Biography
This page uses content from the Forest Whitaker biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor (film, stage and television), producer and director.
Biography
Early life
Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas to Forest Whitaker, Jr. and Laura Francis Smith. His mother put herself through college and earned two Masters degrees while raising her family. Born with strabismus (turned eye)Wil Haygood. "This Role Was Brutal: Forest Whitaker Tried to Humanize Tyrant Amin." The Washington Post. October 2006, Vol. 129, Iss. 300, pg. N1+N4. [1], Whitaker attended the School of Drama at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, as well as the Drama Studio London. In a student production of "Whose Life is it Anyway?" in which he played an orderly, his talent was so obvious that he was approached by two agents eager to represent him. His first film appearance was in "TAG: The Assassination Game."
Whitaker became a drama student at U.S.C. after a short stint at as a football player at Cal State Fullerton. There the coach continued to play him despite a painful back injury. Feeling that his coach cared only about winning, even if it cost his players their health, Whitaker transferred to U.S.C. to take up acting.
Career
Whitaker's first onscreen role of note was in 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High alongside the likes of Judge Reinhold, Nicolas Cage, and Phoebe Cates. He followed with notable roles in Platoon, Good Morning, Vietnam, and The Color of Money. In 1988, Forest played the role of musician Charlie Parker in the Clint Eastwood directed film, Bird, for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. Whitaker was originally called upon to write and direct a live-action movie adaptation of Bill Cosby's cartoon, Fat Albert, but differences between the two led to Whitaker leaving production.
In 2002, he was the host and narrator of The Twilight Zone, which lasted one season. In 2006, Whitaker joined the cast of FX's cop serial The Shield, as Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh. His performance as a tormented internal affairs cop only strengthened the show's attractiveness to fans and advertisers alike. Whitaker received critical acclaim for his peformance as dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland. He is a guest star on the October 19, November 2, and November 9, 2006 episodes of ER.
In 2006,he appeared in T.I. 's video "Live in The Sky" along with Jamie Foxx.
Personal life
In 1996, Whitaker married fellow actress Keisha Whitaker. They have two daughters, Sonnet and True. He has a son named Ocean from a previous relationship and a stepdaughter named Autumn from a previous relationship of Keisha's. He is also a 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate . He is a vegetarian.
Selected filmography
Actor:
- The Air I Breathe (2007)
- The Shield (2006)
- The Last King of Scotland (2006)
- A Little Trip to Heaven (2005)
- Mary (2005)
- American Gun (2005)
- Deacons for Defense (2003)
- Phone Booth (2002)
- Panic Room (2002)
- Battlefield Earth (2000)
- Light It Up (1999)
- Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
- Phenomenon (1996)
- Species (1995)
- Smoke (1995)
- The Enemy Within (1994)
- Prêt-à-Porter (1994)
- Jason's Lyric (1994)
- The Crying Game (1992)
- A Rage in Harlem (1991)
- Downtown (1990)
- Bloodsport (1988)
- Bird (1988)
- Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
- Platoon (1986)
- North and South, Book II (1986)
- The Color of Money (1986)
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Director:
- First Daughter (2004)
- Hope Floats (1998)
- Waiting to Exhale (1995)
References
External links
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify the biographical information on this page under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.
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