
In Spanish: Forest Whitaker para niños
 | William L. Dawson |
 | W. E. B. Du Bois |
 | Harry Belafonte |
