Forest Whitaker

Forest in the movie Panic Room

Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961 in Longview, Texas) is an American actor, producer and director.

Whitaker has performed in over 47 movies, produced over 8 films, and directed 5 movies. On screen since 1979, Forest is a "large, baby-faced black actor who has eluded stardom despite a number of varied leading roles."

Acting Career

Whitaker debuted on screen in 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High alongside the likes of Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates. He followed with notable roles in Platoon, Good Morning, Vietnam, and The Color of Money. In 1988, Forest played the role of musician Charlie Parker in the Clint Eastwood directed film, Bird, for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival.

In 2002, he was the host and narrator of The Twilight Zone, which lasted one season. In 2006, Whitaker joined the cast of FX's cop serial The Shield, as Lieutenant John Kavanaugh. Whitaker's performance as the tormented internal affairs cop helped continue the show's popularity among viewers.

Personal Life

In 1996, Forest married fellow actress Keisha Whitaker from which they have two daughters named Sonnet and True. He has a son named Ocean from a previous relationship and a stepdaughter named Autumn from a previous relationship of Keisha's.

Trivia

Was originally called upon to write and direct a live-action movie adaptation of Bill Cosby's cartoon, Fat Albert, but differences between the two led to Forest leaving production.

Was the inspiration for rapper Brother Ali's song, Forest Whitaker, on his debut album, Shadows on the Sun. Apparently, the song is named as such because of Ali's likeness to the actor, even though Ali is an albino.

He has an eye condition called strabismus.

Unlike many heterosexual actors who may play a gay role once, Whitaker has played a gay character twice, once in The Crying Game and once in Ready to Wear. Other actors to do this are Philip Seymour Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, and Antonio Banderas.

Though there are few African-American male directors in Hollywood, some were disappointed that the director's role for Waiting to Exhale was given to a man, rather than an African-American woman.

Whitaker was considered for the role of Dr Jonathon Crane / The Scarecrow in Batman Triumphant, the film went as far as pre-production when Warner Brothers decided to pull the pin. The film was to adopt a darker tone, and Whitaker was to be the main antagonist.

Selected filmography

Actor:

The Air I Breathe (2007)
The Shield (2006)
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
A Little Trip to Heaven (2005)
Mary (2005)
American Gun (2005)
Deacons for Defense (2003)
Phone Booth (2002)
Panic Room (2002)
Battlefield Earth (2000)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Phenomenon (1996)
Species (1995)
Smoke (1995)
Jason's Lyric (1994)
The Crying Game (1992)
Downtown (1990)
Bird (1988)
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Platoon (1986)
North and South, Book II (1986)
The Color of Money (1986)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Director:

External links

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