Forest Whitaker : biography
His first role as an actor was the lead in Dylan Thomas’ play, Under Milk Wood. Whitaker graduated from Palisades High School in 1979. Palisadian-Post. February 28, 2007.
Whitaker then attended Cal Poly Pomona on a football scholarship, but due to a debilitating back injury, he changed his major to music (voice). He toured England with the Cal Poly Chamber Singers in 1980. While still at Cal Poly, he briefly changed his major to drama. He was accepted to the Music Conservatory at the University of Southern California to study opera as a tenor, and subsequently was accepted into the University’s Drama Conservatory. He graduated from USC in 1982. He also earned a scholarship to the Berkeley, California branch of the Drama Studio London.Joshua Rich. EW.com. Whitaker also is pursuing a degree in The Core of Conflict: Studies in Peace and Reconciliation at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.Laura Randall "NY Times".
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tag: The Assassination Game | Gowdy’s Bodyguard | |
| 1982 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High | Charles Jefferson | |
| 1985 | Vision Quest | Balldozer | |
| 1985 | North and South | Cuffey | |
| 1986 | The|Color of Money}} | Amos | |
| 1986 | North and South, Book II | Cuffey | |
| 1986 | Platoon | Big Harold | |
| 1987 | Stakeout | Jack Pismo | |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Vietnam | Edward Garlick | |
| 1988 | Bird | Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker | Cannes Film Festival Award for Best ActorNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Rawlins | |
| 1989 | Johnny Handsome | Dr. Steven Fisher | |
| 1990 | Downtown | Dennis Curren | |
| 1991 | Diary of a Hitman | Dekker | |
| 1991 | A|Rage in Harlem|A Rage in Harlem (film)}} | Jackson | |
| 1992 | Article 99 | Dr. Sid Handleman | |
| 1992 | The|Crying Game}} | Jody | |
| 1992 | Consenting Adults | David Duttonville | |
| 1993 | Bank Robber | Officer Battle | |
| 1993 | Body Snatchers | Major Collins | |
| 1994 | Blown Away | Anthony Franklin | |
| 1994 | Prêt-à-Porter | Cy Bianco | NBR Award for Best Cast |
| 1994 | Jason’s Lyric | Maddog | |
| 1995 | Species | Dan Smithson, Empath | |
| 1995 | Smoke | Cyrus Cole | |
| 1996 | Phenomenon | Nate Pope | |
| 1998 | Body Count | Crane | |
| 1999 | Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai | Ghost Dog | |
| 1999 | Light It Up | Officer Dante Jackson | |
| 1999 | Witness Protection | US Marshal Steven Beck | |
| 2000 | Battlefield Earth | Ker | Nominated — Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor |
| 2000 | Four Dogs Playing Poker | Mr. Ellington | |
| 2001 | The|Fourth Angel}} | Agent Jules Bernard | |
| 2001 | The Hire: The Follow | The Employer | uncredited |
| 2001 | Green Dragon | Addie | |
| 2002 | Panic Room | Burnham | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2002 | Phone Booth | Captain Ed Ramey | Theatrical release was delayed due to the Beltway sniper attacks in October 2002. |
| 2004 | First Daughter | Narrator | also directed |
| 2005 | A|Little Trip to Heaven|A Little Trip to Heaven (film)}} | Abe Holt | |
| 2005 | American Gun | Carter | Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male |
| 2005 | Mary | Ted Younger | |
| 2006 | Even Money | Clyde Snow | |
| 2006 | The Marsh | Geoffrey Hunt | |
| 2006 | Everyone’s Hero | Lonnie Brewster | voice only |
| 2006 | The|Last King of Scotland|The Last King of Scotland (film)}} | Idi Amin | Academy Award for Best ActorBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleBET Award for Best ActorBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaKansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best ActorLas Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorLondon Film Critics Circle Award for Best ActorLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best ActorNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion PictureNational Board of Review Award for Best ActorNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best ActorNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best ActorOnline Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorPhoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best ActorScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleWashington D.C. Area Film Critics Association for Best Actor |
| 2007 | The|Air I Breathe}} | Happiness | |
| 2007 | Ripple Effect | Philip | |
| 2007 | The|Great Debaters}} | James L. Farmer, Sr. | |
| 2008 | Vantage Point | Howard Lewis | |
| 2008 | Street Kings | Capt. Jack Wander | |
| 2008 | Dragon Hunters | Lian Chu | Voice — English version |
| 2009 | Powder Blue | Charlie | |
| 2009 | Winged Creatures | Charlie Archenault | |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Ira | (voice only) |
| 2009 | Lullaby for Pi | George | |
| 2009 | Hurricane Season | Al Collins | |
| 2010 | Repo Men | Jake Freivald | |
| 2010 | My Own Love Song | Joey | |
| 2010 | The|Experiment|The Experiment (2010 film)}} | Barris | |
| 2010 | Our Family Wedding | Bradford Boyd | |
| 2011 | Catch .44 | Ronny | |
| 2012 | Freelancers | Dennis LaRue | |
| 2012 | A Dark Truth | Francisco Francis | |
| 2013 | The Last Stand | Agent John Bannister | |
| 2013 | Zulu | Ali Sokhela | |
| 2013 | Pawn | Will | |
| 2013 | The Butler | Cecil Gaines | |
| 2013 | Black Nativity |
