Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, director, and activist. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
After making his film debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Whitaker went on to earn a reputation for intensive character study work for films, such as Platoon (1986), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Bird (1988), The Crying Game (1992), Phenomenon (1996), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), The Great Debaters (2007), The Butler (2013), Arrival (2016), and Respect (2021). He has also appeared in blockbusters, such as Panic Room (2002), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) as Saw Gerrera, and Black Panther (2018) as Zuri. For his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the British historical drama film The Last King of Scotland (2006), Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Whitaker made his directorial debut with the television film Strapped (1993), and directed the films Waiting to Exhale (1995), Hope Floats (1998), and First Daughter (2004).
Apart from his film career, Whitaker is also known for his humanitarian work and activism. In 2011, he was inducted as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, later receiving a promotion to Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, and serves as the CEO of Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), a non-profit outreach program.
Acting
Movie
Black Panther
as Zuri
2018
Movie
Arrival
as Colonel Weber
2016
Movie
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
as Saw Gerrera
2016
Movie
Taken 3
as Inspector Frank Dotzler
2014
Movie
Southpaw
as Titus 'Tick' Wills
2015
Movie
Panic Room
as Burnham
2002
Movie
Platoon
as Big Harold
1986
Movie
Phone Booth
as Captain Ramey
2003
TV
Criminal Minds
as Sam Cooper
2005
Movie
The Butler
as Cecil Gaines
2013
Movie
Good Morning, Vietnam
as Edward Garlick
1987
Movie
The Last Stand
as Agent John Bannister
2013
Movie
The Last King of Scotland
as Idi Amin
2006
TV
American Dad!
as Turlington (voice)
2005
Movie
Vantage Point
as Howard Lewis
2008
Movie
Bloodsport
as Rawlins
1988
Movie
Out of the Furnace
as Chief Wesley Barnes
2013
Movie
Repo Men
as Jake
2010
Movie
How It Ends
as Tom
2018
TV
Andor
as Saw Gerrera
2022
Movie
Where the Wild Things Are
as Ira (voice)
2009
Movie
Species
as Dan Smithson, Empath
1995
Movie
Sorry to Bother You
as First Equisapien / Demarius
2018
Movie
Street Kings
as Captain Jack Wander
2008
Crew
Movie
Monte Carlo
Executive Producer
2011
Movie
Sorry to Bother You
Producer
2018
Movie
Dope
Producer
2015
Movie
Fruitvale Station
Producer
2013
Movie
First Daughter
Director
2004
TV
Godfather of Harlem
Executive Producer
2019
Movie
Hope Floats
Director
1998
Movie
Passing
Producer
2021
Movie
Powder Blue
Producer
2009
Movie
Waiting to Exhale
Director
1995
Movie
Chasing Papi
Producer
2003
Movie
Roxanne Roxanne
Producer
2017