Forest Whitaker

At 63 years old, Forest Whitaker has this physical status:

Forest Steven Whitaker III (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, producer, and director who has earned a reputation for extensive character analysis for films including Bird, The Crying Game, Platoon, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Great Debaters, The Butler, and Arrival. He has also appeared in blockbusters such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Saw Gerrera and Black Panther as Zuri. Whitaker, a leading actor in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland, received the Academy Award, the National Board of Review Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and numerous critics organizations' prizes for his lead actor performances.

Early life

Forest Steven Whitaker Jr., an insurance salesman, and Laura Francis (née Smith), a special education teacher who put herself through college and obtained two master's degrees while raising her children, was born in Longview, Texas, on July 15, 1961. His mother was of Akan descent, according to a DNA test, although his father was of Igbo descent. Whitaker's family moved to Carson, California, while he was in elementary school. He has two younger brothers and an older sister. In Dylan Thomas's play Under Milk Wood, his first role as an actor was as an actor.

Whitaker attended Palisades Charter High School, where he played on the football team and sang in the choir, graduating in 1979. He started attending Cal Polytechnic University, Pomona on a football scholarship, but a back injury forced him to change his major to singing. In 1980, he toured England with the Cal Poly Chamber Singers. He changed his major to drama while still at Cal Poly. He later joined the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music to study opera as a tenor, and was later accepted into the University's Drama Conservatory. In 1982, he graduated from USC with a BFA in acting. He then took a course at Drama Studio London, which now defunct California branch. In 2004, he was attending a degree in "The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation" at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University.

Personal life

In 1996, Whitaker married actress Keisha Nash, whom he encountered on the set of Blown Away. They have four children together (Sonnet and True), as well as their son (Ocean Alexander) and her daughter (Autumn) from their previous marriages. Whitaker filed for divorce from Nash in December 2018, citing irreconcilable inconsistencies.

Whitaker practices yoga, has a black belt in kenp, and is a vegetarian. He also works in eskrima, first under Dan Inosanto and now with Joe Jackson. In 2021, it was revealed that he had joined NBA Africa as a minority owner and strategic investor.

Susan Wloszczyna's left eye ptosis has been described as "intriguing," with writer Stephanie Zacharek saying it gives him "a sleepy, contemplative glance." Whitaker has explained that the condition is hereditary and that he has considered surgery to repair it, not for cosmetic reasons, but because it affects his vision.

His ancestry has been traced to Nkwerre, Imo State of Nigeria, where he was appointed a titled chief on April 5, 2009.

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Career

Whitaker has a long history of working with well-known film producers and actors. In his first on-screen appearance of note, he had a supporting role playing a high school football player in Cameron Crowe's 1982 film version of Ridgemont High. In 1986, he appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Color of Wealth and Oliver Stone's Platoon. He appeared in the comedy Good Morning, Vietnam with Robin Williams the following year. In 1988, Whitaker appeared in the film Bloodsport and had his first role as jazz alto saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker in Clint Eastwood's Bird. Whitaker took saxophone lessons and sequestered himself in a loft with only a bed, couch, and an alto saxophone, as well as extensive interviews with many people who knew Parker. His performance, which has been described as "transcendent," earned him the Best Actor award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination.

Whitaker continued to work with a number of well-known directors throughout the 1990s. He appeared in the 1990 film Downtown and was starring Jody, a captive British soldier in the 1992 film The Crying Game, for which he used an English accent. Whitaker's appearance, according to Variety's Todd McCarthy, was "big-hearted," "hugely emotional," and "simply fantastic." In 1994, Robert Altman's film, Prêt-à-Porter, was one of the first-ever National Board of Review Awards for Best Acting by an Ensemble. In 1995, he gave a "characteristic emotional appearance" in Wayne Wang and Paul Auster's Smoke and appeared in the science-fiction film Species. He played Phenomenon's good-natured man alongside John Travolta and Robert Duvall, winning him the National Capital Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture in 1996.

In Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, a 1999 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, Whitaker played a serene, pigeon-raising, bushido-following mob hit man. Many believe Whitaker's role was a "definitive role." He immersed himself in his character's world once more, studying Eastern philosophy and meditated for long hours "to hone his inner spiritual hitman." Jarmusch has told interviewers that he developed the title character with Whitaker in mind; the New York Times review of the film found that "I]t's difficult to imagine another actor who could portray such warmth and humanity."

Whitaker appeared in one of the worst films ever made, Battlefield Earth's 2000 production, based on L. Ron Hubbard's book of the same name. The film had been widely criticized as both a commercial and critical disaster. Whitaker's performance was praised by Roger Christian, the film's director, who said that "Everybody's going to be very surprised" by Whitaker, who "found this huge voice and laugh." Earth received seven Razzie Awards in a row. Whitaker expressed regret for being in the film later.

Whitaker appeared in the Wong Kar-wai-directed The Follower, one of five short films released by BMW this year to promote its cars. He appeared in Joel Schumacher's 2002 drama, Phone Booth, with Kiefer Sutherland and Colin Farrell. In Panic Room that year, he also co-starred with Jodie Foster. "A subtle chemistry of violence and compassion" was characterized as his appearance as the film's "poor guy."

Idi Amin's portrayal in the film The Last King of Scotland received critical praise from critics as well as multiple awards and accolades. Whitaker, a youngster, learned to play the accordion, and invested himself in research in portraying the tyrant. He read books about Amin, watched news and documentary film starring Amin, and spent time in Uganda visiting Amin's associates, relatives, generals, and victims; he also learned Swahili and mastered Amin's East African accent. His appearance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, making him the fourth black actor to do so in history, joining Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx in the ranks of Sidney Poitier. "I started acting because of my desire to connect with everyone, to that part within each of us, the sun that I believe exists in all of us." Acting for me is about believing in the relationship, and it's a link so deep that we can imagine it, as well as awards from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, National Society of Film Critics, and the New York Film Critics Circle among others.

Whitaker appeared in The Great Debaters in 2007, for which he received an Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor. In the film The Air I Breathe, Whitaker appeared in three films, first as Happiness, who likes butterflies. In Street Kings, he portrayed a rogue police captain and a hero tourist, as well as a hero in Vantage Point.

Whitaker has enjoyed a resurgence in 2013, having appeared in just a few straight-to-video films, making him one of his most notable and commercial triumphs to date. For the movie, Whitaker received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. Whitaker appeared in the film Black Nativity and co-starred in 2013's The Last Stand as an FBI agent tracking an escaped drug cartel chief.

In the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Whitaker played Saw Gerrera. In Arrival, Whitaker also appeared Colonel Weber, which was followed by his portrayal of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2017. The Forgein, a drama set in 2016.

Whitaker was recognized for his portrayal of Zuri in 2018's Black Panther, as part of the SAG Award for Best Ensemble.

Whitaker appeared in the Netflix Christmas film Jeronicus Jangle: A Christmas Journey in 2020. Reverend C.L. appeared on TV as Reverend C.L. In the film Respect, Franklin, the father of Aretha Franklin (played by Jennifer Hudson) is portrayed. In Havoc, Tom Hardy will appear alongside him. In 2022, Whitaker will portray boxing coach Doc Broadus in The Heart of a Lion.

Whitaker appeared in several television shows after completing several films in the early 1980s. In the 1985 episode "Bully for Arnold," Diff'rent Strokes played a bully. Whitaker appeared in the Amazing Stories episode "Gather Ye Acorns" the previous year. In 1985 and 1986, he appeared in the first and second parts of North and South. Whitaker appeared in television shows, including Criminal Justice, The Enemy Within, and Witness Protection throughout the 1990s.

Whitaker, the host and narrator of 44 new episodes of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, which lasted one season on UPN, from 2002 to 2003. After serving in various film roles, he returned to television in 2006 as Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh, who was determined to show that the lead actor, Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), is a dirty cop. Whitaker claimed that he only had to rely on his childhood years growing up in South Central Los Angeles for the role, as opposed to his previous character roles. He received raves for his appearance—Variety called it a "crackling-good guest stint]—and he reprised his role in the show's 2007 season.

Whitaker, a man who comes into the hospital with a cough, begins a multi-episode story arc on ER in the fall of 2006, but soon faces the long-term effects of a paralyzing stroke; he sues Dr. Luka Kova, who blames for the strokes. Whitaker was nominated for his role in the series by Primetime Emmy Award for his role. Whitaker appeared in T.I. in 2006 as a child. Jamie Foxx's music video "Live in the Sky" from his radio show "Live in the Sky" on Sky.

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour, which was then cancelled by CBS on May 17, 2011.

Whitaker will reprise his role as Saw Gerrera from Rogue One in December 2016.

Whitaker's arc on Empire continued in 2017 and 2018, with him reunited with Lee Daniels after their time together on The Butler.

Whitaker has appeared in Godfather of Harlem, a series on EPIX that explores the overlap between the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Whitaker is set to appear in an episode of Extrapolations, an Apple TV anthology program that focuses on climate change. He was involved in the forthcoming megapolis project by Francis Ford Coppala.

Whitaker appeared in Eugene O'Neill's play Hughie at the Booth Theatre in 2016, directed by Michael Grandage.

In the 1990s, Whitaker began producing and directing. In 1991, he co-produced and co-starred in A Rage in Harlem. Strapped, his directorial debut with a grim film about inner-city gun violence for HBO, debuted in 1993 and received the International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan's first dramatic feature, was directed in 1995. The tone of the film, according to Roger Ebert, resembles Whitaker's own acting style: "measured, serene, confident." "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitaker has also starred in Whitney Houston's music video of the film's theme tune, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by the actor.

Whitaker continued his filming work with Hope Floats, starring Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr., which he also produced. In 2004, he directed Katie Holmes in the romantic comedy First Daughter, while also acting as an executive producer on the film; he had previously co-starred with Holmes in Phone Booth in 2002. He gained experience as the executive producer of several made-for-television films, most notable the 2002 Emmy Award-winning Door to Door starring William H. Macy. He produced these shows through his production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, which he spun off in 2005 to concentrate on his acting career.

Whitaker's current business, Significant Productions, is committed to providing opportunities for underrepresented narratives and storytellers by promoting films and television shows that include people of color as well as diverse representation behind the camera. Whitaker and his partner Nina Yang Bongiovi produced Ryan Coogler's debut Fruitvale Station, which received the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for a U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and also received the Prize of the Future at Cannes. Chloe Zhao's career began in 2007 with Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015). Among the many film highlights have include "Repentance" (2014), Dope (2015), Roxanne Roxanne (2018), and Sorry to Bother You (2018). Passing, the company's new film, will debut on Netflix in 2021.

Besides producing a documentary that was shot in the Angola prison in Louisiana, 'Serving Life' (2011), which was produced for Oprah Winfrey as the first commission for OWN and Oprah's Doc Club. They produced A Kid From Coney Island, a documentary about basketball star Stephon Marbury. Significant output was produced in 2020 by Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Harlem's Godfather.

Whitaker worked closely with Babyface as the executive producer on Waiting to Exhale, which Whitaker produced. In 1997, the album received a total of eleven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year for "Exhale (Shoop Shoop). Three songs had been selected for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. For "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," written by Babyface, it received the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

Whitaker was Executive Soundtrack Producer on the soundtrack for Hope Floats, which he produced. Garth Brooks' version of "To Make You Feel My Love" went double-platinum and was Grammy nominated.

Whitaker has also worked as Executive Music Producer and co-wrote eight songs for the soundtrack to First Daughter, which he produced.

He worked as the developer and producer of DEWmocracy.com, an interactive video game, short film, and a website that allowed people to choose a new flavor of Mountain Dew under Frank Cooper. This campaign culminated in the most fruitful launch of a soft drink in Mountain Dew's history.

In "Blame It," a Whitaker appearance in the Jamie Foxx starring T-Pain 2008 music film "Blame It." In the 2019 video game Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, he appeared in the music video "In the Dark" by Bring Me the Horizon; and his voice and likeness were used for Saw Gerrera.

Whitaker has been involved as co-chair of JuntoBox Films since his debut as co-chair in March 2012. JuntoBox was established as a social media platform for filmmakers and followers to post ideas to make films and then work together to produce them. Five projects have been approved for production after Whitaker took over as co-chair.

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