Forest Whitaker is an American actor and a renowned personality in the film industry. And has been awarded various prestigious accolades and prizes.
He is also known for his award-winning acting, directing, producing, and working for the underrepresented. The actor recently appeared in Godfather of Harlem.
In celebration and honour of this American Actor, director, and producer’s 62nd birthday, let’s dive into his journey from Texas to becoming a world-famous personality.
1. Early Life of Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker was born on July 15, 1961. His family was his mother, Laura Smith, a teacher; his father, Forest Steven Whitaker, a salesman; his sister; and his two brothers.
The family moved to Los Angeles when Whitaker was six weeks old. While at 11, they again moved to nearby Carson.
Forest Whitaker attended the Palisades Charter High School, a two-hour commute from Carson.
He also used to play football in school as an all-league defender and performed in the school choir as a tenor.
1.1 College Life
In the year of 1979, Whitaker graduated from Palisades Charter High and entered the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
He also got a football scholarship. However, Whitaker had to stop playing after suffering a significant back injury.
Therefore, he changed his major to music and toured England with the college singing group Cal Poly Chamber Singer in the year 1980.
At Cal Poly, he transferred his major to drama. Whitaker later went to the Thornton School of Music at the University Of Southern California.
At Thornton, he was a tenor. He was also accepted into the drama conservatory.
Here, an agent also spotted him and secured another scholarship to the Berkeley branch of Drama Studio London.
Forest Whitaker also pursued a “The Core Of Conflict” degree from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University in 2004.
1.2 Forest Whitaker’s Personal Life
Forest Whitaker married Keisha Nash, an actress. The couple had three daughters and a son. His son’s name is Ocean Whitaker, and his daughters are Autumn Whitaker, Sonnet Noel Whitaker, and True Whitaker. However, they got a divorce in 2018.
2. Forest Whitaker’s Career
2.1 The 1980s
During the early 80s, Whitaker got his first role while studying at the Berkeley branch of Drama Studio London.
He played the role of an enraged football player in the coming-of-age movie Fast Time at Ridgemont High in 1982.
In 1986, he starred in the film Color Of Money and Platoon. Then again, in 1987, he starred in the movie Good Morning, Vietnam, joined by Robin Williams.
In 1988, Forest Whitaker starred in Bloodsport along with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Leah Ayres, and more. The same year, he found his first lead role in the movie Bird.
He starred in the movie as jazz saxophonist Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker. For his role, Whitaker did extensive research and also took saxophone lessons.
Whitaker won the Cannes Film Festival Award for this performance and the Best Actor Award. The Actor was also up for a Golden Globe nomination.
2.2 The 1990s
Forest Whitaker continued to star in critically acclaimed movies in the 90s. He starred in the film Downtown in 1990.
Then later, in 1992, he starred in The Crying Game. He acted as a British soldier, Jody. His use of an English accent was also highly praised in this movie.
He went on to star in Prêt-á-Porter by Robert Altman. This movie was awarded the first National Board of Review prize.
In 1995, he appeared in the movies Smoke and Species. Then, in 1996, he appeared in Phenomenon with others like John Travolta, Robert Duvall, and more.
He was awarded Favorite Supporting Actor at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. Whitaker also got a nomination at the NAACP Image Awards.
In 1999, Whitaker acted in the movie Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai by Jim Jarmusch, who told reporters that he wrote the character with Forest Whitaker in his mind.
The Actor was also highly praised for his portrayal of the mob hitman. He did an intensive study of Eastern Philosophy and also meditated for long hours.
2.3 The 2000s
In 2000, he appeared in his next film, Battlefield Earth. The film has been highly criticized as a disaster. But Forest Whitaker was praised for acting, although the Actor later expressed regret for participating in it.
In 2001, Whitaker appeared in The Follow, a short film directed by Wong Kar-Kai promoting BMW cars. And then, in 2002, he was in Joel Schumacher’s film Phone Booth and the Panic Room. He was again praised for his performance as the “bad guy.”
In 2006, Whitaker was in The Last King of Scotland. He played the role of Idi Amin, the former president of Uganda.
This critically acclaimed film won him several honorary prizes. Whitaker did a lot of research, gained 50 pounds and learned to play the accordion.
Moreover, he also went to Uganda to spend some time and understand Idi Amin’s character more deeply. Whitaker even learned Swahili.
He was awarded the Academy Award for his performance, and he became the fourth black Actor in history to win one. The British Academy, the Golden Globes, and more also recognized him.
2.4 Forest Whitaker’s Recent Appearance
After a brief career slump, in 2013, Whitaker starred in the lead role in Lee Daniels’ film The Butler.
The film became one of the greatest critical and commercial successes and won him the NAACP Image Award. He also starred in the films Black Nativity and The Last Stand.
In 2016, Whitaker played a role in the Star Wars movie Rogue One. The same year, he appeared as Colonel Weber in Arrival.
In 2017, he appeared as Archbishop Desmond Tutu in The Forgiven. Then, in 2018, he acted as Zuri in Black Panther, for which he won a SAG award.
In 2020, Whitaker participated in a musical on Netflix. The same year, he filmed Respect with Jennifer Hudson.
In 2023, Whitaker is set to appear in the movie Havoc along with Tom Hardy and Big George Foreman as a boxing trainer.
2.5 Forest Whitaker Appearance On Television
In 1985, Whitaker played the role of a bully in an episode of Bully For Arnold. The same year, he also appeared in Amazing Stories.
He starred in North and South, Criminal Justice, The Enemy Within, and Witness Protection in the late 80s and 90s.
In 2002 and 2003, Whitaker appeared as the host and narrator in 44 episodes of Twilight Zones. Then, in 2006, he was in the series The Shield.
He played the role of Jon Kavanaugh and received rave reviews. The same year, he starred in E.R., receiving an Emmy nomination. Also, he appeared in T.I.’s music video for Live In The Sky.
Whitaker was supposed to star in Criminal Minds in 2007, but the show was canceled. In 2017 and 2018, Whitaker again did a movie with Lee Daniels called The Empire.
Then, in 2019, he starred in The Godfather of Harlem. In 2023, he is supposed to appear in Extrapolation and join Francis Ford Coppola’s project, Megapolis.
2.6 Forest Whitaker Theater Debut
Whitaker debuted on Broadway in the play Hughie by Michael Grandage at Booth Theater.
2.7 Producing and Directing Done by Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker co-produced a series called A Rage In Harlem in 1991. He directed the HBO film Strapped in 1993.
In 1995, he directed Waiting To Exhale. He also directed a music video for the song Exhale (Shoop Shoop). In 1998, he was the director and executive producer of a rom-com, Hope Floats. In 2004, he directed The First Daughter.
Whitaker’s executive production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, was shut down in 2006 by him to focus more on acting.
His current company, Significant Productions, is devoted to underrepresented narratives.
He produced The Fruitvale Station. The film won him awards at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
He went on to produce various films, like Repentance, Dope, Roxanne Roxanne, Sorry To Bother, Passing, and more.
2.8 Other Works of Forest Whitaker
Whitaker was the executive music producer for Waiting To Exhale, up for 11 nominations at the Grammys. He went on to work on the soundtracks of Hope Floats, First Daughter, and more.
Whitaker also participated in producing the video game Dewmocracy, a campaign to launch new Mountain Dew flavours.
He appeared in various music videos, including T-Pain’s Blame It, Bring Me The Horizon’s In The Dark, and more.
3. Awards and Accolades Won by Forest Whitaker
3.1 Cinema
In 2005, Whitaker received a tribute from the Deauville Festival of American Film. He was titled the Actor of the Year by the 2006 Hollywood Film Festival.
He was also presented with the title “Hollywood’s most accomplished actor”.
Again, in 2005, the Capri Hollywood International Film Festival presented the Actor with the Capri Legend Award.
In 2007, he received the American Riviera. He was awarded the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April of the Year.
The same year, he got the Cinema for Peace Award for his work towards child soldiers and the youth. He also received the Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2019, he was honoured with the Kennedy Center Award. And in 2021, Whitaker was awarded the Robert Redford Prize for Engaged Artists.
3.2 Humanitarian Works
Whitaker was recognized for his advocacy and support of the values of the U.N. by receiving the Advocate of the Year Award in 2012.
In 2013, Whitaker was honoured by France’s Minister of Culture for his work toward those affected by conflict and violence.
He was presented with the Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, one of the most prestigious awards.
Forest Whitaker was honoured with the title of Martin Luther King. Jr. Fellow from the University of Boston.
Forest Whitaker received a Humanitarian Honor Prize from the World Childhood Foundation in 2016.
At the World Economic Forum, Davos Whitaker received the Crystal Award in 2017. That year, he was also awarded the 4GameChanger of the Year. He also received a Sustainability Prize.
Because of Whitaker’s humanitarian works, he was also awarded the International Peace Honors Prize in 2022.
That same year, he was also awarded the SDG Vanguard Award by the United Nations Foundation.
3.3 Forest Whitaker Degrees And Doctorates
In 2009, he received another honorary degree from Manhattan Village College.
Whitaker also received an Honorary Degree from the University of Southern California for a Doctor Of Fine Arts.
Then again, in 2009, he was awarded a Medal of Peace by the University of San Diego. He also received an Honorary Fellowship from the SOAS, London, that year.
4. Forest Whitaker Charity Work
Forest Whitaker has participated in various charity works during these years.
In 2012, Forest Whitaker founded an NGO, the WPDI or Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative.
The organization focuses on peace-building and conflict-resolution programs. In 2011, he was appointed as the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Later, he was given the title of UNESCO Special Envoy. Whitaker worked with the Turnaround Arts Organization for the development of elementary schools.
He has worked as a supporter of children affected by war as well as for the U.N.’s sustainable development goals.
And he also supports Hope North, a boarding school in Uganda for children affected by war.
Ending Note
That was everything about Forest Whitaker. From acting to producing hit movies, Whitaker is a man of many values.
This golden soul has also worked a lot to represent child soldiers and youth; his life story will inspire many.
Last Updated on July 11, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty
