Forest Whitaker biography
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an United States actor, film producer, and film director. Whitaker won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film
The Last King of Scotland (film). Whitaker has also won a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA. He became the fourth African American male to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, following in the footsteps of Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx.
He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as
Bird (1988 film) and
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. However, for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television series,
The Shield, Whitaker merely had to draw on his childhood years growing up in South Los Angeles, California.
Early life
Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas, Texas and his family moved to South Los Angeles in 1965, when he was four due to racism. His father, Forest Whitaker, Jr., was an insurance salesman and the son of novelist Forest Whitaker, Sr. His mother, Laura Francis (married and maiden names Smith), was a special education teacher who put herself through college and earned two Masters degrees while raising her children. Whitaker has two younger brothers, Kenn and Damon, and an older sister, Deborah.
As a teenager, Whitaker commuted from Carson, California to wealthy Palisades Charter High School on LA's West Los Angeles (region). While in high school, he also took voice lessons, performed in musicals, and caught the "acting bug" ; his first role as an actor was the lead in Dylan Thomas play, Under Milk Wood.
Whitaker then attended the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on a football scholarship, but left due to a debilitating back injury when he was hurt in training by defensive end Manny Duran. He was accepted to the Music Conservatory at the University of Southern California to study opera as a tenor, and subsequently was accepted into the University's Drama Conservatory.
Career
Film work
Whitaker has a long history of working with well-regarded film directors and fellow actors. In his first onscreen role of note, he played a football player in Amy Heckerling's 1982 Coming of age Teen film-Comedy film,
Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His performance, which has been called "transcendent," In 1994, he was a member of the cast that won the first ever National Board of Review of Motion Pictures for National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble for Robert Altman film,
Prêt-à-Porter (film). He gave a "characteristically emotional performance" in Wayne Wang and Paul Auster's 1995 film,
Smoke (film).
Whitaker next appeared in what has been called one of the "Films considered the worst ever," the 2000 production of
Battlefield Earth (film), based on the novel of the same name by L. Ron Hubbard.
The film was widely criticized as a notorious commercial and critical disaster. However, Whitaker's performance was lauded by the film's director, Roger Christian (filmmaker), who commented that, "'Everybody's going to be very surprised'" by Whitaker, who "'found this huge voice and laugh.'"
BattleField Earth "won" seven Golden Raspberry Awards; Whitaker was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor, but lost to his co-star, Barry Pepper.
In 2001, Whitaker had a small, uncredited role in the Wong Kar-wai-directed
The Follow, one of five short films produced by BMW that year to promote its cars. He co-starred in Joel Schumacher 2002 Thriller (genre),
Phone Booth (film), with Kiefer Sutherland and Colin Farrell. That year, he also co-starred with Jodie Foster in
Panic Room (film). His performance as the film's "bad guy" has been described as "a subtle chemistry of aggression and empathy." He read books about Amin, watched news and documentary footage, and spent time in Uganda meeting with Amin's friends, relatives, generals, and victims; he also learned Swahili language and mastered Amin's East African accent.
Whitaker returned to television in 2006 when he joined the cast of FX (TV network)'s police serial
The Shield, as Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh, who is determined to prove that the lead character, Vic Mackey, is a dirty cop. He received rave reviews for his performance —
Variety (magazine) called it a "crackling-good guest stint" — and he reprised the role in the show's 2007 season.
In the fall of 2006, Whitaker started a multi-episode story arc on
ER (TV series) as Curtis Ames, a man who comes into the ER with a cough, but quickly faces the long-term consequences of a paralyzing stroke; he then takes out his anger on Doctors Luka Kovac and Abby Lockhart. Whitaker received a 2007 Emmy nomination for his performance on the series. Also in 2006, Whitaker appeared in T.I's video "Live in the Sky" alongside Jamie Foxx.
On February 10, 2007, Whitaker hosted
Saturday Night Live. His singing talent was featured in several sketches, including a sketch about a singing waiter who can sing notes that can only be heard by dogs.
Whitaker starred in a 30-second ad for AT&T which can only be seen at movie theaters, reminding moviegoers to silence their cell phones before the movie starts.
Producing and directing
Whitaker branched out into producing and directing in the 1990s. He co-produced and co-starred in
A Rage in Harlem (film) in 1991. He made his directorial debut with a grim film about inner-city gun violence,
Strapped, for HBO in 1993. In 1995, he directed his first Feature film,
Waiting to Exhale, which was based on the Terry McMillan novel of the same name. Roger Ebert observed that the tone of the film resembled Whitaker's own acting style: "measured, serene, confident." Whitaker also directed co-star Whitney Houston's music video of the movie's theme song ("Shoop Shoop").
Whitaker continued his directing career with the 1998 romantic comedy,
Hope Floats, starring Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr He directed Katie Holmes in the Romantic comedy film,
First Daughter (2004 film) in 2004; he had co-starred with Holmes in
Phone Booth (film) in 2002.
Whitaker also served as an Executive producer movies on
First Daughter. He had previously executive produced several Television movie, most notably the 2002 Emmy-award winning
Door to Door (film), starring William H. Macy. He produced these projects through his production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, which he shut down in 2005 to concentrate on his acting career. He was also honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2007, where he received the American Riviera Award. Previously, in 2005, the Deauville (France) Festival of American Film paid tribute to him.
In 2007, Forest Whitaker won the "Cinema for Peace Award 2007 For Best Actor" for his role of Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland".
Whitaker was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, April 16th, 2007.
Other work
In November 2007, Whitaker became the spokesman for DEWmocracy.com, a website that let people decide the next flavor of Mountain Dew in a "People's Dew" poll.
Personal life
In 1996, Whitaker married fellow actress >Keisha Nash, whom he met on the set of
Blown Away (1994 film). and "gives him a sleepy, contemplative look." Whitaker has explained that the condition is hereditary and that he has considered having surgery to correct it, not for cosmetic reasons but because it affects his vision.
Forest Whitaker in the news
Oscar winners Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker to remake German drama ...
ScreenCrave.comOscar winners Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker to remake German dramaEntertainment WeeklyOscar winners Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker, as well as Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood, have signed on for Prison Break creator Paul Scheuring's ...Adrien Brody, Cam Gigandet, Elijah Wood And Forest Whitaker Submit ...MTV.comAdrien Brody and Forest Whitaker Headed for the ClinkNew York MagazineBrody, Whitaker, Wood, and Gigandet Sign on for 'The Experiment'CinematicalMalaysia Star -ReelzChannel.com -/FILMall 26 news articles »
read moreDragon gets up-to-date treatment - Canoe.ca
Dragon gets up-to-date treatmentCanoe.caBut it plays in English here with Forest Whitaker as the voice of reluctant hero Lian-Chu. Charming Mary Mouser voices the over-eager child who worships him ...and more »
read moreJamie Foxx is a force as singer, actor and comic - USA Today
Jamie Foxx is a force as singer, actor and comicUSA TodayThen I went to Forest Whitaker and said, 'Well, Ron said he would do it.' So then Samuel L. Jackson and everyone else just fell through," he says with a ...and more »
read moreKerry Washington – Hot in Cracktown - h
Kerry Washington – Hot in CracktownhWhereas with Forest Whitaker — Forest is always in character. I know Forest. I love Forest. I did not see my friend Forest the entire time we were living in ...and more »
read moreElijah Wood, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Robin Williams, more .....
Elijah Wood, Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Robin Williams, more ...DesMoinesRegister.comOscar-winning actors Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker, along with Cam Gigandet (”The OC”) and Cedar ...and more »
read moreThe latest movies reviewed and rated - New Zealand Herald
The latest movies reviewed and ratedNew Zealand HeraldAnyone can be taught to throw a credible punch after all, but Forest Whitaker's woeful attempt at bowling in The Crying Game still makes this cricket-lover ...and more »
read moreOscar-Winning Saxon Calls Palisades Home - Palisadian-Post
Palisadian-PostOscar-Winning Saxon Calls Palisades HomePalisadian-PostSaxon's next film underway is an untitled wedding comedy starring Palisades High School graduate Forest Whitaker. Described as a culture-clash, ...and more »
read moreHollywood's most wanted look familiar as films revisit old ...
Hollywood's most wanted look familiar as films revisit old 'Enemies'USA TodayAnd two Jekyll & Hydes: Jekyll and Hyde, with Forest Whitaker and 50 Cent, out later this year, and Jekyll, with Keanu Reeves, no release date yet. ...and more »
read moreSearch Results - San Jose Mercury News
Search ResultsSan Jose Mercury News... now a debate teacher who’sa joy to listen to; actors at debate camp; shorts on music, design, costumes; Forest Whitaker interview (he plays the dean); ...and more »
read moreTom Cruise, JJ Abrams on board for 'Mission: Impossible 4&a...
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.comTom Cruise, JJ Abrams on board for 'Mission: Impossible 4'; and ...The Plain Dealer - cleveland.comAdrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Elijah Wood and "Twilight" baddie Cam Gigandet will take part in "The Experiment," a remake of a German psychological ...and more »
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