Biography
Though actor Forest Whitaker started college on an athletic scholarship, the charismatic and award-winning performer made the unlikely shift from football to studying to become a classical tenor and eventually, an actor. After gaining some attention in several stage musicals, Whitaker made an immediate impression with a small, but memorable role in his feature debut, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982). Following a quick succession of …
Forest Whitaker SlideShow
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Career Milestones
| Formed multimedia company Spirit Dance Entertainment | ||
| Moved with family to Los Angeles, CA at young age | ||
| Performed in Los Angeles productions after college, including "School Talk" (Mark Taper Forum) and "The Greeks" (Drama Studio London); also acted in "Jesus Christ Superstar," and "Beggar's Opera" (both at California Youth Theater) | ||
1982 | Made film acting debut as a high school football player in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" | |
1983 | Appeared on various TV series including " Diff'rent Strokes" (NBC), "Hill Street Blues" (NBC, directed by Bill Duke), "Cagney and Lacey" (CBS), and "Amazing Stories" (NBC) | |
1985 | Made TV miniseries debut as Cuffey in "North and South" (ABC) | |
1986 | Acted in Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money" and Oliver Stone's "Platoon" | |
1986 | Directed first major stage production "Dreams Across the Realm" | |
1986 | Reprised role of Cuffey in "North and South: Book II" (ABC) | |
1987 | Cast in high-profile supporting role in "Good Morning, Vietnam" opposite Robin Williams | |
1988 | Directed music video for Cheryl Pepsii Riley ("Thanks For My Child"); also for rappers Low Key, Soula, and M.C. Supreme for Warner Bros. Records | |
1988 | Landed first starring feature role as jazz legend Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's "Bird" | |
1991 | Feature producing debut (also acted), "A Rage in Harlem"; directed by Bill Duke | |
1992 | Played British soldier kidnapped by IRA terrorists in Neil Jordan's "The Crying Game" | |
1993 | TV-movie directing debut, HBO urban drama "Strapped"; earned director's award for best first feature at Toronto Film Festival; Kiefer Sutherland acted in film and Whitaker repaid the favor by appearing that year in Sutherland's directorial debut "Last Light" (HBO) | |
1994 | Returned to the world of jazz as trumpeter Buddy Chester, a top sideman who discovers he has a malignant brain tumor, testing his friendship with Jeff Goldblum and Kathy Baker in Showtime's "Lush Life" | |
1995 | Feature film directorial debut, "Waiting to Exhale"; co-starred Angela Bassett and Whitney Houston | |
1998 | Helmed second film "Hope Floats," starring Sandra Bullock | |
1998 | Signed development deal with Columbia-TriStar | |
1999 | Played a Federal Marshall in HBO's "Witness Protection" | |
1999 | Starred as the titular character of Jim Jarmusch's "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" | |
2000 | Portrayed Ker in "Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000," based on novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard | |
2001 | Featured in Sundance-screened "The Green Dragon" | |
2001 | Starred opposite Jeremy Irons in the thriller "The Fourth Angel" | |
2002 | Hosted classic mystery series "The Twilight Zone" (UPN) | |
2002 | Played one of a trio terrorizing a woman and her child while looking for missing money in "Panic Room" | |
2003 | Appeared in the Showtime movie "Deacons for Defense"; received a SAG nomination for Best Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries | |
2003 | Cast as senior officer Captain Ramey in the suspense thriller "Phone Booth" | |
2004 | Directed (also produced) Katie Holmes in "First Daughter" | |
2005 | Joined the cast of FX's "The Shield" for the fifth season, playing a cop from internal affairs | |
2006 | Guest starred on five episodes of NBC medical drama "ER" as a carpenter who ends up being paralyzed by a stroke after being admitted for a cough; earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | |
2006 | Offered Oscar-winning performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" | |
2006 | Played a principal of a violent inner-city school in Aric Avelino's film debut "American Gun"; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Male Lead | |
2008 | Co-stared with Denzel Washington (who also directed) in "The Great Debaters" | |
2009 | Executive produced Sundance Channel docu-series "Brick City" | |
2009 | Voiced Ira in Spike Jonze's live-action adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" | |
2010 | Co-starred with Jude Law in futuristic thriller "Repo Men" | |
2010 | Joined an ensemble cast for comedy "Our Family Wedding" | |
2013 | Co-starred in action thriller "A Dark Truth" | |
Awards
1988 | Cannes Film Festival for Best Actor in Bird |
1988 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Bird |
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in The Enemy Within |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made For Television Movie in Door to Door |
2004 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Deacons For Defense |
2006 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | BAFTA Award for Actor In a Leading Role in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in The Last King of Scotland |
2006 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in The Last King of Scotland |
2007 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in American Gun |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Drama Series in ER |
2007 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in The Last King of Scotland |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking in Brick City |