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Forest Whitaker
Actor

Forest Whitaker

15 Jul 1961Born
65Age
135Credits
Longview, Texas, USABirthplace

Biography

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).

Read the full biography

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.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 135 credits.

  1. TBASewing HopeFilm: Narrator (voice)
  2. 2027Up Against ItFilm
  3. 2025HavocFilm: Lawrence Beaumont
  4. 2025The King of KingsFilm: Peter (voice)
  5. 2024The Emperor of Ocean ParkSeries: Judge Oliver Garland (10 episodes)
  6. 2023Big George ForemanFilm: Doc Broadus
  7. 2023ExtrapolationsSeries: Auggie Bolo (1 episode)
  8. 2022Prophets of ChangeFilm: Narrator
  9. 2022AndorSeries: Saw Gerrera (5 episodes)
  10. 2022Andor: A Disney+ Day Special LookFilm: Saw Gerrera (archive footage) (uncredited)
  11. 2021RespectFilm: C. L. Franklin
  12. 2020Jingle Jangle: A Christmas JourneyFilm: Jeronicus Jangle
  13. 2019Godfather of HarlemSeries: Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson (40 episodes)
  14. 2019Finding Steve McQueenFilm: Howard Lambert
  15. 2018City of LiesFilm: Jack Jackson
  16. 2018BurdenFilm: Reverend Kennedy
  17. 2018How It EndsFilm: Tom
  18. 2018Sorry to Bother YouFilm: First Equisapien / Demarius
  19. 2018Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry WallaceFilm: Narrator (voice)
  20. 2018The ForgivenFilm: Desmond Tutu
  21. 2018Black PantherFilm: Zuri
  22. 2016Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryFilm: Saw Gerrera
  23. 2016I Am YouFilm: Narrator (voice)
  24. 2016ArrivalFilm: Colonel Weber
  25. 2016Star Wars: Go RogueSeries: Saw Gerrera (voice) (4 episodes)
  26. 2016RootsSeries: Fiddler (4 episodes)
  27. 2015SouthpawFilm: Titus 'Tick' Wills
  28. 2015DopeFilm: The Narrator (voice)
  29. 2015EmpireSeries: Eddie Barker (11 episodes)
  30. 2014Taken 3Film: Inspector Frank Dotzler
  31. 2014Star Wars RebelsSeries: Saw Gerrera (voice) (4 episodes)
  32. 2014Two Men in TownFilm: William Garnett
  33. 2014Food ChainsFilm
  34. 2014RepentanceFilm: Angel
  35. 2013ZuluFilm: Ali Sokhela
  36. 2013Black NativityFilm: Reverend Cornell Cobbs
  37. 2013Making a Scene | 11 PerformancesFilm
  38. 2013Out of the FurnaceFilm: Chief Wesley Barnes
  39. 2013Mysteries of the Unseen WorldFilm: Narrator
  40. 2013The ButlerFilm: Cecil Gaines
  41. 2013Rising from AshesFilm: Narrator
  42. 2013PawnFilm: Will
  43. 2013The Last StandFilm: Agent John Bannister
  44. 2012A Dark TruthFilm: Francisco Francis
  45. 2012FreelancersFilm: Dennis Larue
  46. 2011Catch.44Film: Ronny
  47. 2011Serving LifeFilm: Narrator (voice)
  48. 2011Criminal Minds: Suspect BehaviorSeries: Sam Cooper (13 episodes)
  49. 2010Lullaby for PiFilm: George
  50. 20102Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo DriftFilm: (archive footage)
  51. 2010The ExperimentFilm: Barris
  52. 2010My Own Love SongFilm: Joey
  53. 2010Repo MenFilm: Jake
  54. 2010Our Family WeddingFilm: Brad Boyd
  55. 2010Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to LifeFilm: Lion
  56. 2010Hurricane SeasonFilm: Al Collins
  57. 2009Where the Wild Things AreFilm: Ira (voice)
  58. 2009Crips and Bloods: Made in AmericaFilm: Narrator
  59. 2009Winged CreaturesFilm: Charlie Archenault
  60. 2009Powder BlueFilm: Charlie
  61. 2008Street KingsFilm: Captain Jack Wander
  62. 2008Vantage PointFilm: Howard Lewis
  63. 2007The Great DebatersFilm: Dr. James Farmer Sr.
  64. 2007Ripple EffectFilm: Philip
  65. 2007Even MoneyFilm: Clyde Snow
  66. 2007The Air I BreatheFilm: Happiness
  67. 2006The Last King of ScotlandFilm: Idi Amin
  68. 2006Everyone's HeroFilm: Lonnie Brewster (voice)
  69. 2006The MarshFilm: Geoffrey Hunt
  70. 2005A Little Trip to HeavenFilm: Abe Holt
  71. 2005MaryFilm: Ted Younger
  72. 2005Odyssey in RomeFilm
  73. 2005Criminal MindsSeries: Sam Cooper (1 episode)
  74. 2005American GunFilm: Carter
  75. 2005Jiminy Glick in LalawoodFilm: Forest Whitaker
  76. 2005Deacons for DefenseFilm: Marcus Clay
  77. 2005American Dad!Series: Turlington (voice) (3 episodes)
  78. 2004First DaughterFilm: Narrator (voice), Director
  79. 2003Phone BoothFilm: Captain Ramey
  80. 2002Panic RoomFilm: Burnham

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.