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Forest Whitaker
Longview, Texas, USA
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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2027
Up Against It
Movie
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2026
Bring Me the Horizon: L.I.V.E. in São Paulo
Movie Self (archive footage)
-
2026
Lucky Lu
Movie Executive Producer
-
2025
To Live and Die and Live
Movie Producer
-
2025
Havoc
Movie Lawrence Beaumont
-
2025
The King of Kings
Movie Peter (voice)
-
2024
Transplant
Movie Producer
-
2024
My Generation
TV show Self - Narrator (voice)
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2024
Seaweed Stories
Movie Self - Narrator (voice)
-
2024
Hollywood Black
TV show Self
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2024
The Emperor of Ocean Park
TV show Judge Oliver Garland
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2024
Fancy Dance
Movie Executive Producer
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2023
Big George Foreman
Movie Doc Broadus
-
2023
Extrapolations
TV show Auggie Bolo
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2022
Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2022
Prophets of Change
Movie Narrator
More credits
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2022
Andor
TV show Saw Gerrera
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2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV show Self
-
2022
Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
Movie Saw Gerrera (archive footage) (uncredited)
-
2022
For the Sake of Peace
Movie Producer
-
2022
Cannes Festival
TV show Self - Guest
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2021
Passing
Movie Producer
-
2021
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy
TV show Self
-
2021
Respect
Movie C. L. Franklin
- 2020
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2020
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Movie Jeronicus Jangle
- 2020
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2020
Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King
Movie Self
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2019
Godfather of Harlem
TV show Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson
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2019
Devil's Pie: D'Angelo
Movie Producer
-
2019
A Kid from Coney Island
Movie Executive Producer
-
2019
Finding Steve McQueen
Movie Howard Lambert
-
2018
City of Lies
Movie Jack Jackson
-
2018
Burden
Movie Reverend Kennedy
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2018
How It Ends
Movie Tom
-
2018
Sorry to Bother You
Movie First Equisapien / Demarius
-
2018
Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace
Movie Narrator (voice)
-
2018
The Forgiven
Movie Desmond Tutu
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2018
Black Panther
Movie Zuri
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2017
Steve
TV show Self
