Forest Whitaker
Academy Award-winning American actor, director, producer, and humanitarian whose transformative performances have defined five decades of cinema.
What do we know about Forest Whitaker?
Here are the key biographical details about Forest Whitaker:
- Name: Forest Whitaker
- Also Known As: Forest Steven Whitaker III, Forest Steven Whitaker, פורסט ויטאקר
- Date of Birth: July 15, 1961
- Place of Birth: Longview, Texas, USA
- Gender: Male
- Job Title: Actor
- Crew Jobs: Executive Producer, Producer, Director, Thanks, Executive Music Producer
Who is Forest Whitaker?
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.
What is Forest Whitaker known for?
With over 172 credits spanning film and television, Forest Whitaker's most celebrated works include:
- Black Panther (2018, Movie)
- Arrival (2016, Movie)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016, Movie)
- Taken 3 (2014, Movie)
- Southpaw (2015, Movie)
- Panic Room (2002, Movie)
- Platoon (1986, Movie)
- Phone Booth (2003, Movie)
- Criminal Minds (2005, TV Series)
- The Butler (2013, Movie)
External Links
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