Acting
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.
Filmography
Up Against It
Film · 2027
Bring Me the Horizon: L.I.V.E. in São Paulo
Film · 2026
The King of Kings
Film · 2025
Havoc
Film · 2025
Seaweed Stories
Film · 2024
The Emperor of Ocean Park
Series · 2024
My Generation
Series · 2024
Hollywood Black
Series · 2024
Big George Foreman
Film · 2023
Extrapolations
Series · 2023
Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
Film · 2022
Prophets of Change
Film · 2022
Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend
Film · 2022
Cannes Festival
Series · 2022
Andor
Series · 2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Series · 2022
Respect
Film · 2021
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy
Series · 2021
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Film · 2020
Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King
Film · 2020
Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times
Film · 2020
By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
Series · 2020
Finding Steve McQueen
Film · 2019
Godfather of Harlem
Series · 2019
Black Panther
Film · 2018
Burden
Film · 2018
City of Lies
Film · 2018
The Forgiven
Film · 2018
Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace
Film · 2018
How It Ends
Film · 2018
Sorry to Bother You
Film · 2018
The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'
Film · 2017
Xenolinguistics: Understanding 'Arrival'
Film · 2017
Steve
Series · 2017
Arrival
Film · 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Film · 2016
I Am You
Film · 2016
Star Wars: Go Rogue
Series · 2016
Roots
Series · 2016
Southpaw
Film · 2015
Dope
Film · 2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Series · 2015
Empire
Series · 2015
Repentance
Film · 2014
Two Men in Town
Film · 2014
Taken 3
Film · 2014
Food Chains
Film · 2014
Star Wars Rebels
Series · 2014
The Last Stand
Film · 2013
The Butler
Film · 2013
Out of the Furnace
Film · 2013
Pawn
Film · 2013
Zulu
Film · 2013
Black Nativity
Film · 2013
Mysteries of the Unseen World
Film · 2013
Rising from Ashes
Film · 2013
Making a Scene | 11 Performances
Film · 2013
Freelancers
Film · 2012
A Dark Truth
Film · 2012
Catch.44
Film · 2011
Serving Life
Film · 2011
A Man's Story
Film · 2011
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
Series · 2011
Repo Men
Film · 2010
Hurricane Season
Film · 2010
Our Family Wedding
Film · 2010
The Experiment
Film · 2010
My Own Love Song
Film · 2010
Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life
Film · 2010
Lullaby for Pi
Film · 2010
2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift
Film · 2010
Winged Creatures
Film · 2009
Where the Wild Things Are
Film · 2009
Crips and Bloods: Made in America
Film · 2009
Powder Blue
Film · 2009
Street Kings
Film · 2008
Vantage Point
Film · 2008
The Air I Breathe
Film · 2007
The Great Debaters
Film · 2007
Even Money
Film · 2007
Ripple Effect
Film · 2007
The Last King of Scotland
Film · 2006
The Marsh
Film · 2006
Everyone's Hero
Film · 2006
Before the Music Dies
Film · 2006
A Little Trip to Heaven
Film · 2005
American Gun
Film · 2005
Mary
Film · 2005
Deacons for Defense
Film · 2005
Odyssey in Rome
Film · 2005
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
Film · 2005
American Dad!
Series · 2005
Criminal Minds
Series · 2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Series · 2005
The Misbehavers
Film · 2004
First Daughter
Film · 2004
Shooting 'Panic Room'
Film · 2004
Phone Booth
Film · 2003
Making of Phone Booth
Film · 2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Series · 2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Series · 2003
Panic Room
Film · 2002
The Shield
Series · 2002
American Idol
Series · 2002
The Twilight Zone
Series · 2002
Live from E!
Series · 2002
Green Dragon
Film · 2001
Feast of All Saints
Film · 2001
The Fourth Angel
Film · 2001
The Follow
Film · 2001
A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon'
Film · 2001
Ghost Dog: The Odyssey: The Journey Into the Life of a Samurai
Film · 2001
The Hire
Series · 2001
Battlefield Earth
Film · 2000
Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows
Film · 2000
The Paperboy
Film · 2000
Four Dogs Playing Poker
Film · 2000
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Film · 1999
Light It Up
Film · 1999
Witness Protection
Film · 1999
The Early Show
Series · 1999
Where Are They Now?
Series · 1999
Body Count
Film · 1998
The View
Series · 1997
Phenomenon
Film · 1996
Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault
Film · 1996
The Daily Show
Series · 1996
Smoke
Film · 1995
Species
Film · 1995
Mr. Holland's Opus
Film · 1995
Blown Away
Film · 1994
Prêt-à-Porter
Film · 1994
Jason's Lyric
Film · 1994
The Enemy Within
Film · 1994
Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso
Film · 1994
Inside the Actors Studio
Series · 1994
ER
Series · 1994
Body Snatchers
Film · 1993
Last Light
Film · 1993
Lush Life
Film · 1993
Bank Robber
Film · 1993
The Crying Game
Film · 1992
Article 99
Film · 1992
Consenting Adults
Film · 1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Series · 1992
A Rage in Harlem
Film · 1991
Diary of a Hitman
Film · 1991
Downtown
Film · 1990
Criminal Justice
Film · 1990
Johnny Handsome
Film · 1989
Bloodsport
Film · 1988
Bird
Film · 1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Series · 1988
Good Morning, Vietnam
Film · 1987
Stakeout
Film · 1987
Hands of a Stranger
Film · 1987
The Color of Money
Film · 1986
Platoon
Film · 1986
Vision Quest
Film · 1985
North and South
Series · 1985
Amazing Stories
Series · 1985
The Grand Baby
Film · 1983
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Film · 1982
Tag: The Assassination Game
Film · 1982
Cagney & Lacey
Series · 1982
Hill Street Blues
Series · 1981
Diff'rent Strokes
Series · 1978
Saturday Night Live
Series · 1975
The Oscars
Series · 1953
The Oscars
Series · 1953
Today
Series · 1952
Sewing Hope
Film