Story
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is a famous actor, filmmaker, director and activist from the United States who goes by the stage name Forest Whitaker.
The roles he played in the films The Last King of Scotland and Bird made him especially famous as an American actor, producer and director. Forest Whitaker played college football while attending California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, but back pain forced him to turn to theater and opera.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the sequel to Tag: The Assassination Game, marked the beginning of his successful film career. Over the years, he starred in several critically acclaimed films, including Panic Room, The Way of the Samurai, Ready to Wear, Good Morning, Vietnam and Platoon.
In addition, he also guested on famous television shows. With Strapped, he made his directorial debut. For his role in The Last King of Scotland, Forest Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
In addition to other awards and accolades, he also received the Hollywood Actor of the Year award. He is married to Keisha Whitaker, an actress.
American actor
Whitaker Forest |
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 Forest Whitaker: History • Biography • Photos |
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| Wiki Info & About Data | |
| First and last name: | Steven Whitaker Forest |
| Stage name: | Whitaker Forest |
| Born: | July 15, 1961 (62 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Longview, Texas, USA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.88 m |
| Parents: | Forest Steven Jr., Laura Francis Smith |
| Siblings: | Kenn Whitaker, Damon Whitaker, Deborah Whitaker |
| Wife • Spouse: | Keisha Whitaker (m. 1996–2021) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Keisha Whitaker (example), Raye Dowell (example) |
| Children: | Ocean Whitaker, True Whitaker, Autumn Whitaker, Sonnet Noel Whitaker |
| Job: | Actor • Filmmaker |
| Net value: | 15 million USD |
Early Life & Education
On July 15, 1961, Forest Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas, United States. While his father, Forest Steven Jr., was an insurance salesman, his mother, Laura Francis Smith, was a special education teacher.
Kenn Whitaker and Damon Whitaker are his two younger brothers and Deborah Whitaker is his older sister. His ancestors link him to Nigeria.
He played college football and attended California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. After back pain, he changed his major to music.
Forest Whitaker then decided to major in drama and was accepted into the University of Southern California’s Conservatory of Drama and Conservatory of Music respectively to study opera. His graduation was in 1982.
He received a scholarship to study at Drama Studio London in Berkeley, California. He performed in England in the 1980s with the Cal Poly Chamber Singers.
Career
In 1982, Forest Whitaker made his cinematic debut in Tag: The Assassination Game, and later that year, he appeared in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In 1985, he appeared in Vision Quest and North and South. He also branched out into television, playing small roles in several popular shows, including Different Strokes (1985), The Fall Guy (1985), and Amazing Stories (1986).
In 1986, he appeared in The Color of Money and Platoon and then Good Morning, Vietnam the following year. He played his first leading role as an actor in Bird (1989), which came after his 1988 film Bloodsport (1988). He was nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Best Actor award for his work at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.
Forest Whitaker appeared in the 1990 films Downtown, Diary of a Hitman, A Rage in Harlem, Article 99, and Consenting Adults (1992). In the 1992 film The Crying Game, he played a confused British soldier.
In 1993, he made his directorial debut with the film Strapped.
In the 1993 films Bank Robber and Body Snatchers, as well as Blown Away, Prêt-à-Porter and Jason’s Lyric, Forest Whitaker gave impressive performances. In the 1994 television movie The Enemy Within, he played Colonel MacKenzie “Mac” Casey. His spirited performance in 1995’s Smoke was typical of him.
He was the director of 1998’s Hope Floats and 1995’s Waiting to Exhale. In the 1999 film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Forest Whitaker played a calm mob hitman. His film Battlefield Earth received many negative reviews and is on lists of the worst films ever made.
He appeared in the films Green Dragon, The Hire: The Follow, The Fourth Angel and Four Dogs Playing Poker (all released in 2001). He received many best supporting actor nominations in 2002 for Panic Room.
During the years 2002 to 2003, he hosted and narrated 44 episodes of The Twilight Zone. He gave a great performance in 2005’s American Gun after directing and acting in 2004’s First Daughter. Forest Whitaker won many awards and honors for his role as Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland. He was honored in 2007 for his supporting role in The Great Debaters.
In 2008, he appeared in three films: Vantage Point, Street Kings and Dragon Hunters. He has guest-starred in several independent films and delivered another heartfelt performance in Lee Daniels’ The Butler in 2013, which earned him several nominations and awards. In 2013, he appeared with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film The Last Stand.
Filming
- Platoon (1986)
- The Crying Game (1992)
- The Last King of Scotland (2006)
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
- The Trickster (2016)
- Arrive (2016)
- Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
- The Great Debaters (2007)
- Black Panther (2018)
- The Butler (2013)
Awards & Achievements
- For the movie Bird, Forest Whitaker received the Best Actor award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.
- For Strapped, he also received an international critics award at the 1993 Toronto International Film Festival.
- For the 1996 film Phenomenon, he won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor.
- For the 2006 film, The Last King of Scotland, Forest Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor, the African American Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor, and the BAFTA Award. for best actor and the BET Award for best actor.
- For Lee Daniels’s The Butler, he received the African American Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor and the 2013 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture in 2013. .
- At the 82nd Commencement in 2009, Forest Whitaker was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Xavier University of Louisiana.
- On May 16, 2015, he also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Personal life
Since 1996, actor Forest Whitaker and actress Keisha Whitaker have been married. Sonnets Noel Whitaker and True Whitaker, the couple’s children, were the result of their marriage.
Ocean Whitaker is the son of Forest Whitaker’s previous love, and Autumn Whitaker is Keisha Whitaker’s daughter.
He once dated Raye Dowell.
He advocates vegetarianism through the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). On June 21, 2011, he was officially welcomed as UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for peace and reconciliation in a ceremony held at the organization’s headquarters.
Net value
Forest Whitaker has amassed a net worth of $15 million, with a successful acting, directing, and producing career being the foundation of his wealth.
Forest Whitaker is a famous American actor, producer and director who has received many awards for his work.
Social Media
- Twitter: @ForestWhitaker
- Instagram: @ForestWhitaker
- Facebook: Whitaker Forest
