Biography
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 credits 78 titles
Bring Me the Horizon: L.I.V.E. in São Paulo
as Self (archive footage)
Film
2026
8.8
Havoc
as Lawrence Beaumont
Film
2025
6.4
The King of Kings
as Peter (voice)
Film
2025
8.3
Hollywood Black
as Self
Series
2024
3.0
The Emperor of Ocean Park
as Judge Oliver Garland
Series
2024–
6.5
Big George Foreman
as Doc Broadus
Film
2023
7.6
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy
as Self
Series
2021
7.0
Respect
as C. L. Franklin
Film
2021
6.8
By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
as Self
Series
2020
3.3
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
as Jeronicus Jangle
Film
2020
6.5
Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times
as Self
Film
2020
10.0
Godfather of Harlem
as Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson
Series
2019–2025
8.1
Finding Steve McQueen
as Howard Lambert
Film
2019
6.1
City of Lies
as Jack Jackson
Film
2018
6.4
Burden
as Reverend Kennedy
Film
2018
6.1
How It Ends
as Tom
Film
2018
5.3
Sorry to Bother You
as First Equisapien / Demarius
Film
2018
6.8
Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace
as Narrator (voice)
Film
2018
4.0
The Forgiven
as Desmond Tutu
Film
2018
6.1
Black Panther
as Zuri
Film
2018
7.4
The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'
as Self
Film
2017
5.6
Xenolinguistics: Understanding 'Arrival'
as Self
Film
2017
7.0
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
as Saw Gerrera
Film
2016
7.5
I Am You
as Narrator (voice)
Film
2016
3.5
Arrival
as Colonel Weber
Film
2016
7.6
Star Wars: Go Rogue
as Saw Gerrera (voice)
Series
2016
6.7
Roots
as Fiddler
Series
2016
6.9
Southpaw
as Titus 'Tick' Wills
Film
2015
7.4
Dope
as The Narrator (voice)
Film
2015
7.1
Taken 3
as Inspector Frank Dotzler
Film
2014
6.3
Zulu
as Ali Sokhela
Film
2013
6.7
Out of the Furnace
as Chief Wesley Barnes
Film
2013
6.6
Mysteries of the Unseen World
as Narrator
Film
2013
7.2
The Butler
as Cecil Gaines
Film
2013
7.3
Pawn
as Will
Film
2013
5.6
The Last Stand
as Agent John Bannister
Film
2013
6.1
A Dark Truth
as Francisco Francis
Film
2012
5.5
Freelancers
as Dennis Larue
Film
2012
5.1
Catch.44
as Ronny
Film
2011
5.1
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
as Sam Cooper
Series
2011
7.2
The Experiment
as Barris
Film
2010
6.4
My Own Love Song
as Joey
Film
2010
6.2
Repo Men
as Jake
Film
2010
6.3
Our Family Wedding
as Brad Boyd
Film
2010
5.6
Where the Wild Things Are
as Ira (voice)
Film
2009
6.5
Winged Creatures
as Charlie Archenault
Film
2009
5.9
Powder Blue
as Charlie
Film
2009
6.1
Street Kings
as Captain Jack Wander
Film
2008
6.7
Vantage Point
as Howard Lewis
Film
2008
6.4
The Great Debaters
as Dr. James Farmer Sr.
Film
2007
7.3
Even Money
as Clyde Snow
Film
2007
5.6
The Air I Breathe
as Happiness
Film
2007
6.3
The Last King of Scotland
as Idi Amin
Film
2006
7.4
A Little Trip to Heaven
as Abe Holt
Film
2005
5.4
Phone Booth
as Captain Ramey
Film
2003
6.9
The Twilight Zone
as Self - Host
Series
2002–2003
7.2
Panic Room
as Burnham
Film
2002
6.8
Battlefield Earth
as Ker
Film
2000
3.3
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
as Ghost Dog
Film
1999
7.3
Phenomenon
as Nate Pope
Film
1996
6.5
Species
as Dan Smithson, Empath
Film
1995
6.0
Smoke
as Cyrus Cole
Film
1995
7.2
Prêt-à-Porter
as Cy Bianco
Film
1994
5.2
Blown Away
as Anthony Franklin
Film
1994
6.2
Body Snatchers
as Major Collins
Film
1993
6.2
Consenting Adults
as David Duttonville
Film
1992
5.4
The Crying Game
as Jody
Film
1992
6.8
Diary of a Hitman
as Dekker
Film
1991
5.4
A Rage in Harlem
as Jackson
Film
1991
5.5
Johnny Handsome
as Dr. Steven Fisher
Film
1989
6.4
Bird
as Charlie 'Bird' Parker
Film
1988
6.9
Bloodsport
as Rawlins
Film
1988
7.1
Good Morning, Vietnam
as Edward Garlick
Film
1987
7.3
Stakeout
as Det. Jack Pismo
Film
1987
6.5
Platoon
as Big Harold
Film
1986
7.7
The Color of Money
as Amos
Film
1986
6.9
Vision Quest
as Balldozer
Film
1985
6.4
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
as Charles Jefferson
Film
1982
6.8
Nessun credito corrisponde a questo filtro.
Nessun titolo annunciato per ora.
Conosciuto per
8.1
Series
Godfather of Harlem
Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson
2019–2025
7.4
Film
Black Panther
Zuri
2018
7.6
Film
Arrival
Colonel Weber
2016
7.2
Series
The Twilight Zone
Self - Host
2002–2003
6.7
Film
Street Kings
Captain Jack Wander
2008
7.5
Film
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Saw Gerrera
2016
6.3
Film
Taken 3
Inspector Frank Dotzler
2014
7.4
Film
Southpaw
Titus 'Tick' Wills
2015
7.7
Film
Platoon
Big Harold
1986
7.2
Series
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
Sam Cooper
2011
6.8
Film
Panic Room
Burnham
2002
7.1
Film
Bloodsport
Rawlins
1988
6.8
Film
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Charles Jefferson
1982
6.9
Film
Phone Booth
Captain Ramey
2003
6.0
Film
Species
Dan Smithson, Empath
1995
6.4
Film
Vantage Point
Howard Lewis
2008
6.9
Film
The Color of Money
Amos
1986
7.3
Film
The Butler
Cecil Gaines
2013
6.5
Series
The Emperor of Ocean Park
Judge Oliver Garland
2024–
6.2
Film
My Own Love Song
Joey
2010
6.5
Film
Phenomenon
Nate Pope
1996
7.3
Film
The Great Debaters
Dr. James Farmer Sr.
2007
6.4
Film
Havoc
Lawrence Beaumont
2025
6.3
Film
Repo Men
Jake
2010
6.2
Film
Blown Away
Anthony Franklin
1994
7.3
Film
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Ghost Dog
1999
7.4
Film
The Last King of Scotland
Idi Amin
2006
6.7
Film
Zulu
Ali Sokhela
2013
5.6
Film
Our Family Wedding
Brad Boyd
2010
8.3
Film
The King of Kings
Peter (voice)
2025
5.6
Film
Even Money
Clyde Snow
2007
5.5
Film
A Dark Truth
Francisco Francis
2012
3.3
Film
Battlefield Earth
Ker
2000
5.4
Film
Diary of a Hitman
Dekker
1991
6.9
Series
Roots
Fiddler
2016
6.2
Film
Body Snatchers
Major Collins
1993
6.8
Film
The Crying Game
Jody
1992
5.6
Film
Pawn
Will
2013
5.4
Film
A Little Trip to Heaven
Abe Holt
2005
6.5
Film
Stakeout
Det. Jack Pismo
1987
5.5
Film
A Rage in Harlem
Jackson
1991
7.3
Film
Good Morning, Vietnam
Edward Garlick
1987
6.3
Film
The Air I Breathe
Happiness
2007
6.1
Film
The Last Stand
Agent John Bannister
2013
5.1
Film
Catch.44
Ronny
2011
5.4
Film
Consenting Adults
David Duttonville
1992
5.3
Film
How It Ends
Tom
2018
6.8
Film
Sorry to Bother You
First Equisapien / Demarius
2018
5.1
Film
Freelancers
Dennis Larue
2012
7.0
Series
Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy
Self
2021
6.4
Film
Vision Quest
Balldozer
1985
7.2
Film
Smoke
Cyrus Cole
1995
6.5
Film
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Jeronicus Jangle
2020
7.6
Film
Big George Foreman
Doc Broadus
2023
3.0
Series
Hollywood Black
Self
2024
8.8
Film
Bring Me the Horizon: L.I.V.E. in São Paulo
Self (archive footage)
2026
6.4
Film
The Experiment
Barris
2010
6.1
Film
Powder Blue
Charlie
2009
6.4
Film
Johnny Handsome
Dr. Steven Fisher
1989
5.9
Film
Winged Creatures
Charlie Archenault
2009
6.5
Film
Where the Wild Things Are
Ira (voice)
2009
6.6
Film
Out of the Furnace
Chief Wesley Barnes
2013
6.9
Film
Bird
Charlie 'Bird' Parker
1988
6.8
Film
Respect
C. L. Franklin
2021
6.4
Film
City of Lies
Jack Jackson
2018
5.2
Film
Prêt-à-Porter
Cy Bianco
1994
7.1
Film
Dope
The Narrator (voice)
2015
3.3
Series
By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem
Self
2020
6.1
Film
Finding Steve McQueen
Howard Lambert
2019
6.1
Film
The Forgiven
Desmond Tutu
2018
6.7
Series
Star Wars: Go Rogue
Saw Gerrera (voice)
2016
5.6
Film
The Stories: The Making of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'
Self
2017
6.1
Film
Burden
Reverend Kennedy
2018
10.0
Film
Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times
Self
2020
7.2
Film
Mysteries of the Unseen World
Narrator
2013
3.5
Film
I Am You
Narrator (voice)
2016
4.0
Film
Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace
Narrator (voice)
2018
7.0
Film
Xenolinguistics: Understanding 'Arrival'
Self
2017